The vast majority of countries have a go-to brand of beer that defines their palate. Heineken in the Netherlands, Budweiser (until recently) in the United States, Molson in Canada, and Corona in Mexico are several identifiable examples. All of these are lagers, most of them of the pilsner variety. The lager is arguably the most consumer variety of beer globally, and its spread from Central Europe to the rest of the world is a story of trade, globalization, and migration of people over centuries.
Jeffrey M. Pilcher’s Hopped Up: How Travel, Trade, and Taste Made Beer a Global Commodity is an ode to beer history. From its origins in Sumer and Egypt thousands of years ago to the variety of brewing traditions that grew over time, beer has had a long journey in evolution and in how it quenches thirst. Much of Pilcher’s book focuses on the spread of lagers and pilsners, but he spends a fair amount of time covering identifiable brands such as Guinness due to their contributions to global beer culture.
Pilcher focuses on the boom in craft brewing that took place over the past 30 years. Craft brewing is not just an American phenomenon, as Pilcher points out. The spread of hoppier, more bitter IPAs is mostly a product of America in recent years. However, the IPA is a throwback to the original English Pale Ale that dominated 18th and 19th Century tastes in the British Empire.
Hopped Up is mostly an enjoyable read, although parts of the book (especially when the author drifts into social commentary) may not leave a pleasant aftertaste with a beer aficionado.
MY RATING: 4
