A Bit Of Light Reading.

[DJR]

Then realize the frustration (futility) of trying to clone a beer brewed using a yeast strain that's been tweaked and passed from monk to monk for hundreds of years.

I think the liquid yeasts available today cover most of what you want to have - 3787/wlp530=westmalle/westvleteren, wlp550/1214=chimay etc - is there any yeast in particular that can't be had or recultured from the bottle?

Homebrewing is never really about cloning a beer 100%, it's "all about the journey" B)

Anyway back on topic - definitely Brew Like a Monk and Radical Brewing - some of the classic styles books are a good read as well to get loads of detail on a style - e.g. the Kolsch book is good and there is a bunch of Cologne food recipes in there as well.

Not books but the old Coopers homebrew VHS videos are good fun (funny seeing how much more we have available to us nowadays) with Merc's Own himself...

 

[manticle]

Yeast by zainasheff and white, great book that can only improve your brewing process.

Unsure about its suitability for beginners though.

Designing Great beers, brewing classic styles and How to brew are the three texts I would recommend anyone starts with. All the info you need to understand what you are doing, whether extract/kit or grain based.

After that - go nuts. Farmhouse ales, wild beer, Yeast, Brew like a monk and some of the more technical texts like Tap into the art and science of brewing or the principles of brewing science or somesuch.

 

[bruce86]

WOW Uber Kudos everyone thanks heaps. the missus ducked down to the library today and grabbed some randoms one for me (how to brew being one of them) so keen to get reading. Thankyou for all the suggestions shall work my way through most of them

 

[Yob]

How to Brew, John Palmer, the online edition is free.

Radical Brewing, Randy Mosher

Reading the Mosher right now actually.. lol. (only about 1/5 the way through)

some of the stuff in there is funny as #uck.. like.. "the birth of beer" - "Splakh! I hate nouvelle cuisine. You know I'm a lamb and lentils man. I'm outta here! Hay guys, c'mon , lets ride out to the oasis. I think thay're grillin' goatburgers tonight." :lol:

Yob

 

[fcmcg]

. I often think that some forum members should get together and write a book for general publication, we could probably do a good job of it.

Bribie....how many beers have you had tonight....???lol
Bloody book would get derailed after chapter one...lol
And could you imagine what would happen if Beer fingers , The new Darren and Speedie were involved ??
Two words...
******* Chaos.... :lol:
Back on Topic...
Yeast is good as suggested...and Brewing Classic Styles...And How to Brew...and Gordon Strong's new one !
Cheers
Ferg

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I just read "WHEAT" by Stan Heronymus. Good read and learnt a fair bit about the different styles. My first book was the complete joy of homebrewing. As others have said probably suited to you as an extract brewer but delves into all grain as well. Good book and heaps of extract recipes.

 

[J Grimmer]

Bribie....how many beers have you had tonight....???lol
Bloody book would get derailed after chapter one...lol
And could you imagine what would happen if Beer fingers , The new Darren and Speedie were involved ??
Two words...
******* Chaos.... :lol:

i think a real oppotunity would be missed if you only got these guys together to write a book i think you need to film a "making of" series and pitch it the foxtel group. It would have to be better that the half the crap n there.

 

[Bribie G]

We could have Tony Robinson running around like a fairy "These guys have to produce an authentic Yorkshire Bitter, and as usual they have only three days to do it...."

 

[keifer33]

It will definetly be interesting to see what the AHB book has to offer. All the site said was Dec 2011. Although I was sure Bribie would have surely been asked to write a section on brew in a....

 

[stux]

Sure there will be a hidden bonus in it somewhere

 

[Bribie G]

This is the first I've heard of that AHB book, I've never heard of anyone being asked to contribute. The Beer Lover's book is already out, I have a copy that RdeVjun lent me and it's not bad although a few minor errors that suggest they didn't have a full grasp of some of the history behind Aus beer. I reckon that AHB guide is "vapourware" like Animusic 3 B) but who knows.

 

[bignath]

All of the previous posted recommendations are excellent books.

I also have a copy of the 'home brewing for dummies' book. It is very good.
More lighthearted than how to brew and others which at times, can get really heavy and intense for a newer brewer.
Highly recommend the dummies one....it helped me become somewhat less of a brewing dumbass.

 

[Logman]

+1 Turns your average brews into top brews!

Just started reading 'Yeast' a couple of days ago, glad to hear it! Looks like a top read from the small amount I've got through so far.