“Bitter Brew deftly chronicles the contentious succession of kings in a uniquely American dynasty. You’ll never crack open a six again without thinking of this book.”—John Sayles, Director of Eight Men Out and author of A Moment in the SunThe creators of Budweiser and Michelob beers, the Anheuser-Busch company is one of the wealthiest, most colorful and enduring family dynasties in the history of … family dynasties in the history of American commerce. In Bitter Brew, critically acclaimed journalist William Knoedelseder tells the riveting, often scandalous saga of the rise and fall of the dysfunctional Busch family—an epic tale of prosperity, profligacy, hubris, and the dark consequences of success that spans three centuries, from the open salvos of the Civil War to the present day.
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I thought this book was phenomenal. There have been rumors in my family for years that we were descendants of an illicit relationship by AAB. Even the dominant side, which was from the direct descendants, attested and believed this fact. I claim NO inheritance, nor should I, however, it was a very interesting read!
A very interesting story about a rich family and their legacy. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this story read. Very informative while also interesting.
Very well written history of Busch family and business
BeIng from Missouri and spending time at Grants Farm and having toured the brewery it was especially meaningful.
As a kid of a parent that worked and retired from this company, it was a neat read remembering the ups and downs as my parent proudly worked for them back in the day.
Well-written, informative book about the Anhueser-Busch empire. The early days of getting started were interesting, the survival of prohibition was amazing, but as wealth grows, it becomes more like a soap opera. I tell you this mush – I’ll never look at beer ads the same way again!
Interesting look into an American economic dynasty. I will never look at Budweiser the same again.
Thoroughly enjoyed it
I lost interest in the book
Great history. Seemingly such a straightforward topic but astoundingly complex family history.
I really enjoyed this book. This was definitely off-course for me but once I started reading it, the book just got better, For those that wonder what happened it’s really a parallel of American history. You can read the book and come away with a sense of diminished American standing in the world, the perils of capitalism and the importance of good …
Let me qualify this by saying I am not a beer drinker, so I don’t have loyalty one way or the other. While I did live in St. Louis for a year, I was a kid and have no allegiance to the city. Some of the other reviews I’ve read claim bias by the author and I can’t speak to that. All I can say is that the premise of this book pulled me in. It was …
Enjoyed it very much and have recommended it to several friends already. Very informative and written in a very “straight forward” manner.
I couldn’t put this book down! Great history of a great American company.
The interesting story of the rise and fall of an iconic beer family. It is a near perfect allegory for the American brewing industry as a whole.
The rise and fall of one of America’s oldest industries and well-known families was a very fascinating and yet tragic read. It’s another sad truism about how successful, enterprising people can be when they build something up with their own hands and hard work, and how destructive others can be … others who had nothing to do with the formation …
Typical wealthy family issues and too much money which ultimately ended a famous dynasty
Good example of how money destroys family.
Thoroughly researched and interspersed with tons of dialogue that keeps it moving. Another example of why dynasties inevitably flame out.
Don’t have kids if you create a business that might become a dynasty!
Very well written. Grants Farm, the brewery, the Cardinals, The Beer family story is one of over coming and sadness at the same time.