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Bitter Brew: The Rise and Fall of Anheuser-Busch and America's Kings of Beer
“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 Sun
The 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 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.
—John Sayles, Director of Eight Men Out and author of A Moment in the Sun
The 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 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.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 603 reviews
March 6, 2013
Lost a star for typos. The most offensive - "Gravis" Road in south St. Louis? Really? As if a four-second Google search would have killed your editors.
February 7, 2013
As happens quite often, I heard about this book while listening to NPR on our local public radio station, and it sounded interesting, despite my tendency not to find history interesting.
Indeed, it is a rather fascinating book about the Busch family, of Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) fame. And what a family! At least three men -- grandfather, father and son -- who were gifted and obsessed businessmen. Between them, and over a period of around a hundred years or more, they created an incredible fortune and a family dynasty. But, at the same time, those same men put the creation of power and riches above that of their wives and children, ultimately creating a family of dysfunction, indulgence, corruption, and tragedy. The arrogance of those men, and their power-hungry single-mindedness comes through clearly, as does their genius.
It's also disappointing to see how easily those three Busch men manipulated the masses and their drinking habits, not to mention cultivating people in power at both state and federal levels.
The Busch family misfortunes are sad to learn about, not least those of the last Busch family member, August IV, to head the company before the InBev takeover -- but not much to sympathize with, as his were mostly self-inflicted misfortunes.
Along with this, the book conveys what happened to those major American breweries that I was introduced to when I first arrived in the US (in the late 60s and early 70s): Not just Anheuser-Busch (A-B), but Miller, Coors, Schlitz, Pabst, and even Canadian breweries Molson and Labatt. I had not heard about the wholesale amalgamation of so many of them. I already knew that A-B had been taken over by InBev, who I had heard was a Belgium beer conglomerate. I did not know that InBev is owned/controlled by three billionaire Brazilian financiers.
I suppose I can say that my attitude towards American beers such as Bud, Miller, Coors, et. al. is thoroughly justified by what I learned from this book. I never drink any of them, much preferring the products of microbreweries. My original reasons were (and are) taste. Now, they also include a wish not to support companies with such self-serving, monopolistic and misleading practices. The men running InBev, for example, are portrayed as being brutally cost-cutting -- not interested in what they produce, but purely in making a profit.
I have learned that Anheuser-InBev now owns something like 200 beer brands, including many longtime brands such as Bass, Beck, Stella Artois, Budweiser (except for the original Czech Budweiser Budvar -- a MUCH better beer than American Budweiser. The Czech company is unrelated to the American Budweiser, although they apparently have marketing agreements in the US), Labatt, Lowenbrau, Rolling Rock, St. Pauli Girl, Whitbread, and many, many more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InBev_br...).
The second largest beer-related conglomerate, SABMiller owns something like 150 brands, including Miller, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni, Grolsch, and many more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABMille...).
It's enough to make you cry!
Altogether, a fascinating, but rather discouraging book.
Indeed, it is a rather fascinating book about the Busch family, of Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) fame. And what a family! At least three men -- grandfather, father and son -- who were gifted and obsessed businessmen. Between them, and over a period of around a hundred years or more, they created an incredible fortune and a family dynasty. But, at the same time, those same men put the creation of power and riches above that of their wives and children, ultimately creating a family of dysfunction, indulgence, corruption, and tragedy. The arrogance of those men, and their power-hungry single-mindedness comes through clearly, as does their genius.
It's also disappointing to see how easily those three Busch men manipulated the masses and their drinking habits, not to mention cultivating people in power at both state and federal levels.
The Busch family misfortunes are sad to learn about, not least those of the last Busch family member, August IV, to head the company before the InBev takeover -- but not much to sympathize with, as his were mostly self-inflicted misfortunes.
Along with this, the book conveys what happened to those major American breweries that I was introduced to when I first arrived in the US (in the late 60s and early 70s): Not just Anheuser-Busch (A-B), but Miller, Coors, Schlitz, Pabst, and even Canadian breweries Molson and Labatt. I had not heard about the wholesale amalgamation of so many of them. I already knew that A-B had been taken over by InBev, who I had heard was a Belgium beer conglomerate. I did not know that InBev is owned/controlled by three billionaire Brazilian financiers.
