textfiles/internet/FAQ/beer-lea.faq

                                        Revised, November 8, 1994



Well, I've donned the asbestos labcoat and entered the world of

FAQ writing again.  I suspect that there are many alt.beer and

r.f.d.b readers that want to learn more about tasting beer, but

don't know where to start.   I suppose some of us can be

intimidating with our use of terminology and language.  However,

one of the strengths of alt.beer and r.f.d.b has been its

friendliness toward the sincere and those paying heed to the

charter.



In the spirit of friendliness and cooperation I present the beta-

test 2.2 version (I'm not recording a revision history -- what do

you think I am, a software developer?) of the r.f.d.b "How to

learn more about beer and tasting" FAQ.  As usual, comment are

welcome, and flames will be redirected to the person that started

the "Great Rock Boozers" thread.



I dedicate this FAQ to my good friend Binger, who stood up to a

nasty bid of flaming when he started posting reviews before

having tasted a Pilsner Urquell ;-).



     =======================================================



              "LEARNING ABOUT BEER AND TASTING" FAQ



Many newcomers to the wonders of beer, or even many who

appreciate good beer can be overwhelmed by the language of beer

reviewing.  The following was in an email message to me, and I

think it is typical of  the questions in many readers minds:



     I wanted to contribute to your tasting, but I find

     myself lacking in the minute tasting skills that you

     all show. I believe it has more to do with the fact

     that I do not brew my own and have never been trained

     to tell the difference in the tastes, and not because I

     could not if shown how.



     So, here is my question: I will probably start brewing

     in the next month to month and a half, but until then

     could you tell me of any books that I can read that

     will help me in differentiating things more

     scientifically rather than my extremely subjective

     methods. Is there such a book, and where can I get it.



To paraphrase (quote?) Binger, "Well, pull up a seat, sit down,

relax, this is a friendly forum.  Pay attention and you'll learn

a lot."  Honestly, I don't brew either -- there are so many

wonderful beers in the world to try, I would not have time to

drink my homebrew.  Stephen Beaumont, who wrote The Great

Canadian Beer Guide, does not brew either.  But then do Siskel

and Ebert make films?  Would you want Andy Rooney running your

state Government?



On the other hand, you can learn a *lot* about beers by brewing. 

You will learn about the difference between types of malts, hops

and yeasts.  For this reason, I read the Homebrew Digest and

rec.crafts.brewing.  



Another reader asked:



     "Do beer reviewers have to become arrogant snobs? 

     Can't I simply say 'Good full flavour, nice bite, great

     aftertaste!'"



Of course you can, but think about what you have said:  You said

you liked it, but you didn't describe it.  A good reviewer will

tell the reader about the beer so the reader will know what to

expect.  I have read reviews posted here that were so

descriptive, I could almost taste the beer while sitting at my

terminal reading.  Also, sometimes a reviewer will get carried

away describing a beer that they absolutely love.  The tone is

reverence, not arrogance. 





A.  LEARNING TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES



So, how does one start to learn about the technical side of beer?

How did you learning in school?  Reading the textbooks, doing

your homework, discussing with classmates, attending lectures and

doing labwork and experiments.  The analogies for learning about

beer are reading, tasting, discussing, going to workshops and

brewing.





1.   Reading and Viewing



(a)  Books



There are many fine books about beer available.  Unfortunately,

many bookshops do not carry more than one or two.  Some books

discuss beers and their characteristics in general, while other

books review beers individually.  Tasting a beer while reading

about the style or specific beer can be a very enlightening

experience.  



A short list of books to get when starting out would be:



     Michael Jackson's Pocket Guide to Beer

     Michael Jackson's Beer Companion

     Fred Eckhardt's The Essentials of Beer Style

     Gregg Smith's The Beer Enthusiast's Guide



These books are easily enough to get you started.  They describe

the characteristics of malts, hops, yeast and the flavours they

impart.  If you read about a particular beer being outstanding

for some characteristic and you can buy it, do so, and taste

while you read.  Another book that is good about tasting

terminology is Jamie MacKinnon's Ontario Beer Guide.  (I didn't

list it above since it is of primarily local interest)



Rather than detour the reader of the FAQ with long descriptions

of the various beer books, I have appended the newly-written

"Good Beer Book Guide" where you will find brief descriptions of

the books and what to expect.



