Beer: Tap Into the Art and Science of Brewing

by Charles W. Bamforth, Chris Sorensen (Narrator)

Written by one of the world's leading authorities and hailed by American Brewer as brilliant and by a wide margin the best reference now available, Beer offers an amusing and informative account of the art and science of brewing, examining the history of brewing and how the brewing process has evolved through the ages. The third edition features more information concerning the history of beer, especially in the United States; British, Japanese, and Egyptian beer; beer in the context of health and nutrition; and the various styles of beer. Author Charles Bamforth has also added detailed information on prohibition, Sierra Nevada, life as a maltster, hopgrowing in the Northwestern U.S., and how cans and bottle are made. Finally, the book includes new sections on beer in relation to food; contrasting attitudes towards beer in Europe and America; how beer is marketed, distributed, and retailed in the U.S.; and modern ways of dealing with yeast.

Genres: Beer, Brewing, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Science, History

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[bitmaid]

Good book. Nice introduction to equipment and process, though I wonder if all that has changed much these days. It's been over a decade...

hahaha cheeky hops pillowz.

[Juanita Sierra]

Its a good summary of the whole process... very good to get an inkling on beer making.

[Kevin Harber]

This one was a bit more dry and technical than I was looking for.

[Andrew Mossberg]

fascinating dive into the science of commercial brewing with personal anecdotes by one of the elders of the brewing industry.

[Jani]

There's a wealth of information in this book. Highly recommended if you want to learn more about beer.

[Gage]

Okay, I may have rated this a little high because most people probably wouldn't want to read this book. But, if you're really curious about what makes beer become beer and you have a bit of a mind for science, then this book is for you.

This explains just about everything a novice could expect to learn about the science of beer. It's not the friendliest read, but I was able to finish it and I learned a lot. If I read it again, I might actually remember most of what I learned, too... Maybe another time.

[Jeff]

This book is an introduction into some of the more complicated processes in operating a commercial brewery. It's a bit more scientific than most homebrewers might want and is not written for the home brewery. It's basically a text book that might be taught at Siebel or UC-Davis. It's an interesting book, but a bit dry at times. I'd read it again, but that's because i'm a big nerd.

[Lenny]

Decent book for an initial exposure. The science is very light and the focus is on industry. Certainly meant for someone with a casual interest in the science of brewing. It is well written, moves quickly, and covers the science at a very accessible level. Looking forward to reading some of the more in-depth books Bamforth recommends.

[Thea]

Very much the science of brewing and little on process. Some was interesting and relevant, other parts not so much. As a home brewer I'm looking for information that helps my understanding of the process and science. In that regard I did not find as much as would have liked that was directly relevant. More background information. Still interesting just not as directly useful.

[Hedy preble]

Good reference book for a collection on the subject

[Neil White]

An interesting read all around, with the occasional less-than-thrilling technical aspects well balanced by the author's wry British humour.

[Nathaniel]

great intro to the history and science of beer. Well written, lively and entertaining. Full of great info and little anecdotes.

[Dave]

Nice overview book with an emphasis on technical issues from a commercial brewing perspective. Bamforth's sense of humour comes through as well, which helps keep things from getting bogged down.

[Mark]

Re-read 11 July - 4 August 2013

Review-like thing here: http://marklindner.info/bbl/2013/08/b...

[Aaron]

Good book really, but, not a whole heap of science. An overarching view on the industry, the process and the measurement of beer.

[Stephanie Harvey]

It was not organized very well. It jumped around a lot... Also, the author seems to be a bit pompous. A little dry and scientific for my taste.

[Hannah]

Can't rate a book I had to read for class but YAY BEER. Also super cool how the brewmaster is constantly referred to as "her" and "she."