Philip van munching biography of rory

The rise and fall of beer trends--from sports sponsorships to low-cals, and status-conscious imports to creatively crafted microbrews--mirror, in many ways, the larger culture that embraces them. Philip Van Munching, a young journalist who also represents the third generation in his family to toil in the beer business, offers a clever and knowing look at its ups and downs in Beer Blast: The Inside Story of the Brewing Industry's Bizarre Battles for Your Money.

Drawing on his experience as a freelance writer and corporate spokesman for his famous family's business (as the exclusive importer of Heineken), Van Munching starts off by confirming his college roommate's theory: "Sex is not the dominant motivation in life...beer is." He presents here an entertaining, well-written account of the brewing industry.

With the vast array of specialty beers now on the market and increased competition from abroad, beer novelty has become more important than brand loyalty, he notes. No wonder the bo