Announcing the Algonquin Free Beer Tour!
Algonquin Books kicks off summer with a refreshingly smooth literary series that blends choice hops and literary chops. With stops in Milwaukee, Naperville, Boston, Austin, and Oakland, the Free Beer Tour showcases three Algonquin authors introducing their incredibly entertaining new works which are perfect (especially for the dudes) for summer reading. Complementing the literary entertainment, there will be beer tastings featuring the esteemed Lagunitas Brewing Company of Petaluma, California. It’s an evening of pairing great books with great beer—and it sure as hell beats cutting the grass after work.
With beer pairings brought to you by Alexis Herschkowitsch and The Beer Trials , Algonquin’s Free Beer Tour Introduces:
Josh Wilker, author of the memoir Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale
“A baseball-loving loner’ deciphers his complicated childhood through his old box of trading cards . . . Wilker’s book is as nostalgically intoxicating as the gum that sweetened his card-collecting youth.[Grade:] A.” –Entertainment Weekly
Pair with Lagunitas Czech Style Pilsner: The flavors of this beer hark back to the Old World more than they do to baseball and America, but some things are universal, like the appeal of this Beer Trials favorite Light and sweet grain flavors with a hoppy snap balance out some slight bitterness.
Pete Nelson, author of the novel I Thought You Were Dead
“I Thought You Were Dead, a novel about the bonds between dogs and humans, is heartfelt and nostalgic in tone . . . Stella’s wisdom set the luckless Paul on a brighter life path. It’s her nobility . . .that gives the story its power.” –USA Today
Pair with Lagunitas New DogTown Pale Ale: Paul understands that the one thing in life he can count on is Stella, his trustworthy canine companion and best friend. The same can be said of New DogTown Pale Ale—a beer that’s always there for you and off-the-leash refreshing.
David Anthony, author of the debut novel Something for Nothing
“A clever and surprisingly heartfelt debut . . . [Anthony’s] depiction of Martin as an antihero succeeds because his ridiculous antics are laced with a yearning to belong that’s so intense it borders on deranged innocence, rendering him the most lovable drug smuggler in ages.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review
Pair with Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale: You might notice that this beer smells like a certain, ahem, smokable herb—hence the name “Censored.” So hey, be happy we’re post-Prohibition and that even your biggest problem isn’t as serious as deciding which beer to unwind with.
We are thrilled to be partnering with one of our favorite breweries, Lagunitas Brewing Company, out of Petaluma, CA. Visit their website for their 2011 list of beers, complete with highly informative “virtual tasting” videos. (As great as these videos are, we recommend that you abandon the virtual world and head straight to your local beer store–with a stop at your local bookstore–and settle down on the porch with a pint and one of these great titles.)
Can’t find Lagunitas where you live?
Check their list of distributors for one in your area and start making some phone calls!
The Free Beer Tour Schedule:
June 1, 7:00 p.m.
Andersons Bookshop
Naperville, IL
June 2, 7:00 p.m.
Boswell Books
Milwaukee, WI
June 7, 7:00 p.m.
Diesel Books
Oakland, CA
June 16, 7:00 p.m.
Brookline Booksmith
Brookline, MA
June 30, 6:30 p.m.
Book People
Austin, TX
