Edith is a humble, hardworking woman who spends her life prioritizing the needs of her family and community over her own ambitions. Raised on a rural Minnesota farm, she embodies traditional values and finds deep satisfaction in baking for others. She expects little for herself and maintains a positive perspective despite financial constraints and family tragedies.

Helen is Edith's fiercely ambitious and untraditional sister. Disinterested in the domestic life expected of women in the mid-20th century, she develops a profound interest in the chemistry and business of brewing beer. She seeks to carve out a massive legacy in a male-dominated industry, a drive that eventually isolates her from her family.

Diana is Edith's brilliant and resourceful granddaughter. Coping with family tragedy, she balances part-time work at a coffee shop, academic pressure, and unconventional means of supporting her household. She possesses a intense work ethic and is fiercely protective of her grandmother, often taking on more adult responsibilities than necessary for her age.

Frank is the meticulous owner of Heartlander Beer Brewery. A firm believer in the power of hard work and earning one's keep, he acts as a demanding but perceptive mentor to Diana. He refuses to take shortcuts in his brewing process and requires his employees to prove their dedication.

Agatha is a highly skilled chemist and a dedicated professional in the male-dominated brewing industry. As Helen's most trusted confidant and colleague, she provides both technical expertise and essential moral grounding, maintaining a genuine passion for quality beer even when corporate interests push for lower standards.

This trio of resilient, hardworking women in their seventies consists of Edith's longtime friends. With decades of diverse domestic and professional experience, they embrace physical labor and creative problem-solving, proving that passion, skill, and reinvention are not limited by age.

Stanley is Edith's devoted husband of over forty years. He is a humble, hardworking man who enjoys spending time with his granddaughter Diana. His declining health forces him to step back from work, putting financial pressure on his family but bringing them closer together emotionally.

Orval is a college student whose family runs a failing soda business. He shares Helen's ambition to build a successful beer brewery, serving as her equal partner. While Helen creates the recipes and drives the business strategy, Orval naturally becomes the public face of their company in an era when male leadership is expected.

Colleen is Edith and Stanley's daughter and Diana's mother. She has a warm heart and consistently offers emotional and practical support to her aging parents, serving as a pillar of stability for the entire family.

Mark is Colleen's husband and Diana's father. He makes up part of the stable family unit that forms the foundation of Diana's early childhood.

Eugene is Edith and Stanley's son. He often makes irresponsible financial and personal choices, relying heavily on his mother's enabling support to bail him out of difficult situations.

Andy is a charming professional in the beer distribution network who helps Diana sell her first batches of beer. He shares her values regarding family and career, proving to be a supportive presence who understands the brewing business.

Clarissa is Diana's cousin and closest friend during her teenage years. She frequently assists Diana with her unconventional and sometimes risky money-making schemes to help support Edith.

Paul is a privileged, college-bound student who is drawn to Diana's intelligence and unique outlook on life. His expectation that a university degree is the only path forward contrasts sharply with Diana's immediate need to support her family.

Anna is Frank's wife. She plays a crucial role in deciding the fate of Heartlander Brewery's assets and recognizes the potential her husband sees in his youngest brewer.

Chesley is Helen's high school friend and eventual boyfriend. Content with his life on a family farm and lacking strong ambitions, he fails to understand Helen's relentless drive to leave their small town.

Mo is Diana's dependable colleague at the brewery. He recognizes her brewing talent early on and acts as a supportive presence in her professional development, encouraging her to pursue her craft seriously.

Helen and Edith's father is a Minnesota farmer who struggles to understand his daughters' diverging paths. His desire to build a lasting legacy leads him to make decisions regarding his estate that have permanent consequences for his family.

Helen and Edith's mother holds rigid, traditional expectations for women in her community. Her favoritism toward Edith's adherence to domestic norms permanently alienates the ambitious Helen.