Beer School: A Crash Course in Craft Beer

by Jonny Garrett, Brad Evans (Illustrator)

Embark on a craft beer journey—from the science and art of brewing to glassware, storing, and tasting—from the men behind The Craft Beer Channel.   Beer has come a long way in the 6,000 years since the first taste. The legends of the craft beer industry have made sure everyone’s within reach of the perfect pint. But how do you get the right brew for you? And can you learn to make a beer that will add to the lager legacy?   Welcome to Beer School, brought to you by the heroes of YouTube sensation The Craft Beer Channel, a guide to everything you need to know about the wide and wonderful beers of the world. In Beer School, Jonny and Brad explain the intricacies of the finest artisan craft brews ales, lagers, porters, stouts, IPSs, and bitters.   The lads have the inside scoop on everything from hop varieties and barrel aging, to serving temperatures and glassware. Beer School helps you learn how to make beer and how to get the most out of every sip. You will learn grain, mash, water, hops, boil, yeast, fermentation, serving, storing, pouring, and tasting.   “Brad and Jonny make understanding beer easy and nearly as fun as drinking it.” —James Watt, founder of BrewDog   “It’s like sitting down with Jonny and Brad and having a few beers with them! Good fun, funny, interesting and you never quite know what’s coming next.” —Mark Dredge, author of The Beer Bucket List

Genres: Beer, Nonfiction, Audiobook

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Simon Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read “The Craft Beer Textbook” also by Jonny Garrett but this hasn’t been accepted into Goodreads so I’ve put this one down so my ‘read’ is logged. The one I read was a steady 3 star.

[Brent Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this the most groundbreaking book about craft beer? No. Was it the most in-depth book about craft beer? Also, no. So why did I give it 4 out of 5 stars?

Because... this book sets out exactly what it intends to do, and is upfront about it. It is meant to be a 'crash course' in craft beer. And for this, it delivers.

A new craft beer fan will likely find much of this book informative, but a seasoned beer fanatic will still find some useful bits of information they didn't know before reading the book. I think I found myself somewhere in the middle. There was definitely much of this book that was a high-level review of information I already new, but definitely found myself saying "huh, that's cool" a couple times throughout the book.

Overall, if you go into this book expecting to learn base level of craft beer knowledge, you won't be disappointed. If you're expecting a deep dive into the nuances of craft beer, you will be disappointed. However, since this book delivers on it's promise of being a crash course, I think it delivers on that promise and deserves 4 stars.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations, and the brevity to cover a lot of information in a pretty short read. I learned a few things even after researching so much about beer in the past year or so. It’s enjoyable to move right on to the next step in the process after learning a few interesting things, and this book goes all the way from the basic ingredients to storing and aging and knowing how to taste beer. There’s a few good references to breweries and beers, but not an exhaustive list that makes me forget about them immediately. This book isn't deep enough to make anyone an expert, but it definitely will make you thirsty and it will make you appreciate that beer you pour even more.

For all the wonder of brewing, the greatest achievement of the brewer is to create something that brings people together and makes them happy. So never forget to sit back and relax with one once you’re done being a nerd.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book goes by very fast, (I finished it in barely more than two sittings) and doesn’t get too deep, but it did give me new things to think about. (Hops are really fascinating) If you’ve been drinking craft beer for any length of time, much of what this book covers won’t be new material for you. It’s mainly worth reading to help fill in any gaps you might have in the basics.

To be very clear, this is an introductory book, and doesn’t delve into the finer points of brewing, tasting, styles or history. What it gives you is as solid a foundation as you’ll likely need if you want to go deeper.

[Michael Sassani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read if considering the art if craft brewing

This was a very interesting and informative read which helped to get my creative juices flowing. My brother and I are looking forward to getting more involved in home/craft brewing and this book has provided incredible knowledge without going overboard with terminology or explanations. Very good as a beginner course.

[Kyra Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great introduction to craft beer! Covers all the basics and leaves you will lots of outstanding questions but that’s why they named it Beer ‘School’. The point of school is to prepare you for later in life. This book gives you the skills and the motivation to get out there, ask the right questions and understand the answers!

[Michael Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will re-visit this book, over and over and over again, making more notes in it...smelling the pages, feeling the texture of the pages, admiring the finish of the pages and the quality of the book. The book is incredibly informative, easy to digest, inspiring and humorous at times.

[Draugen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and easy read for anyone who's interested to get into Craft Beer.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and entertaining jaunt through the world of craft beer. Not big on detail but engagingly written.

[Rob Vote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers the important parts of beer and brewing very well in a concise and easy to understand way.

Well put together and researched, and very informative.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, easy reading guide to how to enjoy beer and learn about it while you drink it. Highly recommend to any beer lovers or amateur brewers, like myself.

[Bill Aplin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to all things beer. I’ve always known I like beer but now I know why.

[Micah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is totally adequate, it just didn't really stand out to me.

[Simon Guthrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable with some good information. But short! Twice as long would have been so much better.

[Alex West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great place to start

Found a microbrewery enjoyed the beer and want to know more. This book is a great place to start. Best enjoyed with your new found beer.

[mark t waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Read the book and learnt a lot about beer. Will definitely be trying to make different varieties of beers in the future.

[Craig Vietti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super straightforward, funny, and informative. A great read for anyone trying to learn more about craft beer and the brewing process. Not too much detail or depth here, but a really solid overview!

[Daniel Hollands · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun introduction to how beer is brewed, the different styles, how to drink it, and a fair bit more. A good plate to start if you’re interested in learning more about beer.

[Conor Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly informative and entertaining book on all things Craft beer, From its history, how to make it and even how to drink it

[Randall Medlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and enlightening. Will likely reread it several times..

[John Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent content and well read but I think it'd be better to get the paper form for quick reference.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book about beer. It could use an update, but I did enjoy it and got some things out of it. Some good recommendations.

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent introduction to craft beer. It's basically an introduction so it's a quick read. I took me only 4 beers.