About the Book
Malört may be the worst thing you'll ever taste. Known primarily for its intense bitterness, the infamous Chicago liqueur has been compared to "a forest fire, if the forest was made of earwax." Yet lurking in the horror and the mockery lies the truth of Malört: we keep going back for more. For nearly a hundred years, we've gone back. Jeppson's Malört could have died a hundred deaths in that time. Its survival wasn't always a given. There were cultural shifts and fortunate timing that helped transform a drink rooted in centuries-old Swedish tradition into the American sensation it is today. Malört is a story of love, relationships, and how one generation finds meaning where generations before did not. Author and beer expert Josh Noel unpacks a uniquely American tale, equal parts culture, business, and personal relationships--involving secret love, federal prison, a David vs. Goliath court battle, and the 2018 sale of Jeppson's Malört, which made Pat Gabelick, a seventy-five-year-old Chicago woman who spent much of her life as a legal secretary, into an unlikely millionaire. Malört isn't just the story of one brazen liquor--it is the story of modern tastes and cultural shifts.
About the Author :
Josh Noel writes about beer and travel for the Chicago Tribune, where he has worked since 2005. He has also contributed to the New York Times and This American Life, as well as other publications. He has become one of the nation's most recognizable beer journalists, writing about the subject as both a business and lifestyle story, and winning multiple awards from the North American Guild of Beer Writers, most recently consecutive first place honors for Best Local Reporting. He lives in Chicago with his wife and son.
Brandon Pollock is an audiobook narrator and voice actor with more than twelve years of experience. Using his smooth, confident, and engaging voice, Brandon has narrated titles in genres ranging from fiction, Christian romance, and psychological thriller to self-help, business, finance, and Christian nonfiction. In 2008, Brandon began his career behind the microphone as an on-air talent for a heritage Top-40 station in Charlotte, North Carolina. He transitioned to voice acting in 2010 and has since voiced campaigns for companies such as Clorox, Nintendo, Citgo, NASCAR, and Little Tykes, among others. Brandon currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with his wife, two daughters, their Goldendoodle, Riggs, and their three-legged cat, Derek. Brandon Pollock is an audiobook narrator and voice actor with more than twelve years of experience. Using his smooth, confident, and engaging voice, Brandon has narrated titles in genres ranging from fiction, Christian romance, and psychological thriller to self-help, business, finance, and Christian nonfiction. In 2008, Brandon began his career behind the microphone as an on-air talent for a heritage Top-40 station in Charlotte, North Carolina. He transitioned to voice acting in 2010 and has since voiced campaigns for companies such as Clorox, Nintendo, Citgo, NASCAR, and Little Tykes, among others. Brandon currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with his wife, two daughters, their Goldendoodle, Riggs, and their three-legged cat, Derek.