I suppose I can say that my attitude towards American beers such as Bud, Miller, Coors, et. al. is thoroughly justified by what I learned from this book. I never drink any of them, much preferring the products of microbreweries. My original reasons were (and are) taste. Now, they also include a wish not to support companies with such self-serving, monopolistic and misleading practices. The men running InBev, for example, are portrayed as being brutally cost-cutting -- not interested in what they produce, but purely in making a profit.
I have learned that Anheuser-InBev now owns something like 200 beer brands, including many longtime brands such as Bass, Beck, Stella Artois, Budweiser (except for the original Czech Budweiser Budvar -- a MUCH better beer than American Budweiser. The Czech company is unrelated to the American Budweiser, although they apparently have marketing agreements in the US), Labatt, Lowenbrau, Rolling Rock, St. Pauli Girl, Whitbread, and many, many more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InBev_br...).
The second largest beer-related conglomerate, SABMiller owns something like 150 brands, including Miller, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni, Grolsch, and many more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABMille...).
It's enough to make you cry!
Altogether, a fascinating, but rather discouraging book.
June 21, 2018
I don't like Budweiser or Bud Light, but once, many years ago, I worked for the niece of Gussie Busch so I thought I would give this book a try. It's a fairly enjoyable read with so many characters that it is difficult to keep the names straight. The family, which bleeds beer, has all the problems and egos that so many of the rich do.
The author spends a good deal on Gussie, who became synonymous with the St. Louis Cardinals, and August III, his son. I vaguely remember seeing them at my employer's house, but it was fairly obvious who was running things. Everyone kowtowed to the old man, but in the coming years he was ousted from control by his son.
This book brought back some memories, but it also seemed to be a story, which has been told before. Money doesn't guarantee happiness.
The author spends a good deal on Gussie, who became synonymous with the St. Louis Cardinals, and August III, his son. I vaguely remember seeing them at my employer's house, but it was fairly obvious who was running things. Everyone kowtowed to the old man, but in the coming years he was ousted from control by his son.
This book brought back some memories, but it also seemed to be a story, which has been told before. Money doesn't guarantee happiness.
September 22, 2013
This was a selection my book club picked. I would never have picked this book up voluntarily on my own. I don't really care much about the lives of the rich and famous. That being said, this turned out to be a fascinating book. I supposed it helped because I live in St. Louis.
There were parts I kind of skimmed. But it was an easy read, although somewhat biased. The author is definitely not a fan of the Busch family. However the part on the St. Louis Cardinal purchase by Gussie Busch was fascinating. How Grant's Farm came into being was also interesting. And even though I'm in St. Louis and have heard plenty of Busch family stories over the years, I really had no idea of the magnitude of their wealth. Like crazy rich. The "fall" part of the book was kind of heartbreaking even though the author has no sympathy for The Buschs'. It's a good lesson in "money doesn't make you happy."
If you love the Cardinals as I do, or have any interest in St. Louis history, this is a very good read.
Go Cards!
There were parts I kind of skimmed. But it was an easy read, although somewhat biased. The author is definitely not a fan of the Busch family. However the part on the St. Louis Cardinal purchase by Gussie Busch was fascinating. How Grant's Farm came into being was also interesting. And even though I'm in St. Louis and have heard plenty of Busch family stories over the years, I really had no idea of the magnitude of their wealth. Like crazy rich. The "fall" part of the book was kind of heartbreaking even though the author has no sympathy for The Buschs'. It's a good lesson in "money doesn't make you happy."
If you love the Cardinals as I do, or have any interest in St. Louis history, this is a very good read.
Go Cards!
August 7, 2017
As my mom called it, Lear with beer. The author follows the Busch family from the founding of the company through the aftermath of the sale to InBev (Booo!Hiss!). There's business and politics, and lots of family history and gossip.
Though I consider St. Louis my home, I didn't grow up there. So much of this history was new to me. I think the parts about fighting prohibition, and how the company stayed alive during the dry years were quite interesting. I also loved the company's history with my favorite baseball team (Go Cardinals!). I even enjoyed some of the business parts, like how they developed Bud Light, and August III's fervor quality, consistency, and taste testing. The family drama was fascinating, especially since they were able to tightly manage the public stories for so long. Since I lived there at the time of the buyout I saw first hand the financial hit the city took, and had several friends who lost their jobs with AB. The information presented in the book was fascinating, but the writing wasn't great. The author isn't fond of dates, and with 4 Augusts and Adolphus each, the names could get pretty confusing. I'll be thinking about this book the next time I visit Grant's Farm when I go home to visit my parents.
