Well, the Holidays are past. I received many many many excellent books, the which I'm perusing as time allows. Unfortunately, time isn't allowing as much as it might--I'm organizing the Barony's event next weekend, and "utter chaos" is an apt description. Still, as I go through them, I'll try to post the quick review here. Additionally, I hope to have a couple of brews tapped in the next week or two, and I'll take tasting notes and share them with you, my loyal reader(s).
I'll start today with Beer: Tap Into the Art and Science of Brewing
, by Charles Bamforth. This was a delightful read--very interesting from a technical, brewing background sort of way. It's not something anyone should pick up who's trying to learn how to brew, although someone trying to become more familiar with that tasty beverage they're sipping could probably do worse. Mr. Bamforth writes with a good deal of insight, as well as the occasional wry bit of humor. My only complaint is that his Englishness comes through in a couple of places--although I believe he would deny it (based on what I read), he seems to have a bias (completely understandable) for his native British beers, and on one or two occasions in the book displays what I can only describe as undue disregard for several other beer styles (the Schwarzbier, for example, is dismissed due to its lack of popularity in Britain). Still, this is a minor quibble, and all things considered, I'd have to rate the book a four stars out of five.
For next time: Books on unusual fruit, on cider, and (of course) more beer!Labels: Events, news, reviews