The Lagunitas Story [Paperback]

Tony Magee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 19, 2012

The Lagunitas Story; So You Want To Start A Brewery...? was written by Tony Magee, founder of Petaluma, California s Lagunitas Brewing Company. So You Want To Start A Brewery...? is a thrilling first-person account of the gut-wrenching challenges and heart-warming successes of founding a brewery, told in the vibrant voice of the one person closest to the process who is also the one person with the most to lose.

So You Want To Start A Brewery...? is equal part memoir, narrative and business story, with liberal dashes of pop culture and local color. The tale is anchored strongly in time and place as a one-of-a-kind Made in America journey that just happens to culminate with the continued success of one of the nation s most popular and enduring craft beer brands. Devoted to details but never boring, this is a must-read for anyone who s ever considered starting their own business and all those who ve sweated blood working to get one on its feet, as well as an illuminating slice-of-life for Lagunitas many fans.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tony Magee, the founder of Lagunitas Brewing Company, and his wife, Carissa Brader, were born and raised in the periphery of Chicago, IL. Carissa studied trumpet and Law and Tony studied music composition until moving to San Francisco in 1987 where he founded the Brewery in the fall of 1993. This is the story of the first 20 years of one brewery among hundreds that brought a flowering of uniquely American brewing styles that will still be brewed a generation from today. Life is so uncertain. Don't Sip!

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Charles Pinot; 1 edition (November 19, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0985356456
• ISBN-13: 978-0985356453
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spend the last piaster you can borrow on this book. But I digress.... January 6, 2013

By Hairy Eyeball Bill

Format:Paperback

For anyone that drinks Lagunitas beer, reads the labels, hears the stories or wonders how it started and kept going, this is a must read.

I've been a fan of Lagunitas since 1995, so this review is a bit biased. I've watched this brewery grow and then outgrow every space they've been in Petaluma. This book fills in the gaps of what I've seen and heard, made me remember things
I'd forgotten and brought back longings for their extinct beers (Lagunator and Sirius were two of my favorites).

Tony is a fun guy to talk to and it's just as much fun reading his book. I was laughing starting at page 1 and most of the book is humorous (it probably wasn't back then, but it is now) but there are parts that will piss you off, cry in your beer or will make you scratch your head and just say "huh?"

I would have liked to see a chapter listing all the beers they've ever made (though it was fun to see a different one preceding each chapter). Photos would have been a plus too, but I can wander over to the Sanctuary and see the past after a few "Shuggas".

Hopefully, the owners of Petaluma Hills, 101 North and Hen House have read this so they'll know what they're in for.

Cheers!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost as fun as actually DRINKING beer...! December 23, 2012

By C. Cady

Format:Paperback

This is one hilarious book...Magee's voice comes through loud and clear as he tells the fascinating tale of how Lagunitas Brewing Co grew from a stove-top home brew kit to one of the most popular craft breweries around. Magee (also the author of the rambling messages that appear on the Lagunitas labeling) is no suit-wearin' bottom line-prioritizin' cookie cutter bossypants business guy and it shows in every line.

It's an adventure story of battling bankers, wrangling brewery equipment, and building a brand based on offbeat fun and completely absent of "spin" (even when messing up: when they missed the window to brew up a favorite and wildly popular seasonal ale, the label on the replacement beer was an hysterical admission of guilt that Amazon censored when I tried to post it...)

Everyone from craft brewing aficionados to those of us who just enjoy consuming mass quantities will love this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a story with a hoppy ending February 8, 2013

By Onioncows

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a book that I couldn't put down, except momentarily to take a swig of IPA. A fascinating look at the craft beer industry, and what it takes to grow, or should I say ferment, a business. Should be required reading for entrepreneurs, beer lovers, or beer loving entrepreneurs.