Principles of Brewing Science: A Study of Serious Brewing Issues

by George Fix

In this indispensable reference, Fix applies the practical language of science to the art of brewing.

Genres: Brewing, Beer, Nonfiction, Science

250 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 1999

Reviews

[John Haworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Introduction of science behind aspects of brewing

Was good at explaining the scientific principles behind various aspects of brewing. Was difficult to understand certain content without prior knowledge in the scientific discipline. In the Kindle version, many of the tables were miss-drawn requiring the reader to figure out where some of the content should be placed.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

indispensable reference for brewers, pro or home, especially if you are working with whole grains. covers a wide variety of brewing concepts and the science behind them to allow better understanding of the end-to-end process. superb.

[Matthew Vallely · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite brewing books so far. The level of depth and scientific notation was just the right amount for me to make it a good challenge to learn and grow from. There were plenty of tidbits that I have taken away from it to bolster my technical understanding of brewing.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I'm still reading this and probably will be for the rest of my life. It's only ~175 pages long, but what's there is an intense discussion of the chemistry of brewing. Having a very small chemistry background is a definite disadvantage and will make most people put the book down before they are done with the foreword.
However, this is the definitive text for brewing science.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great theory and occasional flashes of brilliance in terms of practical application, but the scope of the text lies largely outside the practice of the modern homebrewer (or even the modern nanobrewery startup). Also the dude's a scientist, so get ready for the most milquetoast passive voice everything ("It is thought that..." ad nauseam).

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

You really need to have some science (chem/bio) and brewing background before tackling this.

However, gets into the nitty-gritty elements of helping you understand what makes/breaks a beer in terms of the brewing science - why splashing hot wort is bad, for example.

[Laedus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of brewing science. Some biology and chemistry background is probably needed, as various reactions are discussed in moderate detail. It's a must-read for anybody entering the brewing business professionally.

[Belle]

nice reference - the chapters on mashing and gases were the most useful to me.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish that it had more depth, but it was a good introduction to the field.

[Jan Halvor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably not for the beginner, but this book is almost only useful facts for the brewer (and wannabe brewer). My favorite.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely over my head in many places but challenging can be good.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book if you want more details about what is going on behind the scenes when brewing beer. Not for the novice chemist though.