Though I consider St. Louis my home, I didn't grow up there. So much of this history was new to me. I think the parts about fighting prohibition, and how the company stayed alive during the dry years were quite interesting. I also loved the company's history with my favorite baseball team (Go Cardinals!). I even enjoyed some of the business parts, like how they developed Bud Light, and August III's fervor quality, consistency, and taste testing. The family drama was fascinating, especially since they were able to tightly manage the public stories for so long. Since I lived there at the time of the buyout I saw first hand the financial hit the city took, and had several friends who lost their jobs with AB. The information presented in the book was fascinating, but the writing wasn't great. The author isn't fond of dates, and with 4 Augusts and Adolphus each, the names could get pretty confusing. I'll be thinking about this book the next time I visit Grant's Farm when I go home to visit my parents.
January 10, 2023
3.5 stars so rounding up to 4. This fam is wilddd
January 21, 2024
3.5 stars. Didn't know any of this juicy goss!
June 22, 2021
Wow. Just wow. From high on the mountain as the King of Beer to being bought out by a competitor and the family out of the business. What a story.
November 10, 2012
First of all, you can tell that I'm on a roll.....two books read very recently....kind of manic I guess and making up for lost time not reading much. Yes, I need to read more.....nothing like a good book to get you in the groove again......
This is a great book about Anheuser-Busch and the history around Budweiser. I can honestly state that I'm a Miller Lite and/or Coors Lite drinker; however the story behind Budweiser is still a great read.
Most of the press focus is on August IV but there is so much more to it than just the last family CEO that sold out to InBev. Yes, August IV is a fucked up rich man but he was in a family that pushed you to your limits and didn't always provide that father-son relationship that most of us received growing up. I have some guarantees that August IV will be dead in less than 5 years even though he is worth over $100 million dollars....a classic case showing that money doesn't buy happiness.
This book came out on Election Day (November 6) and I finished the book today....three days later. I was hooked the whole way and really recommend this book from a lot of different angles.....business leadership dos and don'ts, father/son relationships, the positive contribution that AB provided to St. Louis and the USA, the great advertising that Bud provided for so many years (especially during the SuperBowl) and the finality of "selling" out when you don't want to.
Highly recommend the book....even if you are not a beer drinker.
This is a great book about Anheuser-Busch and the history around Budweiser. I can honestly state that I'm a Miller Lite and/or Coors Lite drinker; however the story behind Budweiser is still a great read.
Most of the press focus is on August IV but there is so much more to it than just the last family CEO that sold out to InBev. Yes, August IV is a fucked up rich man but he was in a family that pushed you to your limits and didn't always provide that father-son relationship that most of us received growing up. I have some guarantees that August IV will be dead in less than 5 years even though he is worth over $100 million dollars....a classic case showing that money doesn't buy happiness.
This book came out on Election Day (November 6) and I finished the book today....three days later. I was hooked the whole way and really recommend this book from a lot of different angles.....business leadership dos and don'ts, father/son relationships, the positive contribution that AB provided to St. Louis and the USA, the great advertising that Bud provided for so many years (especially during the SuperBowl) and the finality of "selling" out when you don't want to.
Highly recommend the book....even if you are not a beer drinker.
March 2, 2020
It puts perspective on the American Dream.
October 30, 2021
This is much more a history of the Busch Family and how it impacted the company than it is a history of Budweiser and Anheuser-Busch. I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of detail on the company particularly in the later years as craft breweries started to become more impactful on sales. That said, it's still an interesting read and full of information I'd never before been aware of. The unraveling of the last Busch (Busch IV) in particular is fascinating and just goes to show that money can cover up many flaws and mistakes for you, but only for so long. The last quarter of this book reads like a bad reality show script at times. It's amazing how even after dozens of bad and poor decisions a company like this can continue to exist and at times grow, almost as if by mistake. While I hoped for a bit more focus on the brewing decisions of the company, this was a solid read and gets more and more interesting with every chapter so that by the end you can't put it down.
