Beer Books for National Lager Day

From an award-winning journalist and beer expert, a thoughtful and witty guide to understanding and enjoying beer

Right here, right now is the best time in the history of mankind to be a beer drinker. America now has more breweries than at any time since prohibition, and globally, beer culture is thriving and constantly innovating. Drinkers can order beer brewed with local yeast or infused with moondust. However, beer drinkers are also faced with uneven quality and misinformation about flavors. And the industry itself is suffering from growing pains, beset by problems such as unequal access to taps, skewed pricing, and sexism.

Drawing on history, economics, and interviews with industry insiders, John Holl provides a complete guide to beer today, allowing readers to think critically about the best beverage in the world. Full of entertaining anecdotes and surprising opinions, Drink Beer, Think Beer is a must-read for beer lovers, from casual enthusiasts to die-hard hop heads.

For anyone who has considered brewing a batch of beer or mead at home, or making a custom barrel of wine with local fruit, this thorough guide will clear a path to the bottle. It demystifies the process: from planting hops and fruits to pruning, harvesting, fermenting, flavoring, and bottling one-of-a-kind drinks from your own backyard. It serves as a starting point not only for wines and beers, but also hard ciders, meads, and infusions, and even touches on at-home distilling

Perfect for the city-dweller, urban gardener, or anyone with limited space and a desire to make custom concoctions, Hooch offers projects to suit any lifestyle. With recipes for brews made from grapes, hops, and herbs, DIY boozers will find everything they need to begin a brewing journey.

Great American Craft Beer takes readers on a passionate and informative journey through the most palate pleasing ales and lagers produced in America today. Built on the inalienable truth that there is a beer out there for everyone, the book directs readers to focus on the flavors they already enjoy tasting, such as sweet fruits, roasted coffee, or bitter hops. More than 80 styles and 340 beer profiles are accompanied by full-color photographs and illustrations of the beers and beer labels. This unconventional approach allows drinkers of all experience levels to step right up to the bar and order their next pint with confidence.

If you like the taste of . . .fresh orangestangy lemonsripe raspberriescreamy pumpkintoasted caramelrich espressobananasdark chocolatesmoked meats Try . . .Address Unknown IPA by Willimantic Brewing312 Urban Wheat Ale by Goose Island BrewingRaspberry Tart by New Glarus BrewingPunkin Ale by Dogfish Head Craft BreweryAnchor Bock by Anchor BrewingSpeedway Stout by Alesmith BrewingHefeweizen by Live Oak BrewingBlack ChocolateStout by Brooklyn BrewerySmokestack HeritagePorter by East End Brewing

Both a personal guide and companion to the exciting world of American craft beer, this unique book touches upon several subject areas, including not only beer, but food, travel, history, and the stories and personalities of those who brew America's best beers. It includes 25 perfect pairing recipes and profiles of some of the best brewpubs in the country.

350 international craft beers are divided into seven categories -- or moods -- for drinking, including social, adventurous, poetic, bucolic, imaginative, gastronomic, and contemplative -- ensuring the perfect beer for every occasion.

The Seven Moods of Craft Beer brings together the best 350 beers from around the world and then divides them into specific moods meant as the perfect guide for what to drink, when.

There are beers that are social, like Funky Buddha Hope Gun from Florida, which are to be sipped in the backyard to the hum of conversation and kids playing. There are beers that are imaginative, like the Broken Dream from the UK, meant for contemplative nights with old friends. And there are gastronomic beers, like Sovina which pairs perfectly with a carnitas taco.

Each of the seven chapters offers profiles of approximately 50 beers that cover tasting notes, history and information on the brewery, and alcohol percentage. Sidebars throughout include histories of the world's best bars and information on styles of beer, brewers and breweries, and the world's most famous festivals.