Fermenting Revolution

How to Drink Beer and Save the World

By: Mark Christopher O'Brien

Narrated by: Daniel Maté

Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Fermenting Revolution delivers an empowering message about how individuals can change the world through the simple act of having a beer. It is also the first book to view all of the important trends in human history as fundamentally revolving around beer.

Globalization pitches the corporate worldview that is essentially selfish, rewarding the few while demeaning the many and devastating nature, against the sustainability movement that calls for cooperation, the protection and celebration of nature and the nurturing of equitable communities. Beer exemplifies the struggle. This book:

• Traces the path of brewing from a women-led, home-based craft to corporate industry;
• Describes how craft breweries and home-brewing are forging stronger communities;
• Explains how corporate mega-breweries are saving the world by pioneering industrial ecology;
• Profiles the most inspiring and radical breweries, brewers and beer drinkers that are making the world a better place to live.

The return to beer as a way of life is communal, convivial, democratic, healthful, and natural. The American beer renaissance champions ecologically sustainable production, and is helping to create thriving community places. After reading Fermenting Revolution, mere beer drinkers will become "beer activists," ready to fight corporate-rule by simply meeting their neighbors for a pint at the local brewpub -- saving the world one beer at a time.

©2006 Judith Plant (P)2011 Post Hypnotic Press Inc.

good and informative

lots of history and current information about beer and the community of beer and craft beer. I am not big on some of the ecology but still worth the listen.

Perfect Read for Beer & Fermentation Aficionadas

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This is a fascinating read about all aspects of beer - how to make, history, current trends, environmental issues, etc. However, I found it did bog down a bit with the details on the environmental aspects of producing beer on a large scale, as well as the details on the harmfulness of pesticides. Perhaps a little less data and a little more summary would have flowed (haha) better. I fully believe in organic food, but the science of pesticides got me lost.

What did you like best about this story?

The importance of fermentation, and beer in particular, in human history, was fascinating.

What about Daniel Maté’s performance did you like?

Mate' made the book come alive.

Do you think Fermenting Revolution needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Another book on fermentation is always welcome. I especially enjoy the history of fermentation, and the practical aspects of how to ferment various foods, and their health benefits.

Any additional comments?

The sensibilities of the author were greatly appreciated. His emphasis on the importance of women and the home in healthful consumption of fermented products needs to be heard and absorbed by everybody.

A wasted credit

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

It was clear to me from the description that author had a distinct point of view and possibly even a political bias, all of which I was fine with, in my curiosity about this history of this fine beverage. However, I was quite disappointed that the author cherry-picked facts to fit his view of the world.

He used many pages to root beer consumption in religion, yet he seems not to have gone to much effort to understand the various religions and so distorts them, and thus the role of beer within them. For instance, he claims that because Jesus used wine (which he really suspects to have been beer, despite the complete lack of similarity with blood) at the Last Supper, that he was claiming that beer was somehow sacred or holy -- a claim that no major Christian tradition claims. Moreover, he reports that the disciples were drunk at Pentecost, when the point of the story is exactly opposite.

The book is filled with so many misrepresentations and errors, I finally had to abandon it.

Liberal Nut Case - serving his crap with beer

Being a homebrewer, I was excited to purchase and read (listen to) this book. After I was a little ways into it, I discovered that I had to listen to the audio book. There was no way I could read the book, because I would roll my eyes after reading his liberal slant on the world. I would be constantly losing the place on the page.

Outside of his liberal, self-serving crap, the author makes some interesting comments, but htey are few and far between.