"A pocket guide to understanding, appreciating, and exploring craft beer. Includes a summary of the craft beer revolution in America. Overview of brewing ingredients, tasting information, and resources for the beer enthusiast. Includes 80+ styles of beer, food pairings, and a beer log to record tasting adventures"--

It is difficult to believe that at one time hops were very much the marginalized ingredient of modern beer, until the burgeoning craft beer movement in America reignited the industry's enthusiasm for hop-forward beer. The history of hops and their use in beer is long and shrouded in mystery to this day, but Stan Hieronymous has gamely teased apart the many threads as best anyone can, lending credence where due and scotching unfounded claims when appropriate. It is just one example of the deep research through history books, research articles, and first-hand interviews with present-day experts and growers that has enabled Stan to produce a wide-ranging, engaging account of this essential beer ingredient. While they have an exalted status with today's craft brewers, many may not be aware of the journey hops take to bring them, neatly baled or pressed into blocks and pellets, into the brewhouse. Stan paints a detailed and, at times, personal portrait of the life of hops, weaving technical information about hop growing and anatomy with insights from families who have been running their hop farms for generations. The author takes the reader on a tour of the main growing regions of central Europe, where the famous landrace varieties of Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany originate, to England and thence to North America, and latterly, Australia and New Zealand. Growing hops and supplying the global brewing industry has always been a hard-nosed business, and Stan presents statistics on yields, acreage, wilt and other diseases, interspersed with words from the farmers themselves that illustrate the challenges and uncertainties hop growers face. Along the way, Stan gives details about some of the most well-known varieties—Saaz, Hallertau, Tettnang, Golding, Fuggle, Cluster, Cascade, Willamette, Citra, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, and many others—and their history of use in the Old World and New World. The section culminates in a catalog of 105 hop varieties in use today, with a brief description of character and vital statistics for each. Of course, the art and science of using hops in making beer is not forgotten. Once the hops have been harvested, processed, and delivered to the brewery, they can be used in myriad ways. The author moves from the toil of the hop gardens to that of the brewhouse, again presenting a blend of history and present-day interviews and research articles to explain alpha acids, beta acids, bitterness, harshness, smoothness, and the deterioration of bittering flavors over time. Perception is all important when discussing bitterness, and the author touches on genetics, evolution, the vagaries of individuals' perceptions of bitterness, and changing tastes, such as the “lupulin shift.” The meaning of the international bitterness unit, or IBU, is not always properly understood and here Stan lays out a brief history of how the IBU came to be and an appreciation of the many variables affecting utilization in the boil and final bitterness in beer. Adding hops is not as simple as it sounds, and Stan's research illustrates that if you ask ten brewers about something you will get eleven opinions. Early additions, late additions, continuous hopping, first wort hopping, and hop bursting are all discussed with a healthy dose of pragmatic wisdom from brewers and a pinch of chemistry. There then follows an entire chapter devoted to the druidic art of dry hopping, following its commonplace usage in nineteenth-century England to the modern applications found in today's US craft brewing scene. The author uncovers hop plugs, hop coffins, and the “pendulum method,” along with the famous hop rocket and hop torpedo used by some of America's leading craft breweries. Every brewer has their dry hopping method and, gratifyingly, many are happy to share with the author, making this chapter a great source for inspiration and ideas. Many of the brewers the author interviewed were also happy to share recipes. There are 16 recipes from breweries in America, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Germany, and New Zealand. These not only present delicious beers but give some insight into how professional brewers design their recipes to get the most out of their hops. As always, Stan imparts wisdom in an engaging and accessible fashion, making this an amazing compendium on “every brewer's favorite flower.”

Greg Noonan’s classic treatise on brewing lagers, New Brewing Lager Beer, offers a thorough yet practical education on the theory and techniques required to produce high-quality beers using all-grain methods either at home or in a small commercial brewery. This advanced all-grain reference book is recommended for intermediate, advanced and professional small-scale brewers. New Brewing Lager Beers hould be part of every serious brewer’s library.

