the Book Shelf

It is my opinion that one cannot have too many books on a subject of interest. Here are some of my favorite books on the subject of brewing.

(or look for any book on amazon.com)
Amazon.com has hundreds of books
on the subjects of beer, mead,
brewing, etc. If you don't find
a link to the book you want, use
this handy search form

Radical Brewing: by Randy Mosher

Paperback - 13.97
(list 19.95)

A succinct introduction to beer and brewing it - that is making it yourself at home - this book is also a trove of facts, both in brewing science and in history. Recipes range from "Bambi's Best Blonde Ale" to "Smoked Habañero Amber Lager," adjustable for your taste according to how many (1-3) you add to the 5-gallon batch. If you want to brew something different and radical, this book is a very good source for ideas.

The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing: by Charlie Papazian

Paperback - 10.47
(list 14.95)

My first homebrewing book was the first edition of this book. Fifteen years later, I still refer to it from time to time. This book is an excellent introduction to home brewing. It is well written and easy to read while remaining a good serious book. Includes what you want to know from what equipment you need and how to brew your first batch to a load of recipes and information to help the novice homebrewer design their own beers
(if you are seeking a book aimed at the intermediate and advanced brewer, check out Ray Daniels' Designing Great Beers below).

The Compleat Meadmaker: by Ken Schramm

Paperback - 13.97
(list 19.95)

Ken has compiled an excellent source with discussions on nearly every conceivable topic of interest to anyone who wishes to make mead. He discusses varieties of honey, the effects of different yeasts and goes into a great deal of detail on the use of spices and fruits in the making of melomels, metheglins, pyments and cysers. This book is well-researched and is both easy to read through and easy to use as a reference. Appendices include sources for honey, spices, fruits, etc, conversion charts and a glossary. If you are serious about mead - or just want to learn more about it - I highly recommend this book.

North American Clone Brews: by Scott R. Russell

Paperback - 11.96
(list 14.95)

If you are looking for a recipe for a beer that closely resembles a favorite of yours or only looking for a recipe that matches a specific style, this book is a good source. Although not exhaustive (how could it be?), this book provides recipes for many beers brewed in the USA and Canada, including a few light lagers (such as Rolling Rock) and a great variety of craft-brewed beers from pale ales to imperial stouts to belgian trippels.

Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles: by Ray Daniels

Paperback - 16.60

Formulas, ingredients, historical and modern-day brewing practices and more are covered in this book. Author Ray Daniels provides a wealth of data on the current and historical brewing techniques and ingredients for fourteen of the world's most popular ale and lager styles. Ray also includes brewing calculations for planning and adjusting brews as well as a thorough examination of primary brewing ingredients. Intended for intermediate or advanced homebrewers as well as professional craft brewers, this book weaves contemporary and technical information with historical lore to create a well-rounded guide to brewing the classics.

Brewing Quality Beers: The Home Brewer's Essential Guide: by Byron Burch

Paperback - 6.95

This short book is the finest how-to manual for home brewers. First, it provides a succinctly readable introduction to get novices safely through their first few batches. Then, it goes on to present the best available introductions to intermediate and advanced brewing.
BQB does not attempt to be an encyclopedia. Rather, it presents a clear procedural guideline for someone to follow in order to succeed. The book includes recipes to help newcomers avoid potential problems, but the intent is to teach the reader about the various brewing ingredients, and how they work together, so brewers will be inspired and enabled to create successful recipes on their own.

The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing: by David G. Miller

Paperback - 11.96
(list 14.95)

Miller's book covers a lot of info about brewing and the science thereof. For anyone who started brewing with Papazian's books, this is the next logical step. Every aspect of the science of brewing beer is covered. The style is amusing and the excellent layout of this book leads from simple partial-mash brewing to all-grain mashing via a logical and step-by step progression of ideas and methods.

Brewing Mead: Wassail! In Mazers of Mead: by Robert Gayre and Charlie Papazian

Paperback - 10.16
(list 11.95)

This book is in two parts: In the first, and by far the largest part, Gayre traces the history of mead from mythology, across europe to near modern times. Papazian follows the historical treatise with a brief presentation on the making of mead including a handful of recipes. This book has been on my shelf for many years. I refer to it mostly for the historical facts - the truth is, mead is a very easy product for any brewer to make, and once the basics are understood, it is very easy to design your own recipes.

The Essentials of Beer Style: A Catalog of Classic Beer Styles for Brewers and Beer Enthusiasts: by Fred Eckhardt

Paperback - 14.95

This small text is a great resource for the brewer who wants to thoroughly understand a style before designing a beer. For a given style, Eckhardt typically lists a handful of examples of the style with information on gravity, alcohol levels, hopping and color. This is a must have for anyone interested in designing beers to match specific styles.

Wines and Beers of Old New England: A How-To-Do-It History: by Sanborn Connor Brown

Paperback - 12.95

About the making of wines and beers in colonial america, this book discusses the various ingredients used with enough information that it is possible to derive recipes for your own experiementation.
(This cover is of the older edition - the book for sale is a newly revised edition)

A Sip Through Time: A Collection of Old Brewing Recipes: by Cindy Renfrow

Paperback - 18.00

An excellent source for anyone wishing to brew period beers - or meads or wines, for that matter. This book contains over 400 recipes and is divided into sections for: Ales & Beers;Meads, Hydromels & Metheglins; Wines; Caudles, Possets and Syllabubs; Brandies, Liqueurs & Distilled Waters; Cider & Perry; and Hypocras. The section on Methods & Cures provides a number of "quick fixes" such as how to clarify wine, how to cure 'ropiness' in wine. This book is historically interesting even if you have no intention of making period beverages.

Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation: by Stephen Harrod Buhner

Paperback - 17.95
(list 19.95)

This beautifully written book describes the history of brewing from ancient times to modern day with a focus on spiritual/magical considerations. Exploring through folklore and anthropology, Buhner describes the creation and uses of beer by ancient and nontechnical cultures including the inclusions of a wide variety of herbs and pharmaceutical plants.
WARNING: some plant products used in this book do not meet with FDA approval

The Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible: by Leon W. Kania

Paperback - 15.37
(list 21.95)

From an introduction to making beer and one for wine to drawings and discussions of different kinds of stills, this book has it all. It is illegal, in the USA to build or possess a still, but if you found yourself on a desert island where there were no such laws, you could apply the information in this book to make a good working still. Also, how to make your own capper, kegs and scales - even a malt "factory" (oast) made from an old standup freezer.

Brewed in Detroit : Breweries and Beers Since 1830: by Peter H. Blum

Hardbound - 28.31

A historical account of the brewery industry in Detroit since its beginnings in the 1830's. In addition to being a complete account of the history of beer in southeast Michigan, this book is replete with historic photographs and labels.

Absinthe: History in a Bottle: by Barnaby Conrad

Paperback - 15.96
(list 19.95)

This book is the most complete work available on the subject of absinthe. Barnaby discusses the history of absinthe in good detail, from its first appearances as a recreational beverage, through its acquisition of a reputation for ruining the lives of those who drink it, to its eventual illegal status in most of the world. The book talks about absinthe extant in those few countries where it is still made and consumed legally and analyzes the actual effects of the active ingredients. If you have any interest in absinthe, whether from a historical or practical perspective, this book is a must.