The Lager Queen of Minnesota Audiobook By J. Ryan Stradal cover art

The Lager Queen of Minnesota

A Novel

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The Lager Queen of Minnesota

By: J. Ryan Stradal
Narrated by: Judith Ivey
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About this listen

A National Best Seller!

“The perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer day.” (Washington Post)

“[A] charmer of a tale... Warm, witty and - like any good craft beer - complex, the saga delivers a subtly feminist and wholly life-affirming message.” (People)

A novel of family, Midwestern values, hard work, fate and the secrets of making a world-class beer, from the best-selling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself.

With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home...if it's not too late.

Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up - will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family?

Here we meet a cast of lovable, funny, quintessentially American characters eager to make their mark in a world that's often stacked against them. In this deeply affecting family saga, resolution can take generations, but when it finally comes, we're surprised, moved, and delighted.

©2019 J. Ryan Stradal (P)2019 Penguin Audio
Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Heartfelt Witty Feel-Good Suspenseful
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Critic reviews

“Stradal’s writing is sharp and funny while still managing to treat each character with warmth and respect...this is an ultimately hopeful and heartwarming story.... Readers will love watching these truly original characters overcome their challenges and take care of each other. An absolutely delightful read, perfect for a summer day with a good beer and a piece of pie.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“This charmer of a tale is a loving ode to the Midwest, the power of persistence and, perhaps above all, beer.... Warm, witty and - like any good craft beer - complex, the saga delivers a subtly feminist and wholly life-affirming message.” (People Magazine)

"Delightfully intoxicating...will make you smile with its droll humor, and its poignant moments will stop you to reread and confirm that they are really that good. In beer-geek slang, Stradal’s novel is ‘crushable’ - easygoing, well-balanced, super-drinkable with tons of flavor...and will make you go back for more.” (USA Today)

The Lager Queen of Minnesota is pure reading joy: warm, funny, informative, and full of heart. It is impossible not to root for Stradal's characters, who are so vivid, and relatable that you will miss them every time you set the book down; indeed, if you set it down at all.” (Jonathan Evison, New York Times best-selling author of Lawn Boy)

What listeners say about The Lager Queen of Minnesota

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Fun female characters in Minnesota

You don’t have to like beer to enjoy this book. It’s more about finding a passion. Of course if you do like beer it’s even better!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good story but Terrible narrator

I enjoyed the story but the narrators performance was awful. The voices she used for the different characters were terrible and at times made it unpleasant to continue to listen.

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Fantastic!

Wonderfully original. Fantastic characters. An addictive story about family, beer, and changes to both through the passage of time.

I don’t like beer. I don’t even drink beer. But I loved this book.

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Minnesota, oh my heart!

Well done story. Interesting and surprising bits. Lots of "slice of MN life" type lines. Well narrated. Will definitely be seeking.more from this author.

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Great story of passion & family

I really enjoyed this layered generational tale of struggle, emotions, and strength. The characters are unique and warm, with lots of interesting connections. I love that it mixes actual true facts in with the fictional tale. Although some of the complexities of brewing may go over some readers’ heads, there’s a good balance, and the minutia of the process blends well with the story.

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Absolutely Delightful.

You learn something, you laugh out loud, and you will never forget the women who brew beer. grab some friends read it together then get yourself to a brewery and discuss this great book

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pure pleasure

just a delightful thoughtful funny book. gets all sorts of life lessons taught without being preachy or pendantic and draws you into so many different lives making them all relatable. a gem of a book.

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Just missed 5 stars

Why not a full 5 star rating ? I think I was so put off by one of the main characters, Helen, that it detracted from the overall flow of this delightful, gentle story. I loved the Edith, her acceptance of life's challenges, her unassuming nature and work ethic. All of the characters were vividly depicted by Judith Ivey; excellent narration. A wonderful story.

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I finished this book

This was a beautiful story about good people and their differences and difficulties. I frequently laughed, cringed and cried.

The book lets you contem

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, as I am usually more interested in fantasy or science fiction.

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Original, thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable

I had no idea what to expect from beginning to end, making it such an enticing listen. The narrator perfectly complemented the story. Character development was excellent and amusing. I’ll listen again as I couldn’t possibly see all the layers in one …or a few… passes.

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