Book annotation not available for this title. Title: Homebrewing For Dummies Author: Nachel, Marty Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc Publication Date: 2008/03/31 Number of Pages: 409 Binding Type: PAPERBACK Library of Congress: bl2008010103
An excellent introduction to homebrewing that gives the novice everything one needs to know to get started (requisite equipment, ingredients, and step-by-step procedures) with room to grow once one's confidence and success grows. Everything is laid out in a clear and concise manner. Includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced recipes for 47 styles of beer. Offers troubleshooting advice to decipher where that weird aroma came from or if you should worry about how your fermentation is proceeding. Provides information on the characteristics of the various varieties of malt grains, hops, and yeast known at the time of publication.
Although most of the contents are committed to memory, I still refer back to this book periodically. It's my #2 homebrewing resource.
Very easy to read, not technical, lots of recipes... it was a pretty decent intro to homebrewing for someone who doesn't really know anything about it. The bits of humour were forced and mostly eye-rollers, though. I was a bit disappointed after making my first few batches that the book doesn't really address how to solve the problems after they happen... e.g. it mentions why beer could get overcarbonated, but doesn't really tell you what to do about it. But that's what the internet is for. I was also disappointed that it really doesn't address small batch brewing. The underlying concepts are the same though. It does tell you how to scale down recipes for smaller batches, which is helpful. And I really liked the section about making your own equipment... I'll be making a trip to the hardware store for some copper tubing to make my own wort immersion cooler this weekend!
Overall: it's a well balanced instructional book about 60% basic and mandatory information, 25% intermediate knowledge and 15% advanced information for when you are a master of home brewing.
I have read a couple "... for Dummies" books and I have found them all well-written, balanced and helpful, so when I found this book at the library I figured I would give it a read through even though I already have the basics of home brewing down. This book has the essential need-to-know information and step-by-step how to brew beer/mead/cider as well as intermediate and advanced steps and two home brew recipes for almost every style of beer under the sun.
I would recommend this book to: aspiring home brewers or people wanting to step up their game.
terrible title, but i'm not above reading beginner texts in the quest to challenge, correct, confirm, and augment my knowledge (of brewing). this is actually often cited as one of the best homebrewing books out there. having brewed a few batches myself, i'm not sure i would go that far! but it's a decent, accessible, fun-to-read book.
An accessible first text on home brewing. The book presents brewing as achievable, fun, and handles step by step instructions well.
As with many books on brewing, there is no need to read the book cover to cover but instead flip to the section that you need at the time. I will be keeping this book around for reference for a long time.
The book is good enough to get you started on homebrewing, but not much more. You'll get an overview, but that's about. Read it quickly and then move on to a better, more in depth, book.
Good read, seems to be a little outdated but the recipes seem to be decent. Although after seeing the prices at the closest brewing store brewing will have to wait for another pay day
Not bad, this was the second of 3 books I am reading about the subject. It had a little different take on starting to make beer than the other. Overall, not a bad read, and it was pretty interesting.