Something I love almost as much as beer...

[Zeal]

Books about Beer, just got two more to add to my collection. Brewing up a Business by Sam Calagione (Dogfish head Founder) and The Craft of Stone Brewing by Greg Koch Steve Wagner and Randy Clemens.

Anyone have these, are they good reads?

My Collection so far,

The Complete joy of Homebrewing
Homebrewers Companion
Brew like a Monk
Homebrewers Garden
Brew Ware

and the two mentioned above.

 

[1stTimer]

Beer School is a good one. Its about the Brooklyn Brewery. I picked up Designing Great Beers a few months ago. Its more of a text book than anything but has tons of great information. It's really helped me in formulating my own recipes.

 

[Zeal]

Beer School is a good one. Its about the Brooklyn Brewery. I picked up Designing Great Beers a few months ago. Its more of a text book than anything but has tons of great information. It's really helped me in formulating my own recipes.

I've been looking for a text book type book, I'll check out Designing Great Beers.

 

[Hernando]

My first book is being shipped
Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels

I started reading this at the Copper Kettle Brewery and I didn't want to put it down but had to go. In hindsight, ordering was a bad idea; it could have been my excuse for the daily trips there.

I think my next one will be YEAST the practical guide to beer fermentation by Jamil Zaniasheff & Chris White.

Of the ones you've read, which did you find the best reads and the most insightful?

 

[Zeal]

Of the ones you've read, which did you find the best reads and the most insightful?

Seeing as I had no clue how to brew beer when I started,
The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.

When it came to growing Hops and other beer herbs.
Homebrewers Garden

When it comes to Belgian Trappist and Abbey Ales.
Brew like a monk.
but I found it to be somewhat of a tough read for some reason hard to keep my interest, but full of information.

 

[RosewaterFoundation]

Designing Great Beers is a wonderful book, particularly the information on hops. Still, I use it mostly as reference as a lot of the topics are covered in other books.

Yeast, the Jamil and White book, has some really good information but isn't a particularly engaging read.

Radical Brewing is an excellent book for many reasons (I like Mosher's approach to brewing), check that one out when you get a chance.

Brew Like a Monk is probably the best book I've read on brewing a style of beer. It has useful information throughout and is written in an engaging way. Stan is one of the better beer writers I've come across.

Wild Brews is priceless if you plan to brew wild, uh, brews.

Farmhouse Ales is also useful for brewing saisons but it is light and doesn't contain a lot of information that you can't easily come across online...still probably worth your time though.

Hmm, guess I like 'em all.

Honestly, I feel that reading brewing books has been a bigger help to my brewing than any other resource as you have people pulling more or less credible information, which they spend time researching.

 

[Pappers_]

I like Radical Brewing, too. Mosher wrote another book that I like too, Tasting Beer.

 

[CompassBrewing]

Books about Beer, just got two more to add to my collection. Brewing up a Business by Sam Calagione (Dogfish head Founder) and The Craft of Stone Brewing by Greg Koch Steve Wagner and Randy Clemens.

Anyone have these, are they good reads?

My Collection so far,

The Complete joy of Homebrewing
Homebrewers Companion
Brew like a Monk
Homebrewers Garden
Brew Ware

and the two mentioned above.

Both of those are on my list. let me know how they are.

Also would you recommend the homebrewers garden? I want to start growing some hops next season

 

[Zeal]

Also would you recommend the homebrewers garden? I want to start growing some hops next season

Homebrewers garden is a great book. It tells you a lot about the diseases and pests that can attack your hops as well as how to do damage control on them with out killing or destroying the whole plant. It also tells you how to fertilize and when to as well as telling if your plant is suffer from a nutrient deficit.
A bonus is you also learn about other herbs as well.

 

[wonderbread23]

There is a book (more like an encyclopedia) that just came out called 'The Oxford Companion to Beer'. Tons of great reading in there.

 

[Ghostly]

The Calagione book is a good read, though it's primarily about entrepreneurship, not brewing. The editing is wonky (some passages are repeated in the book) and it loses steam as it goes along, but there are some good stories about Dogfish's beginnings and definitely some good advice about marketing and running a small business.

 

[tagz]

Designing Great Beers - Great resource for building a style (minus Belgians). Not one to read cover to cover.

Radical Brewing - More of a bathroom reader. Interesting info and a fun read but its put together like a bunch of small articles.

Brewing Better Beer - By far the best book I've read on homebrewing. Covers a lot of info we've touched upon in discussions on this site.

 

[LandoLincoln]

My friend and I have quite the library going. All books have been very worthwhile except for Papazian's book. It's helpful, but the info (I think ours is 3rd edition) is pretty outdated and Palmer's book was a lot better.

Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher - excellent book. Really has a lot of good information. All kinds of info in that book.

How to Brew by John Palmer
Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels
The Brewmaster's Bible by Stephen Snyder
Yeast: the Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation by Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff

 

[user 84304]

Brewing Up A Business is a good one, though more of a business book than one of beer, but really helps lay the groundwork in your brain if you were to open that dream brewpub.

I also have Sam Calagione's Extreme Brewing book and I liked that when I got started out.

Just picked up Designing Great Beers and Radical Brewing for my birthday and have glanced through, but not sure which I like better. I got both on Amazon for about $25 for the pair, so why not both?

I love having a library about beer. Jeesh, I'm so obsessed and I love it.

 

[Mongrel]

All of my faves have been mentioned already, except for New Brewing Lager Beer by Greg Noonan.

 

[JonK331]

The books I constantly refer to are:

1. Designing Great Beers
2. How to Brew
3. Yeast
4. Radical Brewing
5. Brewing Classic Styles

 

[stamandster]

I like Radical Brewing, too. Mosher wrote another book that I like too, Tasting Beer.

I read Mosher's Tasting Beer and it got me into the brewing scene... great book for learning the history of beer and how to really know what you're looking for in tasting. I have John Palmers How to Brew and it's pretty good expanse of information. I have to get Designing Great Beers though.

 

[jaredkent]

Brewing up a Business is an awesome read. More of a business book than brewing, but entertaining to read none the less. Good lessons to apply to all businesses as well, not just brewing.

Like many others, my other beer books include: Complete Guide to Homebrewing, Extreme Brewing, and Tasting Beer. Tasting Beer was actually my textbook for my Brewing Arts class last semester. A very good read that gives you an in-depth look at any and all styles.

There are so many books I want to pick up, I just can't read them fast enough. My amazon wishlist is full of at least 20+ brewing books. My next buys will probably be The Oxford Companion to Beer which looks awesome, and Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation. Yeast is one thing I know very little about and want to learn so much more.

 

[supermoth]

I just ordered Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers. A while back I wrote to the brewer at Moonlight Brewing Company to tell him how much I've loved the gruits he's been making, and he recommended that book to me. Can't wait to get it.

 

[C-Rider]

The only thing better than good beer is sexy sweet ladies.

 

[Zeal]

Both of those are on my list. let me know how they are.

The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. was great. It goes into how they made their company. Not brewing what others liked, but what they liked. Good read kept in engaged plus it comes with recipes for food I made Arrogant Bastard Ale Onion Rings last night. It also has All Grain beer recipes for their beers I will have to try when I go all grain.

Now on to brewing up a business.

 

[febbrewro]

I just ordered Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers. A while back I wrote to the brewer at Moonlight Brewing Company to tell him how much I've loved the gruits he's been making, and he recommended that book to me. Can't wait to get it.

Sacred and Herbal Beers is one of my favorite brew books. It gives both the historical background of ancient beers, plus the authors recipes on how to recreate them.

 

[beaksnbeer]

All of my faves have been mentioned already, except for New Brewing Lager Beer by Greg Noonan.

+1 Have an extra copy if anyone is interested.

 

[NWMushroom]

I like Radical Brewing, too. Mosher wrote another book that I like too, Tasting Beer.

Yup, I have that book (Tasting Beer) and love it! Great descriptions of different beer styles and the book is designed beautifully.

 

[cheier]

I will second (or third) the points people made about Brewing Up a Business. It is a great book, and it looses steam near the end, only in the sense that it talks more about business and leadership and boardroom related issues, rather than beer. If you are reading it to learn about Dogfish Head, great book. Planning to start a brewery? Awesome book. Beer School also falls into the same category.

Radical Brewing is also another great read. I wasn't too impressed with Extreme Brewing. I haven't read completely through either, but I'm about half way through Extreme Brewing and it leaves a lot to be desired, but has some interesting bits in there that can be helpful in future brews.

Brewmaster's Table is a great book that goes into heavy detail on food pairings for different beer styles. It is an extensive book, but lots of great information. Charles Bamforth's Beer is Proof God Loves Us is also a really good book. For me it was much more entertaining to read after sitting in on one of his speeches at the Craft Brewers Conference. Really good bock with some interesting stats.

I just got Designing Great Beers and the New Brewing Lager Beer, so I'll see how those go. There are a few other good books out there I will eventually get. I'm now working on the new Oxford guide to beer as part of studying for BJCP.

 

[LandoLincoln]

+1 Have an extra copy if anyone is interested.

Yes, I would be interested. Please send me a private email. Thanks.