Told through wit and humor and 100% illustrations, Hooray for Craft Beer! is an entertaining and informative journey through the history and world of craft beer. Readers will explore every aspect of beer from the ingredients and brewing process to glassware and how to taste beer, as they embark on a whirlwind trip around the world to discover the origin of favorite beer styles. Hooray for Craft Beer! is a simple, easy-to-read guide to learning featuring delightful illustrations. Yes, craft beer can be whimsical as well as tasty!

A celebration of the importance of grandparents. Packed with 50 ways to be a fun, meaningful, and beloved presence in grandchildren's lives. Hooray for Grandparents celebrates the special role grandparents play in children's lives and collects 50 ways to build a strong relationship between grandparent and grandchild. It's filled with fun activities to do together, ways to create your own special traditions, advice on how to support your grandchild in difficult times, and ideas for building a legacy that lives beyond your years. Packaged in a fun and engaging format, with simple, fun, and heartwarming ways to deepen connections across generations, this is full of useful and meaningful ways for grandparents to bond with grandchildren. BREEZY BOOK FOR GRANDPARENTS: This book captures the celebratory and grandchild-focused aspects of the special relationship in a format that works for grandparents who looking for something simple but meaningful. GREAT GIFT: There are countless gifting moments for grandparents throughout the year and this book is the perfect gift for all of them, whether it's for new grandparents-to-be or grandparents who have been enjoying their status for years. With plenty of ideas for enjoying a strong relationship for the long haul, it's a wonderful way to celebrate a special grandparent any time of year. Perfect for: Grandparents; grandmothers; and grandfathers Friends and family of grandparents and grandparents-to-be New parents looking to share the news or celebrate with grandparents-to-be

Craft Beer World is the must-have companion for anyone who appreciates decent beer. The last few years have seen an explosion in the popularity of craft beers across the globe, with excellent new brews being produced everywhere from Copenhagen to Colorado, Amsterdam to Auckland. With more amazing beers available than ever before, it's hard to know which ones to choose. That's where Craft Beer World comes in. Gathering together over 300 of the most innovative and tastiest beers you need to try, and divided into 50 different catagories, you will find the best of the best each style has to offer. Every category comes with an explanation of the key characteristics of the style - whether it's an American IPA bursting with citrusy C-hops or an Imperial Stout full of dark roasted malts - along with an example of a classic brew and a selection of cutting edge versions that are certain to become instant favourites. So whether you're looking for bitter beers or balanced flavours, a hit of hops or a hint of coffee, the reviews will point you in the right direction to find the perfect beer to suit your tastebuds. Also included throughout the book are interesting nuggets of beer information, covering everything from the catalyst that has caused the astonishing growth in craft beer through to matching beer with food and how to serve your drinks.Mark Dredge is an award-winning beer writer and runs the popular blog Pencil and Spoon where he writes about anything ale-related. Mark has won awards from the British Guild of Beer Writers in 2009, 2010 and 2011, his work is featured in leading publications across the globe and he's an international beer judge.

The days of choosing between a handful of imports and a convenience store six-pack are long gone. The beer landscape in America has changed dramatically in the twenty-first century, as the nation has experienced an explosion in craft beer brewing and consumption. Nowhere is this truer than in Virginia, where more than two hundred independent breweries create beers of an unprecedented variety and serve an increasingly knowledgeable, and thirsty, population of beer enthusiasts. As Lee Graves shows in his definitive new guide to Virginia beer, the Old Dominion’s central role in the current beer boom is no accident. Beer was on board when English settlers landed at Jamestown in 1607, and the taste for beer and expertise in brewing have only grown in the generations since. Graves offers an invaluable survey of key breweries throughout the Virginia, profiling the people and the businesses in each region that have made the state a rising star in the industry. The book is extensively illustrated and suggests numerous brewery tours that will point you in the right direction for your statewide beer crawl. From small farm breweries in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains to cavernous facilities in urban rings around the state, Virginians have created a golden age for flavorful beer. This book shows you how to best appreciate it.