Ultimate Beer

by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson, the world's foremost authority on beer, treats his subject with the reverence generally associated with fine wines. And why not? In Ultimate Beer, Jackson shows that beer, like wine, is best enjoyed when served at the right time, in the right conditions, and with the right dish. Ultimate Beer is an exhaustive, beautiful and entertaining trip through the world's finest brews complete with recipes, and food and beer pairings. After a concise overview of brewing ingredients and processes, Jackson explores a myriad of beers from every corner of the brewing world. Appreciate the flavors and ingredients of beer, from the sharp, hoppy bite of an India Pale Ale to the rich, sweet malt of a German double bock. His suggestions are organized by the situation in which they might best be from summer sippers to winter warmers, aperitifs to nightcaps. Engaging photography of each beer and its packaging accompanies Jackson's tasting notes, brief technical brewing information, and product-specific trivia. Jackson continues with chapters on matching beers to dishes, and follows that up with a brief guide to cooking with beer. Learn to serve beers to complement a wide range of foods, from red and white meats, shellfish, and vegetarian food. What makes a great beer? Why do beers taste the way they do? For any beer style, which are the best brews available? And which beers do you drink to accompany which foods? When you have shared Michael Jackson's insights into the vast range of brews now available, you'll never just ask for "a beer" again.

Genres: Beer, Nonfiction, Brewing, Reference, Food

Hardcover

First published October 19, 1998

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

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really felt like a list of examples and a short summary of styles. Sometimes those summaries devolved into a lesson on local history and not the beer style.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey around the regions of the world and their unique beer styles -- how they taste, why they taste the way they do, and some highly recommended examples of each written by beer expert Michael Jackson (not THAT Michael Jackson; I suspect he feels like the Michael Bolton character in Office Space).

Fun to browse through and educational about beer which is wonderful if you are like me and totally into learning all about beer. On the downside, looking through it generally makes me want to run out and buy some sort of really expensive imported beer so I can try it. It also fuels fantasies of actually owning all of the correct glasses to serve the various drinks in some day if I ever hit the Lotto jackpot or something.

[Mark Hartzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been more than 15 years since the late Mr. Jackson published this book. As an amateur brewer myself, I'm sorry it took me so long to give it a read. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of Belgian beers featured here. However, I was very surprised to see so many American craft breweries represented. He gives specific mention to one of my favorite local beers that can be really hard to find: New Glarus' Wisconsin Cherry. It is a great representation of a Belgian fruit beer. Looking forward to when it's in season again.

Really rewarding for the beer aficionado, but great for people just getting to learn about the various styles of world class beer. The photos are all excellent as well. Cheers, Mr. Jackson!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this on a recommendation from a co-worker, and I must say, it's pretty great. Beers by type, by season, by occasion, and by food. Well-written, interesting, erudite, and all-around a great reference. I've already tried some beers based on the descriptions in here, and been very satisfied.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that there are particular beers you should pair with pizza? Neither did I!!!

[Jason Pulczinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put a date on it, I've read it too many times. The best beer book for beginners.

[Ben]

Good primarily for pairing a beer with a season and comparing your beer tasting skill against any of the hundreds that he reviewed.

[Llalan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mmmm...beer porn.

[Turrean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely illustrated and organized.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

he is the best