Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Jeff Cioletti tries to pair up the geek subculture withe the alcohol industry in his latest book, Drink Like a Geek. This is his 5th book about adult beverages and one that may be the hardest to pull off. Especially if he leads with the fact that he “directed two documentaries about Star Wars Episode I” The book contains cocktail recipes but promises to add more than just being a genre recipe book. I will add it to my library list to preview.
Beer books have to have something that they cannot get from a quick Google search, and the The Guide to Craft Beer from the Brewers Association looks to do that by adding a tasting log and including a food and beer section as well as helping “readers explore style preferences, traditional and modern brewing ingredients” as well. What I think separates this from a reference book fate is the pocket size and the focus on community. I will check it out and report back.
This is what I am talking about. Delving into lager should yield some fascinating topics and sub-topics especially with Mark Dredge at the wheel. This book will be coming out in September (probably in England first and then the US.)
Here is your heads up for a new beer book coming in September from Joshua Bernstein. Here is the blurb: “Drink Better Beer features the must-know insights of more than 30 professionals, including competition judges, beer consultants, and master brewers. Find out how to shop clever by heeding two simple rules. Learn the art of selecting the right glass, cleaning it, and executing the perfect pour. Make sense of all those aromas with just a couple of sniffing tricks. Unlock the taste secrets of different styles, learn when to drink and how to know if your favorite beer store is treating their beer the way they should.”
Bernstein’s IPA book and Complete Book Course didn’t quite do the trick for me though I found fun beer knowledge in both, so I hope this book has more.
It has been a hot minute since the Brewers Association tackled the ever expanding IPA style in book form but I think they found a brewer who has some good info to impart, Dick Cantwell who is back brewing in the Bay Area has a new book out that tackles the odd side of hoppy beers.
Brewing Eclectic IPA covers “a wide range of ingredients, from cocoa nibs, coffee, fruits, and vegetables, to spices, herbs, and even wood, to push the boundaries of the style.”
Here is the blurb: “Among the most well-respected and experienced craft brewers in the world, Cantwell provides scores of tips and methods for first-time brewers and beer veterans alike to concoct a delectable brew and shares the story of how and why the proliferation of American IPA came to be.”
I don’t cover home brewing all that much. Mostly because I don’t do it myself so I have little to offer when it comes to hopping rates, equipment and the latest trends. But I know who does know that stuff and who has access to many home brewers. And now, Joshua Bernstein has compiled that knowledge in his new book HomeBrew World.
Here is the blurb: “Meet the award winners, visionaries, and scofflaws leading the homebrew revolution. How did they get started? What equipment do they use? Where do they find storage space? What are their hopping techniques, yeast strategies, and aging methods? How do they keep temperatures constant without sophisticated climate controls? What’s their best recipe? Get to know the Stylists who hammer home perfect takes on time-honored beers; the Hop Pack who boldly push IPAs and other hop-forward brews into fragrant new territory; the Wild Ones who are harvesting ambient yeast, unleashing rowdy microbes, and experimenting with souring bacteria to extend the boundaries of good taste; and the Creative Front, who follow one simple rule—no rules at all.”
Brewers Publications has a new beer book slated for release, Session Beers: Brewing for Flavor and Balance delves into the past, present and future of low ABV beers.
The book is by Jennifer Talley who has a brewing resume that includes Squatters Pub Brewery, Redhook Brewery, Russian River Brewing and Auburn Alehouse. That first citation is a Utah brewery where which means that Talley has had to work under ABV restrictions which is perfect training for writing a book on sessions beers.
If you want to dive into the recipes, development, ingredients and brewing process for the low ABV, then this book will have the information you need
One of the more fun beer websites (and colorful too) is Pints & Panels. Two new pieces have been added recently.
One is this recurring series:
Second is that you can now pre-order her upcoming book, Beer is for Everyone (of Drinking Age).
Readers of the blog know that I am both a big beer book fan and a big Pete Brown fan. And now he has a story to tell and he has chosen to use Unbound which is basically a book Kickstarter and the premise is simple…
“Beer is traditionally made from four natural ingredients: malted barley, hops, yeast and water, and each of these has an incredible story to tell.”
I am looking forward to this coming out. A layman’s take on the ingredients and the people behind them should have contain some golden nuggets of beer information.