March 29, 2020
Anyone who grew up in St. Louis, or anyone who has ridden the Budweiser Special train at Grant’s Farm, or anyone who has watched the Clydesdales pull the red beer wagon around the warning track at a Cardinals baseball game...this book’s for you.
June 10, 2022
Absolute monsters, all of the them, but damn if this didn't make me crave a Bud.
Read
November 14, 20234.2/5
January 19, 2025
Really enjoyed this history about the rise and fall of the Busch empire.
September 18, 2013
If this was my first book I'd read on the Busch family, I would have been impressed. There were a few new stories, and certainly a different "spin" on the family than the first book I read. Amazing how holding such a small percentage of the company, they managed to have everyone in St. Louis thinking that they owned the whole thing. lol On one hand, the brewery, like I'm sure they all did at some point, provided a lot of middle class jobs. An opportunity for people to work for one company their whole career, to buy a house, send their kids to college, drive decent cars...that is what I appreciated about them. How they spent their own money...gosh, it was their own money, but what a WASTE!!! Extravagance to no end. Giving money to charities? Yes...but never, never forget...Anheiser-Busch NEVER did anything for ANYONE without getting ten fold back themselves. All the money they "gave" away..were write-offs for them. Period. It's sad that in the end, that August IV was not able to step up to the plate and run the company. Daily drugs will do that to a person. I suppose for the brewery to survive, it had to happen...be sold. The Busch's are all rich (filthy rich), and InBev...four days after buying the company, laid off 1000 or 1400 workers in St. Louis alone. Scumbags. I'm sure most of the people that bought and/or read this book are from here. It's part of our history!
May 17, 2021
This was very interesting to see how the King of Beers (Anheuser-Busch) was knocked off its throne. There are a lot of stories I did not know about (such as why a baseball team was purchased) and it really gives the reader a good timeline as to what happened. The book does not overwhelm with dates or names. The addition of the photos helped. I liked seeing how the business started and its connections to St Louis. But still seeing how Anheuser-Busch survived all those years only to be taken down is still sad to see. Not only for the employees but also the town that loved its beer.
I did find myself playing the ‘what if’ game.
What if Busch beer had been left to one of the daughters?
What if it had been left to someone other than the firstborn son?
What if actions had consequences?
What if fathers and sons connected more?
But it seems that all good things must come to an end.
The book does wrap up how things are going with the beer maker now that it has new international ownership. My, how things have changed. But it’s nice to hear that some Busch family members are trying to tap the beer market again.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
I did find myself playing the ‘what if’ game.
What if Busch beer had been left to one of the daughters?
What if it had been left to someone other than the firstborn son?
What if actions had consequences?
What if fathers and sons connected more?
But it seems that all good things must come to an end.
The book does wrap up how things are going with the beer maker now that it has new international ownership. My, how things have changed. But it’s nice to hear that some Busch family members are trying to tap the beer market again.
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
January 21, 2016
I loved the history of St. Louis and of the company itself. As for the family history, it was cool to take an inside look, though it felt personal. I wanted an objective perspective. The authors stance felt incredibly biased, to the point where it has me doubting some of his depictions. For example, some of the personal conversations relayed involving any of the Busch family-- directly quote Gussie, The Third or the Fourth. These did not mention quotes from a speech, article, or interview, but were written as if the author was there. His notes list "confidential interviews" for some, but without even a "confidential sources stated Gussie said..."
For the record, I didn't do any research on the author's research, so maybe my point is inaccurate or I misunderstood. This was just a general thought as I was paging through the book.
Overall, I did find the history of St. Louis's beloved Bud interesting enough, but this book has me itching to reach for another book on the topic, something that isn't laden with bias and already distaste for the personal character of the members of the Busch family.
For the record, I didn't do any research on the author's research, so maybe my point is inaccurate or I misunderstood. This was just a general thought as I was paging through the book.
Overall, I did find the history of St. Louis's beloved Bud interesting enough, but this book has me itching to reach for another book on the topic, something that isn't laden with bias and already distaste for the personal character of the members of the Busch family.
