Been looking for a good homebrew book, but there are so many out there. Just wanted to see what you would recommend. I was looking for something that would give me tips, terms, and how to AG. I have made a few beers, just want to learn all I can.
Homebrew book?
- Thread starter Dtroy17
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two_hearted
Well-Known Member
http://www.howtobrew.com/ this one seems to be a favorite around here. You can even read the first edition free on the website. I own and it covers quite a bit from your first brew to more complex topics like water.
Unfortunately, there are MANY homebrew books around, but none of them are any good...kidding, kidding.
Two I like:
How to Brew (John Palmer's AWESOME tome)
Homebrewing for Dummies (Yes, believe it or not a pretty good introductory volume)
Joy of Homebrewing (Papazian's book is considered a classic, but a bit dated. I have not read it)
Two I like:
How to Brew (John Palmer's AWESOME tome)
Homebrewing for Dummies (Yes, believe it or not a pretty good introductory volume)
Joy of Homebrewing (Papazian's book is considered a classic, but a bit dated. I have not read it)
How to brew, complete joy of homebrewing, extreme brewing are all good. Extreme brewing isn't as in depth but a good book to own. I also have Yeast (obviously all about yeast). How to brew also recommends other books that go into more detail like for extract brewing, all grain, etc.
cimirie
Well-Known Member
Hands down my favorite homebrew book is "The Brewmaster's Bible." I found it so much more helpful than any book in terms of understanding the process as a whole. It gave great descriptions and applications of all the grain, yeast, and hops. It had great recipes.
It laid the groundwork for understanding recipe formulation.
But what I found coolest was it explained the science involved in each step, but always made it super simple to understand.
It's the only book I still have in my collection.
It laid the groundwork for understanding recipe formulation.
But what I found coolest was it explained the science involved in each step, but always made it super simple to understand.
It's the only book I still have in my collection.
Yeast is also a very good reference.
Dtroy17 said:
I agree. I definitely have a problem. All I do is read books and this forum. I have the droid app that I check every half hour lol. I just ordered 15 back issues of BYO mag because the topics seemed interesting. I have probably 5 or 6 books now but still want more. The more you read, the more you understand and are able to get better....along with actually brewing.
I'm with you on that. When I can't brew, the next best thing to me is hearing from and learning from brewers. Have you delved into any of the fine audio / video podcasts out there? I get my "fix" daily.
www.basicbrewingradio.com
www.thebrewingnetwork.com
www.brewingtv.com
I'm know there are others, but these are my favorites.
Brewing TV is both informative and fun to watch. Love those guys.
Soon to be followed by Water ( John Palmer and Colin Kaminski ), grain, and hops ( don't know who's writing the last 2 ).
How to Brew is my go to book.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
I started with the Joy of Homebrewing book first... Then picked up Designing Great Beers to get a deeper understanding of how to formulate a good/great recipe.
I would look at all the other books already mentioned.. I've picked up the "Clone Brews" book (200 recipes version) as well as the BYO 250 clone brew recipe edition. BYO is also a great resource for all things brewing, and it more up to date than many of the books you'll find... For instance, The Brewmaster's Bible" was last updated in 1997... While I'm sure it has a lot of solid info, it's almost 15 years old... A LOT has changed over the past 15 years in home brewing. I tend to look for books published at least after the early 2000's... Unless I'm looking for more historical information/recipes...
Any book you get, that's more than ~5 years old, I'd check the info against current methods posted here (for brewing)... Also look at the Got Mead web site for info on (obviously) making mead. Look in the discussion area for more up to date methods there too. A good amount of the time, methods published 8-10+ years ago are no longer followed due to advances made since then. Things such as better ingredients, including yeast, have made some of the published techniques unnecessary (such as racking to a bright tank/secondary)...
The next book on my list to get is "Radical Brewing"...
Check your local Barnes and Noble... They should have a home brewing section there (found it in my local B&N)...
I would look at all the other books already mentioned.. I've picked up the "Clone Brews" book (200 recipes version) as well as the BYO 250 clone brew recipe edition. BYO is also a great resource for all things brewing, and it more up to date than many of the books you'll find... For instance, The Brewmaster's Bible" was last updated in 1997... While I'm sure it has a lot of solid info, it's almost 15 years old... A LOT has changed over the past 15 years in home brewing. I tend to look for books published at least after the early 2000's... Unless I'm looking for more historical information/recipes...
Any book you get, that's more than ~5 years old, I'd check the info against current methods posted here (for brewing)... Also look at the Got Mead web site for info on (obviously) making mead. Look in the discussion area for more up to date methods there too. A good amount of the time, methods published 8-10+ years ago are no longer followed due to advances made since then. Things such as better ingredients, including yeast, have made some of the published techniques unnecessary (such as racking to a bright tank/secondary)...
The next book on my list to get is "Radical Brewing"...
Check your local Barnes and Noble... They should have a home brewing section there (found it in my local B&N)...
