The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Edith, a famous pie baker at a Minnesota nursing home, doesn’t have a relationship with her younger sister Helen. Edith’s husband Stanley, a truck driver, and their granddaughter Diana are the center of her life. Helen, the brewer mentioned in the title, is ambitious but has settled. She married a classmate from her college chemistry class because he could help her run a commercial brewery, but their beer is nothing special. Edith can at least take pride in her pies. Diana gets in trouble breaking the law as an older teen but finds a second chance with a job at a small craft brewery. Of course Diana and Helen’s paths will eventually cross. Diana’s small brewery and the eclectic crew, including several grandmothers, are quite interesting, although I can’t tell gose from imperial stout. Readers who are familiar with craft beers will likely enjoy the brewing scenes even more than others, but it’s not essential.

A bittersweet family saga that makes for a pleasant read with an appealing Minnesota setting. I would have enjoyed more scenes with Edith and Stanley and had some questions about Diana’s motivations, but I quite enjoyed this novel overall.

Brenda