July 12, 2017
I wasn't aware of how wild August Busch IV is until a dead hooker turned up in his place in Frontenac, not far from where I grew up, a few years ago. Come to find out, he was being protected by the media, as the scion of one of the most important business families in St. Louis FWIW. Of course all of that has since come to an end. Bitter Brew traces the story of Anheuser-Busch from its origins, back during the dark ages, up through the hostile takeover by InBev, a few years ago, with all of the ups and downs (especially downs) in between. It's less an informative business tome and more of a trashy tell-all, with lots of alcohol-fueled hijinks, thot cruises, random dead female companions and what have you. If you're from St. Louis, you'll get a huge kick out of this. Even if you aren't, you'll almost certainly find this amusing.
December 6, 2013
I haven't been a consumer of Anheuser Busch products for well over a decade. It's a part of my life that I just outgrew, but when I was drinking Budweiser was one of my favorites. "Bitter Brew" is an excellent business story, where generations after generations ruin the family business because of their birthrights.
Instead of getting the job base on merits, August Busch IV (The Fourth), became CEO and ruin the legacy of the family and the business. Not only he made really bad business choices for Anheuser Busch, but he was also a big time substance abuser and playboy. It is because of his family's name that he became the head master brewer.
It's really interesting to read these kinds of books. Not only it's informable, but the ultra wealthy crumbles because of birthrights.
Instead of getting the job base on merits, August Busch IV (The Fourth), became CEO and ruin the legacy of the family and the business. Not only he made really bad business choices for Anheuser Busch, but he was also a big time substance abuser and playboy. It is because of his family's name that he became the head master brewer.
It's really interesting to read these kinds of books. Not only it's informable, but the ultra wealthy crumbles because of birthrights.
November 8, 2013
I thought this would be interesting to listen to. It certainly was, but as the book progressed, it got more and more gossipy and scandal-laden. By the time that happened I was as invested in the characters as though they were fictional and couldn't quite stop. But I felt ashamed for listening so avidly to the tale of a family's descent into sordidness. The earlier history is more what I expected, and consequently the part of the book I liked best. The inescapable conclusion I drew at the end is that really rich people are really weird and tragic so it's a good thing I don't have much money.
August 27, 2016
Pretty interesting! I'm a sucker for a good American wealth-dynasty story esp. when it ends in scandal and disgrace. Also funny that throughout this book everyone is all "WE MUST UPHOLD THE LEGACY OF BUDWEISER" as if the American version is some kingly brew. Man, I gotta see what August IV is up to now. The way the book ends, I wouldn't be surprised if he's dead...
September 21, 2018
As a craft beer enthusiast, I was happy to get a recommendation to read this book. I’m old enough to have lived through the days where US breweries only numbered in the double digits. So, by necessity, I have had more than my share of American macro brews.
What a group of intelligent, driven and horribly flawed men. The mistreatment of family, political shenanigans, greed and more are major defining points of all of these men. Through “Gussie’s” era, AB at least had the appearance of a family business though family relations were falling apart. See Busch III ousting his father to take the head chair. And while the Third may have taken the company to its biggest heights his treatment of labor, loss of touch with his market and criminal coddling of the Fourth - doom was eminent. The Fourth ending up a doped up, arsenal owning paranoid should spark a modicum of sympathy, but it just doesn’t. It is justice that the family company slipped through his fingers. Seems he could have been the leader that could get AB back in tune with the younger generations, albeit for many wrong reasons. But the sense of entitlement, utter lack of regard for anyone but himself and getting away scot-free for multiple murders (yes plural) is just too much to get past.
A fascinating tale of a dynasty created and spectacularly destroyed.
5/5
What a group of intelligent, driven and horribly flawed men. The mistreatment of family, political shenanigans, greed and more are major defining points of all of these men. Through “Gussie’s” era, AB at least had the appearance of a family business though family relations were falling apart. See Busch III ousting his father to take the head chair. And while the Third may have taken the company to its biggest heights his treatment of labor, loss of touch with his market and criminal coddling of the Fourth - doom was eminent. The Fourth ending up a doped up, arsenal owning paranoid should spark a modicum of sympathy, but it just doesn’t. It is justice that the family company slipped through his fingers. Seems he could have been the leader that could get AB back in tune with the younger generations, albeit for many wrong reasons. But the sense of entitlement, utter lack of regard for anyone but himself and getting away scot-free for multiple murders (yes plural) is just too much to get past.
A fascinating tale of a dynasty created and spectacularly destroyed.
5/5
October 28, 2023
The scandals, the family drama, the crappy new product launches, oh my!
