The First Full Draft Is Done
The first full draft of Pints and Power is complete—122 pages, 11 chapters, and a story that pours through history, identity, and belonging. The pint has settled. The next round begins.
122 pages.
11 chapters.
Countless pints, people, and moments.
Pints and Power—the book—now exists in full for the first time.
It’s not a working title. Not an idea scribbled in a notebook. It’s a complete draft, front to back. It’s taken months of writing, listening, pouring, and waiting. Just like the pint itself—it wasn’t rushed. And now, it’s settled.
This is the moment I wanted to mark with you. Because this book isn’t just mine. It belongs to the voices inside it, the pubs that inspired it, and the people who kept showing up when the story needed more.
What’s Inside
The first complete draft spans 122 pages, including:
- A prologue and epilogue
- 11 core chapters
- Dozens of interviews and personal stories
- An appendix of alcohol recovery and mental health resources
- Over 100 references
- A full index
It begins with the history—not as a textbook, but as a story poured slowly through empire, famine, revolution, and resistance. The early chapters trace Guinness from its roots at St. James’s Gate through its unexpected rise during colonial rule, and how it quietly shaped—and was shaped by—Ireland’s fight for independence.
Then, we shift into identity. How Guinness traveled. How it became a passport for the Irish abroad. How it found its way into immigrant homes, diaspora rituals, and the back rooms of pubs from Derry to Boston.
From there, we explore the deeper symbolism: the pour as ritual, the glass as memory, the pub as sanctuary. One chapter holds space for the shadow side—of addiction, silence, and recovery. Another walks through the legacy of the Guinness family itself, whose impact extended far beyond beer.
And finally, we arrive at the personal: the people I've met, the pints I’ve shared, and the stories that remind me why this all matters. You’ll meet the bartender who trained in quiet reverence, the musician who raises a Guinness Zero like a verse, the math teacher who only drinks Guinness barefoot, and many others whose lives echo something bigger than themselves.
Through it all, Guinness is not just the topic—it’s the thread. The undertow. The invitation to slow down, to remember, and to belong.
What Comes Next
Next is refinement. Revisions. Listening harder. Tuning what’s already here. Then comes design. Readers. Production. Pouring it all into something you can hold.
And for those supporting this project as paid subscribers—I'll begin dropping full chapter previews, exclusively through the site, as the edits come in. Think of it as a first pour, reserved for those sitting closest to the bar.
Why Mark the Moment?
Because this story started as a feeling. A pint in a pub in Cork. A return home that didn’t feel like going backward. A conversation at Boland’s that turned into something bigger.
And now, that story has a spine. A structure. A presence.
It’s real. And it’s ready for what’s next.
So here’s to the first full draft.
Here’s to what’s in the glass—and what’s still to come.
Sláinte,
Mike
The pint is poured. The story’s settling. The next round begins.
🍻 Want the First Pour?
Paid subscribers get exclusive early access to full chapter previews as the edits come in—before anyone else.
Pull up a stool at pintsandpower.com and join the insiders’ table.
Because some stories are best shared before the room fills up.
