Evaluating Beer

by Brewers Publications (Editor)

From defining off flavours to analyzing award-winning beer, this book will help develop your tasting and evaluating skills. Chapters are written by beer experts including Jim Koch, Charlie Papazian and George Fix and covers areas from diacetyl to DMS, to suplher and yeast bite.

Genres: Beer, Brewing

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 1993

Reviews

[Andrew Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely dry and very dated. Not really recomended at this point, there are far better texts out here. To be fair this book was published in 1993 (when craft brewing was in its infancy). Many of the styles and accept trends of beer in the last decade were not even in the dreams of brewers back then. It is extremely technical, but most of that is dated as well. Interesting to see if you are a recent BJCP or interested in beer judging from a few decades ago, but it has very little practical application for anyone today.

[Gerald Kinro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series of articles by various beer experts on evaluating beer. The information is very good and appropriate even if it was published almost 20 years ago. Since There were many writers, the inevitable repetition came into play, often bogging down the book. Also there was some inconsistency between the writers. For example, in discussing the areas of the tongue and taste, one author limited it to four tastes. Another added a few more. What I really hoped for was a good discussion on the tasting wheel. It was brushed on but for me, it was lacking.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only ever find a handful of articles in compilation books like this that are worth reading. There were a few but its mostly dated. Some techniques are still good though.

[Beau Belger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by some of the greatest beer minds of modern times, these men and women took beer from a 4 letter word to a work of art that is only appreciated fully by an educated drinker. It drives my interest in the art of brewing and evaluating brews, and gave interesting insight into that lovely liquid we have come to know as beer.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more information on how to taste beer and various techniques for untangling and describing the multitude of aromas and flavors that I find in beer. Instead I got several essays on how important and difficult evaluating beer is.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but one must be careful. With a copyright of 1993 some of the science is a bit dated. Interestingly there is a piece in here that is pretty close to being up-to-date now so must've been seriously cutting edge then.

May have more to say later.