By Lady Banba MacDermot, CT, CLM

I was going to buy this book for the troubleshooting guide inside the front and back covers. The categories, in order are: Problem, Reason, Cause(s), Cure. It was just what I was looking for. It had the answer to the question I frequently ask: "What went wrong with that beer I just tasted?"

And then I opened the book. And was completely hooked. This was the beer brewing book I had always wanted.

This book is visually appealing. There are brightly colored pictures on every page, all of which add to the meaning of the text. Most of the procedures in the book, from cleaning to bottling, are illustrated with numbered pictures. All of the ingredients are pictured as well, so that beginning brewers can understand what things should look like.

There is evidence of fermented grain beverages from 4000 B.C., and the author suggests that the cultivation of barley back to 6000 B.C. may indicate even earlier brewing. In ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians and Sumerians, the brewers were women (in some cultures, only priestesses were allowed to brew). The Anglo-Saxons used a lot of spices in their brews. In the 9th century, hops were used in brewing in Bavaria. Sometime after 1066, hops were introduced to the British Isles. The book describes the history of brewing from the origins of brewing up to the homebrewing of the present day.

The instructions for brewing are given in a very clear, step-by-step manner, with pictures. The overall effect was to make the process seem simple and easy to follow. Problems to watch for, and tips for dealing those problems, are placed exactly where they are most helpful. Some are in the text, and some are set in a special tip section on the side of the page. An example of the tips is: "Buy only fresh yeast that is properly packaged and stored in a refrigerator."

The instructions for the first exercise in brewing beer are placed near the beginning of the book. Then the author builds on that experience for his explanations. He encourages the reader to experiment with the ingredients and the procedure of the first exercise with the additional knowledge that they have gained in the following chapters on ingredients, equipment, and cleaning.

But this book is not just for beginners! The next section is: Intermediate Brewing. "Here you will learn how to make partial-mash homebrew, how to predict actual bitterness, how to adjust the mineral content of your brew liquor, and more." And he means a lot more. We return to a discussion of the ingredients, in much greater detail than in the earlier chapter. Acids, oils, by-products of fermentation, pH, and minerals are just some of the things that are covered here.

After the Intermediate Brewing section, charts and worksheets are provided for the reader to copy and use. There is a small recipe section, followed by a brief explanation of judging homebrew. And then there are lots of tables and charts, from predicting color to hop profiles. A too-small glossary of terms, and a nice bibliography and index are at the end of the book.

- Lady Banba MacDermot