Which also brings up the point that I have to say that this list is brought to you in association with amazon.com . Now...on to the list.
First, I present:
Beer Blast: The Inside Story of the Brewing Industry's Bizarre Battles for Your Money
by Philip Van Munching
Not only is this the book that has the most informative and concise history of the American Brewing Industry, it's also a lot of fun to read. Van Munching has apparently spent too much time in the beer industry, and has become somewhat sarcastic about it, which makes for a really captivating read. It also has a reference list that became my motivation for getting a bunch of the other books I want.
No reference list would be complete without:
Michael Jackson's Beer Companion: The World's Great Beer Styles, Gastronomy, and Traditions
by Michael Jackson
If you saw the author's name, and immediately thought King of Cra...err..I mean Pop, then you are badly in need of a beer education, and should buy every book on this list. He's tasted more beers, written more books, and pretty much become more famous, than anyone else in the beer industry. This is the definitive Michael Jackson book to beer styles, a must have. It looks great on a coffee table too....especially next to a nice beer.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't learn from this one:
Beer for Dummies
by Marty Nachel, Steve Ettlinger
In traditional "For Dummies" form, this is actually a really good introduction to the subject. You don't learn a lot about anything, but you get a great overview of the subject. Even after having read some of the other books, and having brewed a few batches of my own beer, I learned from this book. For risk of embarrassing myself, I won't say how much, but I learned.
These two inspired me less than the previous ones, but I've definitely gotten a couple of tidbits that I've used.
Secret Life of Beer: Legends, Lore & Little-Known Facts
by Alan D. Eames
Interesting, but not something you read from cover to cover. The cover of the book hails the author as "The Beer King", and he's certainly done his research. It's a small book of slightly over 200 pages filled with quips, quotes, and other assorted Q-words. If, for whatever reason, you need a book to keep yourself amused for short 5-10 minute time spans, then it's great. There's lots of trivia I hadn't seen anywhere else. But don't try to read it for much longer than that in a sitting, or it starts to drag on a little.
The Ultimate Book of Beer Trivia
by Bill Yenne, Tom Debolski
Well...with a word like "ultimate" in the tile, you're giving yourself a lot to live up to...which they don't. It has a lot of trivia. If you skip the first 60 pages, which are purely about old slogans and beer labels, a lot of said trivia is even really interesting. If you're interested in old slogans and advertising, then the first 60 pages are probably excellent too. The book is set up as a game, where teams of people compete to see who knows more. Not having any friends, I was forced to play against myself, and unfortunately, I kept losing. This somewhat soured my opinion of the book. If you're dying to expand your collection, and don't have this yet, it's worth it, otherwise, the other books are far more worth your money.
No collection of beer books, and especially no home brewer's collection would be complete without the definitive:
The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing
by Charlie Papazian
This is the one book about home brewing which I think most people start with. Most brew shops I've been to give this to you with your starter kit, if they don't then buy it separately. It covers everything necessary to know when brewing. In addition, Papazian spends some time at the beginning discussing beer history and culture, which I always enjoy.
and rounding out my beer collection is:
The Beer Enthusiast's Guide: Tasting & Judging Brews from Around the World
by Gregg Smith
This short book is designed, as the title says, to prepare you for tasting and judging beers, at least as much as a book can. It's relatively interesting, with short pieces on everything. He covers history, the brewing process, the broader styles, and the different aspects of beer considered when judging it. Most of this info is covered in some of the books above, usually more thoroughly than it is here, but none of them have all this information in them. So if you're looking to see what you might find interesting from those subjects, this is a great summary.
It's not beer, but it's tasty:
Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch
by Michael Jackson
Yes, him again....apparently I just like malted beverages. This is a reference book, not a thriller. But as a reference, if you like Single Malt Scotches, it's indispensable.
But why stop there? I don't own, and haven't read, any of the books below (at least not yet). The titles, however, intrigued me enough that I'm trying to get ahold of them now. In addition, if any readers have suggestions for other references you think I should check out, drop me a line at beer@goats.com. If you include a brief description, I might even include it here. Thanks.
So..in no particular order...
The New World Guide to Beer
by Michael Jackson
Beer U.S.A.
by Will Anderson
The Breweries of Brooklyn: An Informal History of a Great Industry in a Great City
by Will Anderson
The Beer Book: An Illustrated Guide to American Breweriana
by Will Anderson
From Beer to Eternity: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Beer
by Will Anderson
Under the Influence: The Unauthorized Story of the Anheuser-Busch Dynasty
by Peter Hernon, Terry Ganey
A Short, but Foamy, History of Beer: The Drink That Invented Itself
by William Paul Haiber, Robert Haiber
Beer Its History and Its Economic Value As a National Beverage
by Frederick W. Salem
Beer: A History of Suds and Civilization from Mesopotamia to Microbreweries
by Gregg Smith