The Lager Queen of Minnesota

The Lager Queen of Minnesota, by J. Ryan Stradal, blends contemporary and historical fiction as it follows two estranged sisters on their journey to become master beer brewers. A national bestseller, the 2019 novel was named one of the year’s best books by multiple publications, including NPR, Booklist, and USA Today. The Lager Queen of Minnesota won the WILLA Literary Award by Women Writing the West.

This guide refers to the 2019 e-book edition published by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Content Warning: The source material discusses miscarriage, and this guide briefly summarizes passages about pregnancy loss.

Plot Summary

Sisters Edith Magnusson and Helen Blotz struggle to relate to each other while growing up on their family’s rural Minnesota farm. Edith follows their mother’s strict rules, marries young, and enjoys the traditional expectations placed on women in the 1960s. On the other hand, Helen rebels against her parents, developing a taste for beer in her teen years. Helen attends Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she meets Orval Blotz. Helen and Orval desire to build a beer brewing company together. Just before Edith and Helen’s father dies, Helen convinces him to bequeath his entire estate to her and Orval as seed money for Blotz Brewing. This decision destroys Edith and Helen’s relationship, causing them to become estranged and illustrating The Benefits and Ramifications of Legacy, one of the novel’s central themes.

Nearly 50 years later, Edith and her husband, Stanley, live humble lives as hardworking grandparents. When Stanley is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, Edith leverages her skills and favorable reputation as a baker to negotiate career advancements. Edith’s resilience is tested when Stanley dies from a heart attack, followed shortly after by the death of Colleen and Mark Winter, Edith’s daughter and son-in-law. In her 70s, Edith works two jobs to support her teenage granddaughter, Diana Winter. They are barely able to make ends meet. Diana works part-time after school and steals expensive equipment from wealthy families to supplement her and Edith’s meager income. Diana’s school recognizes her academic achievement after she earns a perfect score on the PSAT, and she experiences much pressure from her friends, teachers, and principal to attend an expensive university.

Meanwhile, Helen and Orval build a lucrative brewing company during the 1970s-1990s. Although Helen invents all the beer recipes responsible for the company’s success, the male executives primarily receive credit and serve as the face of the company. Helen brews a light beer she dislikes but knows will sell in an increasingly health-conscious market. She often feels lonely as one of the few women in the brewing industry, but she loves Orval and cherishes her friendship with Agatha Johnston, Blotz Brewing’s Director of Quality. By the early 2000s, Blotz Brewing experiences financial distress and loses much of its value as the craft brewing industry grows. The company nears bankruptcy when Orval dies of a brain aneurysm in 2015.

Frank Schabert, owner of Heartlander Brewing, catches Diana in the act of stealing brewing equipment from his garage. Instead of turning her in to the authorities, Frank interviews people close to Diana who report on her honesty and hard work ethic. He offers Diana a two-week trial at Heartlander as a janitor and night guard. Eventually, Frank teaches Diana how to brew beer, though Diana only shows interest in the craft to supplement her college application and attend Stanford with her boyfriend, Paul, after her first application was rejected. Frank and Diana disagree about Work Ethic Versus Privilege Regarding Success. Ultimately, Paul, who has already moved away to attend Stanford, breaks up with Diana.

While becoming a master brewer, Diana meets her future husband, Andy, at Heartlander. The young couple shares a dream of having a family, though Diana experiences several miscarriages. Frank’s wife, Anna, sells Heartlander after a stroke impacts Frank, and Diana jumps at the opportunity to purchase the equipment and building to start her brewery, Artemis.

When Diana breaks her knee while entering early labor, Edith takes on a leadership role at Artemis, calling on her friends Lucy, Betsy, and Linda for assistance. Their efforts demonstrate The Significance of Family and Community Support. The four women name themselves “The Grandmas” and attempt to brew the beer they would want to drink themselves, loving the work and finding purpose in crafting beer. Artemis grows in popularity after several good reviews; people generally love hearing about The Grandma’s backstories while sampling the unique beer.

Helen hears about Artemis Brewing after reading a review praising Edith’s Rhubarb-Pie-in-a-Bottle beer. She calls on her longtime friend and colleague, Agatha, to inquire about purchasing the brewery. Agatha, who leaves Blotz to work unpaid at Artemis, tells Helen that selling Artemis goes against Diana and The Grandmas’ principles. She suggests Helen allow Blotz to fail and help her family without personal gain. Helen sells Blotz for $12 million. She attempts to anonymously gift Diana $1,020,000 ($20,000 being Edith’s share of the inheritance from their father); however, Diana insists Helen visit Artemis. Helen and Edith see and speak to each other for the first time in over 50 years. They reconcile instantly, and Helen helps Edith clean the brewery.