Six beer books to help educate your bar staff
Education of bar staff is a key factor in running a good beer pub, and aside from the Good Beer Guide, there is a huge range of publications available that can help improve the knowledge of bartenders and pub owners.
Here are six beer books released this year that you ought to stock to help your pub make it into next year’s guide.
1) The Little Book of Craft Beer: A Guide to Over 100 of the World's Finest Brews – Melissa Cole
Self-confessed beer geek and expert Melissa Cole has been writing about everyone’s favourite brew for almost a decade. In her latest book, Cole takes readers through the brewing process and selects beers from some of the best and most eclectic craft brewers. The Little Book of Craft Beer is a perfect introductory book for those seeking to learn more about beer, brewing and matching with food.
2) IPA – Roger Protz
Veteran beer writer and CAMRA Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz has authored more than 20 books, and has been writing about beer for a whopping 50 years. His latest release looks at the history behind the most popular beer style in the world, and also contains reviews of classic and new world incarnations of the style. If you want to know about hops, Roger’s book is a must-read.
3) Brew Britannia: The Strange Rebirth of British Beer (2nd edition) – Jessica Boak and Ray Bailey
Brew Britannia is the first book you ought to read if you want to know more about British beer. Authors Boak and Bailey have put together a compelling account of the history of the campaign to revitalise the nation's beer, which became the most successful consumer revolt in British history. From the CAMRA revolt through to 21st century craft beer, everything is covered in astonishing depth and in a way that is both informative and entertaining. If you haven’t read Brew Britannia, are you even a beer geek?
4) Tasting Beer (2nd edition) – Randy Mosher
The long-anticipated follow-up to Randy Mosher’s 2009 best-seller, the second edition of Tasting Beer has the most current information on beer styles, flavour profiles, sensory evaluation guidelines, craft beer trends, food and beer pairings, and draft beer systems. A comprehensive and in-depth guide to everything you could ever possibly want to know about beer.
5) Miracle Brew: Hops, Barley, Water, Yeast and the Nature of Beer – Pete Brown
Best-selling author and The Morning Advertiser columnist Pete Brown is known for his accessible writing style and dry sense of humour. In Miracle Brew, Brown forgets everything he has ever learnt about beer and takes the reader on a journey through its four main ingredients. Brown’s book may be less of an instant source of information than some of the others on this list, but you’ll struggle to find a more entertaining read about beer.
6) The Seven Moods of Craft Beer: 350 Great Craft Beers from Around the World – Adrian Tierney-Jones
From Buenos Aires to Boston, Adrian Tierney-Jones has traversed the globe in search of the very best beers on the planet. In his latest book, Tierney-Jones brings together the best 350 new craft beers and then divides them into seven imaginative categories, each associated with a different mood. Alongside the descriptions of each beer, the book also contains information about beer culture, pubs and beer and food matching.
