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The Beer Book
Tim Hampson has been writing and broadcasting about beer for many years. His published work includes contributions to Eyewitness Companion Guide to Beer (DK 2007). He is Beer Correspondent for BBC Good Food Live and contributor to the Sky Pub Channel. Other Publications include The Weekend Telegraph, What's Brewing, Morning Advertiser, Brewers Guardian, Pub Business, The Guardian, The Independent, and American Brewer.
Hardcover
First published October 20, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 13, 2020
Beer is an ancient innovation. While developments in chemistry and technology have made brewing beer into science, there is still a sense of craft with brewing beer. I will have to be honest in this review; beer is not my choice of alcohol. I prefer sweet drinks if I am going to imbibe in alcohol. Hopefully, this book gives me the courage and information necessary to expand my horizons.
Several people wrote The Beer Book. It covers different countries and goes alphabetically through breweries. Each brewery has a listed address, a short description, and a selection of their products. If the brewery is famous enough, it gets an entire page devoted to it. The book goes into the tasting experience as well. It highlights the critical aspects of tasting beer.
The book also functions as a travelogue. If you have the time and money, perhaps you can visit these places. I do not possess either of those things, but it would be cool to visit a German Brewery, at least. I have visited the brewery in New Glarus, WI, but I did not try any of their beers. If I remember correctly, it was too late when I arrived there, and we had a long drive home ahead of us.
Most of my focus was on the American Beers and their breweries. I did not want to overwhelm myself with choices.
Several people wrote The Beer Book. It covers different countries and goes alphabetically through breweries. Each brewery has a listed address, a short description, and a selection of their products. If the brewery is famous enough, it gets an entire page devoted to it. The book goes into the tasting experience as well. It highlights the critical aspects of tasting beer.
The book also functions as a travelogue. If you have the time and money, perhaps you can visit these places. I do not possess either of those things, but it would be cool to visit a German Brewery, at least. I have visited the brewery in New Glarus, WI, but I did not try any of their beers. If I remember correctly, it was too late when I arrived there, and we had a long drive home ahead of us.
Most of my focus was on the American Beers and their breweries. I did not want to overwhelm myself with choices.
August 4, 2011
This is a book for true beer fans! There is info on over 800 breweries and detailed tasting notes for over 1700 beers! Whether you like a good thirst-quenching lager, a 'meal in a glass' stout, a sweet fruity beer or a classic ale, they are all in here!
The book is divided up into sections covering beers from This is a book for true beer fans! There is info on over 800 breweries and detailed tasting notes for over 1700 beers! Whether you like a good thirst-quenching lager, a 'meal in a glass' stout, a sweet fruity beer or a classic ale, they are all in here!
The book is divided up into sections covering beers from around the world; USA, Germany, UK, Belgium, Czech Republic, the rest of Europe, Asian beers, African beers and Australasian beers.
Each beer has a short history, contact details for the brewery, strength and tasting notes. Then within each section there is also a piece on the most famous breweries in the area, covering their history as well as any tourist information if they are open to the public. For those new to beer there is also an explanation of what to expects from porter, stouts, real ales etc.
There are even sections within the book covering the various shapes and sizes of glasses beers are served in as well as the various bottle shapes they come in! This may sound a little boring for non-beer fans but i'm a bit of a beer geek. I love my collection of various beer glasses from different breweries and quite sadly I also have beer mats plastered all over my kitchen!
At the back of the book you will find a glossary of any terms that may be unfamiliar to non beer fanatics! After which you will find a few pages to make your own tasting notes. I haven't gone as far as to fill this out because i'm not expert but i am slowly making my way through the book, trying to get a hold of as many of these beers as possible!
Most of the beers in the book you may never get chance to try. There are many in the book that are available in this country but if you wish to try any of the others you will have to order them online from the breweries or try them if you go on holiday to the country of origin of the beer! It's certainly worth keep a hold of for those trips to the German beer festivals! There are even a few maps in the book to follow your own beer trails while on holiday to help you find the best pubs and breweries. These are located in Oregon, Bamberg, Cotswolds, Brussels and Prague. I may not make it over to USA anytime soon but I certainly be checking out the Cotswolds and the European trails.
The book is divided up into sections covering beers from This is a book for true beer fans! There is info on over 800 breweries and detailed tasting notes for over 1700 beers! Whether you like a good thirst-quenching lager, a 'meal in a glass' stout, a sweet fruity beer or a classic ale, they are all in here!
The book is divided up into sections covering beers from around the world; USA, Germany, UK, Belgium, Czech Republic, the rest of Europe, Asian beers, African beers and Australasian beers.
Each beer has a short history, contact details for the brewery, strength and tasting notes. Then within each section there is also a piece on the most famous breweries in the area, covering their history as well as any tourist information if they are open to the public. For those new to beer there is also an explanation of what to expects from porter, stouts, real ales etc.
There are even sections within the book covering the various shapes and sizes of glasses beers are served in as well as the various bottle shapes they come in! This may sound a little boring for non-beer fans but i'm a bit of a beer geek. I love my collection of various beer glasses from different breweries and quite sadly I also have beer mats plastered all over my kitchen!
At the back of the book you will find a glossary of any terms that may be unfamiliar to non beer fanatics! After which you will find a few pages to make your own tasting notes. I haven't gone as far as to fill this out because i'm not expert but i am slowly making my way through the book, trying to get a hold of as many of these beers as possible!
Most of the beers in the book you may never get chance to try. There are many in the book that are available in this country but if you wish to try any of the others you will have to order them online from the breweries or try them if you go on holiday to the country of origin of the beer! It's certainly worth keep a hold of for those trips to the German beer festivals! There are even a few maps in the book to follow your own beer trails while on holiday to help you find the best pubs and breweries. These are located in Oregon, Bamberg, Cotswolds, Brussels and Prague. I may not make it over to USA anytime soon but I certainly be checking out the Cotswolds and the European trails.
January 7, 2014
Monipuolinen kirja oluista. Ymmärrettävästi ei voi mennä kovin syvälle yksittäisiin oluisiin, mutta pystyy muutamalla sanalla kuvaamaan perusluonteen. Kattava otos maailman mallasjuomista, ymmärrettävästi Eurooppaan painottuen. Saksa, Britannia, Belgia ja Tsekki käsitelty laajasti, mutta pienemmistäkin olutmaista on saatu tietoa kansien väliin.
January 23, 2017
A wealth of beer information, big and small, across the globe. Fantastic photos and style descriptions of hundreds of beers. As with many beer books from this period (mid 2000's) they quickly become outdated on some aspects but still an interesting glance of the beer industry and well worth a read.
June 28, 2015
Hmmm, beer.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews