Homebrew Books
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Temple of Seth
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'Designing Great Beers' is worth checking out. It goes in heavy, gorey detail on several major styles, their origins, ingredients and style indiators.
Although it might get pooh-poohed by the purists, I got a great kick out of 'Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: Secrets of Ancient Fermentation'. It has an enormous lexicon of herbs used in brewing in different parts of the wold throughout history, and a great exposition on mead. A must for anyone considering expeimenting with unhopped ale styles such as Gruit (go ahead - call me a heretic, I enjoy it). Last year I did some experimenting with an ale infused with rosemary. It got mixed reviews at a party but the general consensus was that it would probably go very well with chicken. Unfortunately, it never cleared completely so obviously some adjusting will need to be done if I don't try it again. The author of the book is a herbal-medicine type, so for each herb or adjunct there is an exposition of medical or psychoactive properties of the given herb. It's one of the favorite books on the shelf at my house.
'Brew Chem 101' is a good, accessible exposition of the basic chemical reactions that yeast perform to do their job. It goes over the chemistry that contributes to various wanted and not-so wanted flavors and describes conditions under which they occur.
'Brew Ware' is another essential for people interested in designing their own equipment on the cheap.
Although it might get pooh-poohed by the purists, I got a great kick out of 'Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: Secrets of Ancient Fermentation'. It has an enormous lexicon of herbs used in brewing in different parts of the wold throughout history, and a great exposition on mead. A must for anyone considering expeimenting with unhopped ale styles such as Gruit (go ahead - call me a heretic, I enjoy it). Last year I did some experimenting with an ale infused with rosemary. It got mixed reviews at a party but the general consensus was that it would probably go very well with chicken. Unfortunately, it never cleared completely so obviously some adjusting will need to be done if I don't try it again. The author of the book is a herbal-medicine type, so for each herb or adjunct there is an exposition of medical or psychoactive properties of the given herb. It's one of the favorite books on the shelf at my house.
'Brew Chem 101' is a good, accessible exposition of the basic chemical reactions that yeast perform to do their job. It goes over the chemistry that contributes to various wanted and not-so wanted flavors and describes conditions under which they occur.
'Brew Ware' is another essential for people interested in designing their own equipment on the cheap.
Just dug up the email.johnno said:
I actually had two books ordered but cancelled the second at the last minute. Shipping went up to US$16 for both, but the cost of the other book made the total cost too much.
I received the Farmhouse Ales book last week.
I'm half way through reading it having read the Bier de Garde section and I'm really enjoying it.
It is an easy read that covers the history of the style and then moves on to commercial examples, then tasting them, then brewing them.
Really looking forward to the Saison section now (of which I brewed another one last weekend).
The only mistake I've noticed is one of the Saison recipes does not list the percentages of the malts for the grist. I managed to track down Phil Markowski to ask him the details and I got an email from him today.
I recommend the book so far, and if anyone else has bought it the recipe for the Saison - spiced version on page 182 the grist percentages are:
Pilsner Malt - 75%
Munich Malt - 15%
Wheat malt - 10%
Beers,
Doc
I'm half way through reading it having read the Bier de Garde section and I'm really enjoying it.
It is an easy read that covers the history of the style and then moves on to commercial examples, then tasting them, then brewing them.
Really looking forward to the Saison section now (of which I brewed another one last weekend).
The only mistake I've noticed is one of the Saison recipes does not list the percentages of the malts for the grist. I managed to track down Phil Markowski to ask him the details and I got an email from him today.
I recommend the book so far, and if anyone else has bought it the recipe for the Saison - spiced version on page 182 the grist percentages are:
Pilsner Malt - 75%
Munich Malt - 15%
Wheat malt - 10%
Beers,
Doc
I picked up Radical Brewing yesterday and have had a flip through it and it looks like a wonderful book.
I'm new to homebrewing so there is a lot for me to learn from this book.
I also saw on Amazon this book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers : The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation
which looked interesting.
They did have that at the bookstore for me to look at though.
Has anyone seen/read this book?
thanks,
Rich
I'm new to homebrewing so there is a lot for me to learn from this book.
I also saw on Amazon this book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers : The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation
which looked interesting.
They did have that at the bookstore for me to look at though.
Has anyone seen/read this book?
thanks,
Rich
J
Jovial_Monk
Guest
I have that book and found it interesting, yet a friend who knows much more than me about that subject says that the book is a disappointment.
However, over these holidays I will try making beer from 2-3 maize plants (I have 2-3 plants that have no cobs) so I guess the book will be of some use if you like herbs and, errrr, radical beers.
Jovial Monk
However, over these holidays I will try making beer from 2-3 maize plants (I have 2-3 plants that have no cobs) so I guess the book will be of some use if you like herbs and, errrr, radical beers.
Jovial Monk
Thanks JM
Not so interested in it from a recipe point of view at the moment (I'm just using kits at the moment and occassionally steep some grain with them) but more from a historical/social perspective.
Interesting stories/trivia about beer through the ages and societies etc.
Rich
Not so interested in it from a recipe point of view at the moment (I'm just using kits at the moment and occassionally steep some grain with them) but more from a historical/social perspective.
Interesting stories/trivia about beer through the ages and societies etc.
Rich
J
Jovial_Monk
Guest
The book just covers different herbs. If you like to read about different (and I mean different) beers and beer history and trivia "The Secret Life of Beer" will be the book you are after (sorry, haven't got it here ATM so can't tell you the author)
JM
JM
J
Jovial_Monk
Guest
I like both. . .
Also full of beer history, the Housebrewer books by Clive LaPensee, available from CAMRA
JM
Also full of beer history, the Housebrewer books by Clive LaPensee, available from CAMRA
JM
kook
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Few good reads then:RichLum said:
Man Walks Into A Pub - Pete Brown: Brilliant read, really funny social look at beer. Seriously, get this book. I've read it a few times on the tube now and it alway amuses and fascinates me at the same time.
Beer And Britannia - Peter Haydon: More serious look at pub culture through history and beer associated with it.
Beer, The Story Of The Pint - Martyn Cornell: Focuses more on this history of beer than of the social/pub side of it.
I'll pick up Secret Life sometime soon and see if its any good.