Pretty interesting history on the Busch family and business starting with the merging of Anheuser and Busch and going over details including the acquisition of the MLB Cardinals, opening of Busch Gardens, entertainment on the family estate, and a lot of other interesting details on the diversification and growth of the company.
A good portion of this book also focuses on the family history and drama including disinheritances, pushing family out of the business, and so many covered up murders. The Busch family got away with some crazy stuff and their ‘supporting’ of the local police departments feels a little mob like.
The history and culture of the brand is interesting to learn about and AB did a great job at marketing it as an All American brand. This book is about the same pace as a documentary you’d watch on the History channel (in a good way)
Pretty interesting history on the Busch family and business starting with the merging of Anheuser and Busch and going over details including the acquisition of the MLB Cardinals, opening of Busch Gardens, entertainment on the family estate, and a lot of other interesting details on the diversification and growth of the company.
A good portion of this book also focuses on the family history and drama including disinheritances, pushing family out of the business, and so many covered up murders. The Busch family got away with some crazy stuff and their ‘supporting’ of the local police departments feels a little mob like.
The history and culture of the brand is interesting to learn about and AB did a great job at marketing it as an All American brand. This book is about the same pace as a documentary you’d watch on the History channel (in a good way)
November 27, 2017
This is a bio/history of the Anheuser-Busch company blended with a biographical portrait of several members of the Busch family. Not a happy ending was had by all.
The final takeover and gutting of A-B in 2010 forward is a sad story. Except for a few stockholders who became wealthier than ever.
As August Busch (Gussie) said, 'It's all about the beer!"
The book is sloppy in places in timeline and coherence. There are some obvious errors that slipped through (?lack of and not poor editing?) to the published work. The errors range from simple grammatical constructions that aren't clear to geographical problems.
There are more stories hinted at that are not explored that would have made for an even more valuable story of one of America's great business families. That the writer was able to access so many of the main players before they died adds to the work.
Average recommendation to business and American social/cultural history readers.
The final takeover and gutting of A-B in 2010 forward is a sad story. Except for a few stockholders who became wealthier than ever.
As August Busch (Gussie) said, 'It's all about the beer!"
The book is sloppy in places in timeline and coherence. There are some obvious errors that slipped through (?lack of and not poor editing?) to the published work. The errors range from simple grammatical constructions that aren't clear to geographical problems.
There are more stories hinted at that are not explored that would have made for an even more valuable story of one of America's great business families. That the writer was able to access so many of the main players before they died adds to the work.
Average recommendation to business and American social/cultural history readers.
April 23, 2019
I was looking for something more substantial when I picked this up, but I suppose I should know better when reaching for a Bud.
The tawdry tales of the Busch clan one generation after the next made for a highly entertaining read, to the point where it started veering into salacious territory. The audiobook also made some strange choices when it came to how cartoonish and weak it made quotes by women throughout. But the whole tale made for good rubbernecking, as the power inherent in a great American dynasty eventually fails to keep pace with the reach of globalization.
The tawdry tales of the Busch clan one generation after the next made for a highly entertaining read, to the point where it started veering into salacious territory. The audiobook also made some strange choices when it came to how cartoonish and weak it made quotes by women throughout. But the whole tale made for good rubbernecking, as the power inherent in a great American dynasty eventually fails to keep pace with the reach of globalization.
February 11, 2019
Grew up in St. Louis but never fully knew the story of Anheuser-Busch. From the early days of the company to the tyrannical rule of August 3 to the sad downfall of the company under Fourth. This book has a lot with feelings of pride, hope, sadness and despair. If you love beer and are from St. Louis definitely a great read.
January 29, 2020
This was not a light read by any stretch, but my husband read and recommended--fascinating story, so very well told! Not just a history of the Busch family, but of America and the ever-evolving world of beer as well.
November 4, 2025
The rise and fall of an American dynasty. The first half details the ascension of Anheuser-Busch to the King of Beers. The second half is the ruination of a family dynamic with all the salaciousness of Page Six Headlines. A little business, a little branding, a lot of bacchanalia.
January 16, 2026
The ups and downs of the rich and famous. The insightful journey about how the brand was brewed. The evolution of a business over generations. The toxic effects of having too much. The power of being passionate about what you do. The autocracy of a leader. You will find all this and more. An intoxicating read. Try it.
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