Beer for Dummies

by Marty Nachel, Steve Ettlinger (With)

The fun and friendly guide to all things beerBeer has always been one of the world's most popular beverages; but recently, people have embraced the rich complexities of beer's many varieties. Now, with "Beer For Dummies" you can quickly and enjoyably educate your palate--from recognizing the characteristics of ales, lagers, and other beer styles to understanding how to taste and evaluate beer.The author, a beer connoisseur, shares his own expertise on this subject, revealing his picks for the best beer festivals, tastings, and events around the world as well as his simple tips for pouring, storing, and drinking beer like an expert brewmeister.New coverage on the various styles of beer found around the world real ale, barrel aged/wood aged beer, organic brews, and extreme beerUpdated profiles on the flavor and body of each beer, explaining why beers taste the way they do, as well as their strengths and ideal serving temperaturesHow to spot the best beers by looking at the bottle, label, and a properly poured beer in its ideal glassThe essentials on beer-and-food pairings and the best ways to introduce beer into your cooking repertoireFrom information on ingredients like hops, malt, and barley to the differences between lagers and ales, this friendly guide gives you all the information you need to select and appreciate your next brew.

Genres: Beer, Reference, Nonfiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 1996

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty decent introduction to beer types and beer science. I would have liked a more complete chapter on Porters, Stouts but the coverage on Ale culture is rather good. It could have been more clear with more pictures specially of glasses and beer types.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of cool information, a book you definitely need to go back to. If you like to drink beer and want to know what you are drinking and how to appreciate it more, well worth a read.

[ARC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after reading “Wine for Dummies”. Generally speaking, there’s a lot less complexity when it comes to beer as compared to wine. Hence, there is a lot more focus on culture, community and events supporting the beer community and related topics. But nonetheless, it does a basic fundamental understanding on the varieties of beers in the market for the casual drinker.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was way out of date but still an interesting read. I like how the author talks about the emerging craft beer revolution. As this book is quite old I do not think he realized just how large the craft beer market could get. Actually ask anyone 20 years ago and I bet they could not imagine going beer shopping at something like your local Total Wine store. These stores and so many more have a very dizzying array of various craft beers. And this book can help solve some of the mystery but I would not recommend it. I suggest something a bit more up to date those who are newer to the wondrous world of beer. For those with a bit more beer knowledge under the belt this can be an interesting look back. And there were some cool recipes for cooking with beer. I mean actually putting the beer into the cooking and not just drinking a beer while cooking! So crack and cold one and enjoy.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why read: Requested from Amazon Vine

What impressed me: Everything in this book was explained in basic, easy to understand terms.

What disappointed me: While this book was a broad look at all things beer related, nothing is covered in extreme depth. Good for the parts you aren't interested in, bad for the parts you want to learn more about. I wish the topics touted on the front cover were covered more fully and topics like homebrewing and cooking with beer were left out.

Recommended: Not really. Everything in this book is glossed over and readers interested in the different topics would do better to read a book on the specific topic they are interested in.

[Jason Voegele · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging introduction to the world of beer. Although I wish there were more specifics about the various beer styles and less about beer culture in remote parts of the world, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in beer.

[Miguel Barrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy buen libro para aquellos que saben muy poco o absolutamente nada sobre el tema, es un libro más que todo introductorio que te lleva sin profundizar mucho sobre diferentes temas y tratados de la cerveza, no es un libro que aporte mucho a cerveceros aficionados que han estudiado y saben del tema

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting introduction to all things related to beer. my copy, from the library, was a bit out-of-date, recommending AOL and Compuserve as a internet servie providers. but the chapters on beer lingo, tasting, cooking, making and history are very good.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://marklindner.info/bbl/2013/01/b...

[Birdie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know the difference between an ale or a lager, an IPA or a wheat beer--and now I do. Still can't keep up with the boys, but at least now I might know enough to order what I like.