Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium

by Michael Jackson

Many a beer sophisticate is surprised by the diversity, individuality and ubiquity of Belgian beer. Here, beer expert Michael Jackson enthusiastically discusses the history and inner workings of this quiet, quirky brewing behemoth of Belgium. He explains the origins of manstic brewing, the good fortune of spiders on Lambic breweries, the reasoning behind using orange peels, coriander seeds and stale hops in the brewing process. Thorough tasting notes are oncluded, providing a reference point for the reader's own beer hunting. Fully revised with a brand new layout and 300 more photographs than previous editions, this book contains a list of addresses of the most important Belgian brewers, plus all the practical information on brewery visits, overnight accommodation and local restaurants and eateries.

Genres: Beer, Nonfiction, Brewing, Food and Drink, Food, Cooking, Travel

530 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Michael James Jackson (27 March 1942 – 30 August 2007) was an English writer and journalist. He was the author of many influential books about beer and whisky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael...

Reviews

[Eli - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I want to go to Belgium.

[Filip Wijnings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getroebleerde relatie met Michael Jackson als schrijver. Hij was de eerste die de Belgische biermarkt een internationaal platform bezorgde en zijn boeken zijn altijd zeer uitgebreid en historisch goed gekaderd, maar Jezus wat schrijft hij slecht. Zijn smaaknotities zijn niet al te best, maar vooral zijn totaal nodeloze uitwijdingen over linken die in het beste geval een raaklijn delen met de besproken materie, maar vaker volledig naast de kwestie liggen. Daarbij komt nog zijn vaak doorsijpelende wereldbeeld dat getekend wordt door misogynie en veralgemeend alcoholoptimisme. Blij dat ik het heb gelezen: zeker. Gebruiken als uitvalsbasis: nee (Randy Mosher’s boek is stukken beter) Opnieuw lezen ter ontspanning: nope de essays van Evan Rail zijn vele malen onderhoudender.

[Lana Svitankova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Дочитала "The Great Beers of Belgium".

Просто машина часу. От правду кажуть що раніше трава була зеленіша: тридцять років тому у Вествлетерені 12 було 11.5%, а тепер 10.2%. Хоча, знову ж таки, Вестмалле Трипл наростив піввідсотка з 9 до 9.5% алкоголю.

А дещо, наприклад, ставлення до фруктового пива, не змінилося зовсім: "A traditional Framboise fills the air with its bouquet, and is even more delicate in palate and finish. A seducer would be tempted to engage it, and a sexist to deem it the most feminine of beers."

І раптово, пиво з томатами пили ще огого коли (змішували в келиху, але все-таки):
"In Canada is not unknown to add tomato juice when the to beer, to make a Calgary Red-Eye. This approaches fermentation cocktail country, though a Bloody Mary is a much more satisfactory drink." Зараз значно смачніше, Майкле.

Правда, деяка інформація трохи розхитує п'єдестал легенди, як от чомусь названий Пітером П'єр Селіс. Тим не менш, я розумію, чому він був великий: бо в глибині душі і на сторінках своїх книжок він був поет, який хотів бачити в усьому хороше, і навіть для не найкращого пива знаходити добре слово. Так цього бракує сьогодні.

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is Michael Jackson overrated? I like his writing but I wouldn't consider him today something exceptional. Maybe taking into account that the book was written in 1991 as a first edition. Good read though.

[Christopher Murtagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is clearly a labour of love. For the time it was published a completely comprehensive census of all the beers in Belgium, succinctly and eloquently described by a master reviewer, taster, lover of beer.

[Al McCarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to visit Belgium so badly. I’ve been a devotee of their beers for 25 years and this book makes the case even harder. My copy, by the way, is only 344 pages. Need a newer edition, I guess, but this one is signed!

[Trent Wiegers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly entertaining and informational.

[Jernej · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael is really great. He writes about beer with such respect few others can. When you have tasted most of these beers yourself, you begin to understand his approach and the overall appeal of the Belgian beers. History, tradition, love, craftmanship, pride - it's all there. That's why even the more commercial examples deserve a fair judgment since they represent a piece of Belgian beer scene that makes it so unique. Michael will teach you that each and every drop is to be savoured since with it you get a small taste of everything Belgian. Highly recommended!

[Jeremy Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible and comprehensive look at Belgian and some Belgian-inspired beer (at least as of 2005 or so). Lots of small details and big picture for almost all of the brewers and brews discussed.
Only real problem is that there are TONS of typos and errors that should have been corrected somewhere along the way. There are dropped sentences, punctuation in the wrong place, etc. An editor could easily fix these for the next printing.

[Arjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

as all Michael Jackson's books this one is of very high quality. Beautifully illustrated with full page photographs. Discusses all the Belgian beers that matter in neatly organised categories.

[Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

indispensable. a must for any true beer geek.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested on Belgian ales. Greatly increased my appreciation of the beers as well as leading me to wider choices.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for an in depth look at Belgium beers. Would like to read again after I've had more belgiums.

[Nebogipfel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic that sparkled the world-wide interest in Belgian beers. Even thought some of this information is outdated by now, it's still a recommended read. And it cointains lots of nice pictures.