Book Suggestions

I am about to buy Brewing Classic Styles. To get my order up to $25 for free Amazon shipping, I want to get a 2nd homebrew book. Should I get:

Designing Great Beers - I've heard this is packed with info, but I am limited to extract brewing for now, so I'm not sure how relevant it is?

or

How to Brew - I've read the free 1st edition online...is there much new info in the 3rd edition?

Of course, I suppose I could just buy all 3...

Designing Great Beers is an excellent book. I still look at it every once in awhile when I'm not 100% sure about the style I want to brew. It's meant for all-grain brewers, but there's still a ton of useful info in it for extract brewers. Definately a must have for people intending on doing all-grain.

Designing Great Beers is by far the most influential book that I have read on brewing. Close to that would be John Palmer's book How to Brew. I can't say enough about either of those books. Designing great beers taught me how to create my own recipes from scratch without using kits. Huge leap forward for me in understanding beer. How to Brew is a tome. You'll never understand all of the information in that thing. I've been brewing for years and I get it out all of the time. Any thing you'd ever want to know about the brewing process is in that book.

Designing Great Beers = Learn how to make recipes that kick butt
How to Brew= Understanding the process of creating great beer

Eventually get both.

New Lager Brewing has been my favorite book so far. Great for both lagers and ales.

I'm in complete agreement with the donkey sniffer.

What about Charlie Papazian's Complete Joy - how does it relate to or compare with Palmer? I've not read How to Brew, but I find Compete Joy to be very informative. Is there something I'm missing by not reading Palmer's book? I've referenced the online version a few times, but have not read it cover to cover.

Get a copy of "How to Brew" just to keep around as a reference.

I just got Brewing Classic styles. Very good book and the secret weapon of many good brewers. You will not be disappointed.

mdwmonster said:

What about Charlie Papazian's Complete Joy - how does it relate to or compare with Palmer? I've not read How to Brew, but I find Compete Joy to be very informative. Is there something I'm missing by not reading Palmer's book? I've referenced the online version a few times, but have not read it cover to cover.

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I haven't read Complete Joy of Homebrewing, but from what I've heard...it's a bit dated. Some of the methods talked about are apparently not common practice anymore. You really can't go wrong with Palmer's How to Brew. I read his entire website from start to finish, then bought the book, before I even brewed my first beer. It helped a ton in learning the process and even down the road when I thought I knew everything.

I have TCJOHB3rd Edition, The Homebrewer's Companion, Brewing Classic Styles, and Radical Brewing I've also read How to Brew online and use it oftern as a reference. TCJOHB3rd ed. has some great beginner info in it, but by no means is a great book, and The homebrewer's Companion has some good charts in it, but once again not very impressive, they both have quite a few decent recipes though. How to Brew by far one of the greatest overview texts on brewing hands down. Radical brewing is a decent read if you like to think outside the box. We can all buy many commercial/microbrew examples of certain styles, my goal is to create delicious beers that are unique, as well as styles that are hard to come by, Bitters and such. Radical Brewing is the book for this inspiration. Brew Your Own magazine, and Zymurgy are also great resources for recipes and info, Chubby Kid was in this months issue of BYO with his Imposter! recipe.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

Designing Great Beers is an excellent book. I still look at it every once in awhile when I'm not 100% sure about the style I want to brew. It's meant for all-grain brewers, but there's still a ton of useful info in it for extract brewers. Definately a must have for people intending on doing all-grain.

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I would totally disagree with this statement (no offense suthrn). In his examination of beer styles, Daniels divides the style studies into those brews that used extract AND those that were AG. He also speaks to the popularity of quality extract brewing.

For the record, I am an AG brewer who is not really comfortable including extract except when absolutely necessary.

Also for the record, DGB is one of the best books I have read! That, and Radical Brewing (not as much on technique, but a great bathroom reader).

Side note - while it's always great to support authors monetarily, Palmer's complete book is FREE online - one of the coolest things I have ever seen an author do!

+3 on DSG and How-to-Brew. DSG doesn't give you recipes, but it gives you VERY good starting points from grains and hops used to water, yeast and fermentation!