The Beer Bible: Second Edition - Ultimate Guide to Beer Styles, Brewing & Tasting | Perfect for Home Brewers & Beer Enthusiasts

Perhaps no other word in the English language is as used and abused as the word “bible.” The Bible is, of course, the book, the granddaddy of them all, the book of books, ground zero for storytelling. So it’s no surprise that contemporary authors would tap into that universal vibe, hoping to ride the bible wave. On Amazon there are books called The Freelancer’s Bible, The Screenwriter’s Bible, the Medical Marijuana Grower’s Bible, the Colored Pencil Painting Bible—there’s even a book called the LSAT Logic Games Bible, which is a stretch even by LSAT standards. There is, of course, The Wine Bible. All these books use descriptors like “everything” and “complete” and anything else that derives foundational juju from that archetypal tome. And now Jeff Alworth has given us The Beer Bible.Alworth is a beer writer and author of The Beer Tasting Toolkit and Cider Made Simple, and he has his own blog, Beervana. In addition, he writes a weekly column for All About Beer, and co-hosts the quirky and entertaining podcast—also called Beervana—with Patrick Emerson. Alworth has mash tuns of information to share, and it’s quickly evident that he does his research the old fashioned way: at the pub.That is not a snarky indictment of his writing. To the contrary, The Beer Bible is filled with concise and clear language that only occasionally leaves the hopped neophyte bewildered. There’s enough tech talk in here to satisfy more advanced brewfans, but the majority of the book is accessible to the lay readership.The Beer Bible is organized into major categories that can be read apart from the rest of the book: ales, wheat beers, lagers, and tarts and wild ales. Early on Alworth tackles the tricky territory of beer styles, or types. Other livening beverages have a distinct sense of place—terroir. Wine and whiskey reflect the regions of their production. But beer is different. Beer reflects history and economics, evolution and culture, place and time. And this is where Alworth shines. He makes sense of the complexities of beer geography without bogging down in minutiae better left to academic study. Here’s an example of his storytelling that allows access into the complexities of the beer world:If you were to devise a product equally as attractive to beer geeks as oenophiles, it would look a great deal like the “Burgundies of Belgium”…Once there were dozens of these regional specialties and it made sense to differentiate between schools known as Flemish red and brown beers. Now…their differences are far less significant than their similarities.Can’t beer lovers get a cool name like wine lovers? How about beeroisseurs? Or cervisiphiles? Anyway, that’s just an example of how this book handles what can be a confusing roadmap of understanding beer. Another way is the layout. Each section contains interesting sidebars, statistics, characteristics, brewing notes, a great “Beers to Know” section featuring a cross-section of examples, and a short feature on a notable brewer or brewery. Add to that a section called “Knowing Beer” and a section called “Enjoying Beer,” and The Beer Bible justifies its name.The other joy of this book is the sense of place that the author imparts. We feel like we are right there with him, whether he is groggily making his way through a German bierstube, or drawing information from one of Italy’s great brewmasters. He does this without abusing the first person, inserting himself only as seasoning to amplify the story.If the Bible itself was God’s word, or if it is just a compilation of where we were thousands of years ago, it serves as a good template for Jeff Alworth’s better-tasting version. This is a complete, entertaining read that serves as both a handbook and a story. You’ll find yourself reaching for this book again and again as you reach for more and different beers, and neither of those things is bad.