Literary Elixirs - Inner North Brewing Co.

Welcome fellow readers to the debut episode of Literary Elixirs. It was a hot day perfect for a cold beer when I ventured down a few back streets in Brunswick to Inner North Brewing Co.

Brewmaster Zack was kind enough to chat with (a very nervous) me for the debut episode. Luckily we were discussing two things very close to my heart, beer and books. ☺

The beers & the books:

WTFPA Enigmatic, Australian, juicy, gritty

The lost man by Jane Harper

Two brothers meet at the border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of outback Queensland. They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old, no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the shadow it casts was the last hope for their brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish. Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he lose hope and walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects.

A deeply atmospheric, enigmatic and Australian, gritty and juicy tale this is a book that had me hooked from the very beginning.

The nowhere child by Christian White

Psychological thriller about a woman uncovering devastating secrets about her family—and her very identity. Kim has been enjoying her relatively normal life in Australia. Sitting alone in a coffee shop, a man approaches her. He shows her a photograph of his sister Sammy, who went missing over 20 years ago in Kentucky. He insists Kim is that sister!

This debut novel is definitely gritty and enigmatic. From Melbourne to Kentucky, this is a fast-paced, juicy story with a few WTF moments of its own!

Drink, Pray, Love Inspired by Thai sticky rice. Fruity, tropical notes of mango & coconut

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

Delightful, vibrant and cheeky this is a joyful read, fruity in the best of ways, it will transport you to a holiday state of mind.

Mostly dead things by Kristen Arnett

One morning, Jessa-Lynn Morton walks into the family taxidermy shop to find that her father has committed suicide, right there on one of the metal tables. Shocked and grieving, Jessa steps up to manage the failing business, while the rest of the Morton family crumbles.

Florida is tropical right??? This is a strange, fantastic, gem of a book, different but with a lot of heart. Might seem sweet at first but really there's a lot more going on under the surface. Plus taxidermy is interesting.

Brunny Dubbel Complex, malty, sticky

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

Set in the days of civilisation's collapse. One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time from the actor's early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theatre troupe known as the Travelling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains.

A gentle, unhurried, evocative dystopia that lingers until long after you've finished reading. This book has a complex tale and a malty backbone which carries the story through.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Keiko has worked at the convenience store her entire adult life. But as she nears 40, the pressure to find a “real” job or get married is mounting – what sort of life awaits Keiko outside the comfort zone of the store and will she step out to meet it.

Darkly quirky, unique and non-conforming this is a short yet complex tale that is surprisingly easy to consume.