Customer Reviews

Love at the Pub: An Insider's Guide to Craftsmanship, Conversation, and Community at the Brick Store Pub

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I kept looking for the beer snob in this book and never found it. I was sure it was there when I read that The Brick Store Pub decided Warsteiner was too mainstream, but the replacement beer they chose to introduce the mass marketed beer crowd to craft brew, Victory Prima Pils, and the story of how one blue collar worker worked his way up from that launching point in just six months was inspiring. Accessible to a new connoisseur, I'll bet even a seasoned veteran of Belgian Ales and craft brews will learn something new. Every few pages, there is a definition of a different style of beer or a famous quote. But no matter where you fall on the spectrum of beer lovers, you'll enjoy hearing the story of how this place came to be and what keeps it on the map in Decatur, Georgia.

Love at the pub is a must-read for anyone who has ever dreamed of opening a pub. Part 1 takes you through glassware, servers, and how the law literally changed because of the influence of this place. If you've ever heard the phrase `a perfect pour,' then don't miss the story of how three bartenders practiced pouring Guinness all day long until one of them got it perfect. From stories of kids turning 21 and sharing their first beer with mom and dad to how the owners literally built the place out with their bare hands, you'll be able to call the staff by name when you make a pilgrimage to visit this bar after reading this book. At least one woman scheduled a 10-hour layover in Atlanta to visit the Pub again. Not bad for a place with "no neons, no TV's and no domestics."

From [...]

Love at The Pub sets out to tell the history of a bar. A bar that was founded by 3 friends on the town square in Decatur, GA and has grown to be the number 2 beer bar in the country. The Brick Store's owners built their business on connecting with the community, from buying local foods to founding charity events such as SkaterAid and the Decatur Beer Festival. (Not to mention the fact that you can often find them behind the bar or working the floor.)

Maybe this is why when I think back on Love at The Pub I don't think of it as a book on the history of a bar. This book is so much more than that - a true chronicle of Decatur's recent history and revitalization. Ms. Mahan interviews many of the key players who set the stage for the community Decatur is today, and records the thoughts of those who have witnessed the transformation. The planning that went into restoring Decatur is impressive for a city of this size, particularly when community planning was not in vogue. Through concerned citizens who formed the planning committee, Decatur was able to start on a 20 year path to becoming a pedestrian friendly, community minded, small town kind of city.

That said, Ms. Mahan leaves no detail of the Brick Store unexamined. Any question I have ever had about the Pub was answered, from wondering where that door came from to why don't they have "my beer" anymore. The interviews of the Brick Store's regulars are heartwarming tributes to the founders and staff. These stories are supplemented with Ms. Mahan's rich presentation of beer knowledge showcased in text boxes throughout the book. Readers who take the time to read the inlays receive an education in the arts of brewing and tasting along with the great community history.

Love at the Pub is a great read for those who love stories of the "third place" - the place that allows a community to grow and rest, and anyone who ever wanted to know anything about starting a pub.

A mix of local history, beer knowledge and heart warming stories from local pub goers... This is a one-of-a-kind book that feels good when you read it. It's that simple. Thanks Mary-Jane for this unique experience.

Reading 'Love at the Pub' made me thirsty not only for beer, but also for some good times hanging around in a friendly community. Mary Jane Mahan has a wonderful way with words, and she's really painted a vivid and engaging portrait in her book of a way of life that I find quite admirable. Beer lovers will appreciate the approach the Brick Store Pub has taken to its offerings, and pub lovers will appreciate the atmospherics. People lovers will appreciate the great stories from a diverse 'tribe.' This is really a great read and I think everyone in the Atlanta region needs to put one on their shelf so that visitors know where to go for a good time.

I got the book and it was almost falling out of the shipping packaging and was bent. Then I opened it and the print was at the top of the page, where the publisher must have miscut the book. All this aside, it is an interesting book about life at a small gastopub that specializes in Craft Beer.