I know that Gordon Strong mentioned a while back he was doing a grain related book, but I believe that was specifially about all-grain brewing, could be he was referring to the grain book in this series.
This is a good point! The mead example is an interesting one. I think Schramm's book, The Compleat Meadmaker, is the go to volume, but it has no information about staggered nutrient additions which are becoming more common with meadmakers.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Not to mention heating up honey, for making mead, is EVIL... At most, I only get mine up to 100-110F, then only if I must (no pun intended, but still accepted 
)...
I've not fully read Schramm's book yet (got it right here though), since I'm not making additional batches of mead until the ones I have running are finished, and in bottles. Plus, I won't start them until after I've moved (in X months) and the next honey crop comes along.
Something else to remember... Not all the books will be up to date for the styles people are brewing. So you'll either end up with a large book library, or visit sites for more info. I think having a handful of books on hand, for methods is good. Having clone recipe books on hand is also good. That way, when someone says they like Y brew, you can pull out the clone recipe (or one close to it) and see if it's something you want to make. You can also typically locate decent/good/great clone recipes online, with just a little digging.
)... I've not fully read Schramm's book yet (got it right here though), since I'm not making additional batches of mead until the ones I have running are finished, and in bottles. Plus, I won't start them until after I've moved (in X months) and the next honey crop comes along.
Something else to remember... Not all the books will be up to date for the styles people are brewing. So you'll either end up with a large book library, or visit sites for more info. I think having a handful of books on hand, for methods is good. Having clone recipe books on hand is also good. That way, when someone says they like Y brew, you can pull out the clone recipe (or one close to it) and see if it's something you want to make. You can also typically locate decent/good/great clone recipes online, with just a little digging.
I'm a fan of Palmer's How to Brew.
I read Papazian's book also, which is good, but not as easily read, and quite a bit more dated than Palmer's.
I've got a few others I've gone through as well, but I still always end up referring back to How to Brew whenever I come up with something that I don't know or have forgotten.
IMHO, read How to Brew, and if you have any other questions, the search function on this forum is invaluable.
I read Papazian's book also, which is good, but not as easily read, and quite a bit more dated than Palmer's.
I've got a few others I've gone through as well, but I still always end up referring back to How to Brew whenever I come up with something that I don't know or have forgotten.
IMHO, read How to Brew, and if you have any other questions, the search function on this forum is invaluable.
have a copy of this being delivered tomorrow. looking forward to some good reading this weekend
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
You, sir, SUCK!!! lol
I'll probably pick it up from B&N in the next few days... Will flip through it first though...
I used to have Papazian's book "The Complete Joy". It's what got me started in brewing years, and years ago. Though maybe not current, his quirky sense of humor should make this book a staple in any brew library.
The books I would consider the most useful are:
Palmers - How to Brew
Palmer / Zainasheff - Brewing Classic Styles
And my newest edition to the library:
Hieronymus - Brew Like A Monk.
The books I would consider the most useful are:
Palmers - How to Brew
Palmer / Zainasheff - Brewing Classic Styles
And my newest edition to the library:
Hieronymus - Brew Like A Monk.
Seven
Well-Known Member
I'd recommend Palmer's book "How to Brew" when first starting out and then "Brewing Classic Styles" and "Designing Great Beers" when you're ready to move up to the next level.
I realize Papazian's book is viewed as one of the groundbreaking books on teaching people how to brew... but personally, I found the RDWHAHB mantra a bit repetitious after the first 27 times he said it.
I realize Papazian's book is viewed as one of the groundbreaking books on teaching people how to brew... but personally, I found the RDWHAHB mantra a bit repetitious after the first 27 times he said it.
Amen to that! I almost gave up reading it for the same reason.
The 70's era photos did crack me up though!
redde2brew
Well-Known Member
Well once you read one or both of the major publications mentioned you will be ready to make some good beer. This book really helped me "Brewing Classic Styles" by Zainasheff and Palmer. It's and extract recipe book with ag conversions. Lots of help with mash and fermentation temperatures, hop and yeast selection. I've done about 15 recipes from the book, mostly extracts all have done well. Since I started ag I still use it.
I found Radical Brewing at a used book store about a month ago and picked it up. Pretty interesting read. Assumes at least some experience with brewing. The author does a pretty good job at de-mystifying some of the different styles of beer out there. It really focuses on some unusual aspects of beermaking, such as sugars, grain adjuncts, and spices to add to your brew. Not really a recipe book, although there are some recipes in it. No matter how you brew, you can find something in the book to help improve your beers.
How to brew
Complete Joy of Homebrewing
Homebrewing for Dummies (Yes, it's actually a very good book!)
Complete Joy of Homebrewing
Homebrewing for Dummies (Yes, it's actually a very good book!)
I agree that Brewing for Dummies is quite good for getting started and a good bit more.
I'm looking for a book as good as Palmers 'How to Brew', but in metric!!
Can any one recommend one.
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