Beer Money, S.C. Sherman
Beer Money, S.C. Sherman
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Beer Money
A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia

Author: S.C. Sherman

Narrator: Adam Barr

Unabridged: 8 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/17/2020


Synopsis

German, Czech, and Irish immigrants poured into America in the mid-1800s. They brought their language and traditions with them . . . and their love of brewing and drinking beer. In 1881, Iowa City was a bustling town full of immigrants. The population was exploding, and that meant two things: Fortunes were being made overnight and trouble was afoot.

Three large breweries had taken root, sprouting strong and proud in the "Northside" neighborhood. In one generation the brewers became wealthy and powerful men. They also came to be known as "The Beer Mafia." The more powerful the brewers grew, the more passionate the ladies of the Women's Christian Temperance Union became about abolishing alcohol altogether. They took their fight to the saloon, the street, and the Statehouse, preaching prohibition.

Conrad Graf, J. J. Englert, and John Dostal thought of themselves as honest businessmen capitalizing on America's explosive growth by simply providing a product people wanted. Vernice Armstrong thought they were selling sin and destroying everything that made America great, one beer at a time. She made it her mission in life to bring them down, but they weren't about to go down without a fight.

About S.C. Sherman

S. C. "Steve" Sherman grew up an Iowa farm kid. He still lives and works in Hawkeye country with his wife Amy, and their four children, Mollie, Cole, Brock, and Sariah. Steve is a sought-after speaker and guest on radio and TV and loves outdoor activities and larger-than-life stories. He has written across several genres, enjoying his foray into each one. His novels include Leaving Southfields, a work of historical fiction; Hell and Back, a spiritual thriller; Moxie, a young adult fantasy; Mercy Shot, a political thriller; and Lone Wolf Canyon, a modern-day western.


Reviews

This is a short easy read that is most interesting if you are an Iowa City denizen, either past or present, or from the upper Midwest (the overlap with a thriving beer making business and German immigrants is going to resonate with anyone from Wisconsin, for example). There are some great historic p......more

So here’s the thing about this book: as an Iowa history nerd, I loved reading about the history of Iowa City breweries, their beer caves, the “beer mafia,” prohibition politics, immigration themes... all of it. I thought the author did detailed research and really cared about telling this story. How......more

Goodreads review by Barbara

Did not particularly care for the author’s writing style, especially his dialogue writing. Unsophisticated and sophomoric. However, I found the story interesting and informative. I am a graduate of the University of Iowa and lived in the 400 block of E. Market St., so the references to the location......more

Goodreads review by Chris

Quick enough read to make it an enjoyable book for someone who grew up in Iowa and enjoys beer. I had no idea about the history of Iowa City’s breweries or Iowa’s pre-1900 prohibition. Overall plot struggles to be cohesive and limps to a conclusion.......more

Goodreads review by Michael

The story was historical fiction which I found intriguing since I know Iowa City somewhat. The book wasn't a fast-paced thriller, but that was not to be expected. I enjoyed the book and pulled interesting tidbits from it to file away in my meager brain!......more