Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How It Took 13 Years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to Make Shmaltz Brewing an International Success

by Jeremy Cowan, James Sullivan

In this witty and compelling tale of how the nation’s first and only Jewish Celebration beer came to fruition, founder Jeremy Cowan tells the story of Shmaltz Brewing’s evolution from an inside joke into a thriving and award-winning craft brewing company. Divulged are the small-business challenges and marketing strategies that helped Cowan go from hand-squeezing pomegranates and delivering beer in his grandmother’s Volvo to producing two of the most respected and unique craft beer brands in He'brew the Chosen Beer and Coney Island Craft Lagers. Included alongside the sage advice for entrepreneurs and the humorous personal anecdotes are suggested beer pairings for each chapter, a hangover rating system, and 16 pages of full-color photograph collages.

Genres: Beer

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jeremy Cowan, founder of Shmaltz Brewing Company is the author of Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How It Took 13 Years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to Make Shmaltz Brewing an International Success. The story of the Bay Area born and based brewing company (handcrafters of HE'BREW beer), celebrating American Craft Beer Week in May. Jeremy was born and raised in Palo Alto and attended Stanford."

Reviews

[Cornelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading this from Jeremy Cowan. It is a wonderfully entertaining read. He details the evolution of Schmaltz Brewing Company with honesty and humor galore.

[Kate Papenberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Author is utterly insufferable.

NEXT!

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah, Jeremy Cowan describes his quest to make a craft beer successful in a world overrun with mediocre large distribution brands. He uses his Jewish heritage to establish a niche market brew by working with contracting with brewing companies to make his beer. Along the way he he learns the lessons of trying to establish a business: trademarks, selling, taxes, profit margins, and budgets. The tale is one for those hoping to start a business, make it profitable, and to grow it. Luckily, Jeremy had a host of capable friend, just enough funding to succeed, and a good mother. This is an entertaining read with humor and good information for the curious.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. It's funny that a guy who made a beer brand on schticks poking fun of Judaism wrote on of the best books relating to Jewish identity which I have read in a long time. The book touches on being Jewish and having Jewish knowledge but relating more to the part of cultural Judaism then the establishment of religious Judaism.

And of course there is the beer. It was cool to learn about the hard work it takes to start and run a brewery. Learning about flavored, designing labels, and distribution markets was fascinating. Definitely reminded me that I'm more cut out for beer drinking then beer making.

So as a Jew and a beer lover this book spoiled me. Would recommend for Jews and beer lovers equally, there is a lot to get out of this book.