“Quad Cities Beer: A History" at the German American Heritage Center -- July 28.
Sunday, July 28, 2 p.m.
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Presented on July 28 as the latest program in the German American Heritage Center's popular "Kaffee und Kuchen" series, Quad Cities Beer: A History will find authors Michael McCarty and Kristen DeMarr celebrating the heady heritage of the region, with patrons invited to purchase a copy of their local-history book before or after the event and have it signed by the authors.
The Quad Cities have a rich history of brewing that started with the influx of German citizens in the 1800s. Breweries were established on both sides of the Mississippi River, and while some of these historic breweries managed to reopen after Prohibition, national competition ultimately closed the last of these stalwarts in 1956. In 1989, however, Iowa created a special class "A" brewpub permit, and the first of many brewpubs in the area, Front Street Pub & Eatery, opened in 1992. The Blue Cat Brew Pub, on the Illinois side of the river, opened shortly after. The resulting brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination, and Quad Cities Beer: A History will focus on the past, present, and future of the beverage in our area.
Program co-presenter Michael McCarty has been a professional writer since 1983 and the author of more than 40 books of fiction and nonfiction, as well as hundreds of articles, short stories, and poems. He is a Five-Time Bram Stoker Finalist and winner of the David R. Collins' Literary Achievement Award from the Midwest Writing Center. McCarthy's co-presenter and Quad Cities Beer: A History co-author Kristin DeMarr has been a college English/Film teacher part-time since 2003, and has also done freelance writing and editor for many years. She was the first-place winner in the nonfiction category of the 2019 and 2024 Iron Pen Contests from the Midwest Writing Center, has been published in their Writer’s Block E-Magazine, and has written several profiles for the Quad City Times newspaper.
Quad Cities Beer: A History will be presented at the German American Heritage Center on July 28, with the 2 p.m. “Kaffee und Kuchen” program preceded by coffee and cake at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free for GAHC members and $5 for non-members, and more information is available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.
