The complete joy of homebrewing

I just have a simple question...I can buy this book on amazon for .75 cents(used), but i can get the 3rd edition for $9(used).

Is there really enough differance to pay the extra cost? I have heard a lot of good things about this book and don't want to pay the extra cost if it's not worth it.


Thanks Kenny

Buy the 3rd Ed. The first ed. was published many years ago, before a lot of recent advances in Homebrewing. The book is DEFINITLEY worth $9

The more up to date versions have lots of useful updated info like liquid yeast info, updates for the better variety of ingredients available nowwdays, etc.

For the price, I'd buy the old one and read it from more of a spiritual/emotional perspective and supplement that reading with www.howtobrew.com , which would be your source for up-to-date technical info. Papazian is a must-read, and I often re-visit each of the three versions I have (!), but I think Palmer is a bit more concise and technical...good for instant reference. PapaZ will educate you about the soul and spirit of homebrewing, and it comes across in all versions of the book.

That being said, if the $ doesn't bother you the more recent versions are better resounces, you've just got to be able to tell when you are reading an 'outdated' technique.

Thanks, I'll order the lastest edition. I'm also going to pick up How to brew.

Yeah, the 3rd edition is dated enough as-is... I may go snag the 1st edition for the library, though... and How To Brew is definately a better technical manual for brewing.

However, I think that they made it law that you must have a copy of CJoHB in the house if you make more than 3 batches. : )


I have both versions and the companion. Other than that I have this forum and my father's experience (we come from a long tradition of brewing-- in fact, I found out about one branch of my family was burned out of Chicago during the 20s--- somebody had a still and someone else didn't like that much).

Strange...I got my first one with my kit...

I have the 3rd Ed also.