Samer Farha has compiled a list of books on beer from the Library

of Congress catalogue.  It is available at the archives at

sierra.stanford.edu /pub/homebrew/rfdb/





(b)  The Internet



Chances are, if you are reading this, you are already reading

rec.food.drink.beer and alt.beer.  If you are reading someone's

printout of this FAQ, you should try to get Internet access and

follow the discussions in these newsgroups.  You might also read

rec.crafts.brewing (r.c.b.) and possibly subscribe to the

Homebrew Digest, which is still being posted in r.c.b since

learning about brewing will help you to learn about beer and what

influences flavour.  The advice of a previous paragraph is

echoed:   When you read a post describing or reviewing a

particular beer, try to find that beer and taste for yourself. 

The FAQs are useful sources of information as well.  The r.f.d.b

and alt.beer FAQs have basic definitions of beer styles and there

is a r.f.d.b project under way to create a beer styles FAQ.





(c)  Magazines and Brewspapers



In addition to books, there are magazines.  Zymurgy is primarily

for homebrewers, but contains lots of good useful information. 

Friends of mine often cite things from the Celebrator.  CAMRA

publishes What's Brewing?, and brewspaper full of beer

information, although it has a U.K. bias.  There are several

newer magazines published in North America, which include:  Beer,

The Magazine; Beer Magazine; The Malt Advocate and All About

Beer.  John Lock (jlock@mindspring.com) maintains an address list

for magazines and brewspapers.





(d)  Video



Many of us are products of the electronic media generation, so a

word on video tapes is in order.  There is a good introductory

tape, Beer and Ale: A Video Guide available from Saint Clair

Production Company (1-800-546-5034, $24.95 U.S. plus $3.50

shipping and handling, $6.50 s&h to Canada).  Watch for Michael

Jackson's Beer Hunter on public television stations (available in

some video store and by special order) and Charlie Papazian's

home brewing video.





2.   Tasting



Your tasting experiences can be quite varied:



(a)  From your reading, as described above



(b)  Online tastings:



     Participate in the Virtual Pub tastings organized by Joel

     Plutchak.  You might not want to contribute, but try the

     beer and record your impressions.  When the results are

     posted, compare what others say to what you wrote.  You'll

     be surprised at how good you are.  Don't be afraid to post

     your comments.  You won't get flamed (unless you post "I was

     knocking back the Chimay's with that great rock boozer John

     Bonham last night. That Chimay is F***ing awesome, but Ice

     really kicks butt!).  In fact, you are more likely to get

     encouraged to try more, see more, taste more.



     For those with IRC (Internet Relay Chat) there are tastings

     held weekly.  Details are posted to the three beer-related

     newsgroups several days in advance so that participants can

     get the beers.  Thankfully, for those without IRC, a summary

     is posted a few days later.  These can be very informative

     reading.



(c)  If there is a bar with a good knowledgeable bartender, that 

     can be a great place to learn and taste.



(d)  If some of your friends share your love of finer beers,

     organize a tasting, or find organized tastings in your area.



(e)  Brewery tours also give you an opportunity to taste and

     learn.



(f)  Attend a beer festival.  There is a separate Beer Festival

     FAQ -- see if there is one in your area.  Some also have

     workshops to help people learn about beer.



(g)  Shop around in beer stores.  Read labels, brochures and

     information circulars.  Don't be afraid to try new things.



(h)  Keep a tasting book.  This is something I do.  It allows me 

     to record a few facts (price, packaging, where and when

     purchased, and when consumed), my impressions about the

     visual characteristics (the head and colour) and the tasting

     characteristics (aroma/nose, taste and aftertaste).



     I try to record my impressions during the first half of the

     glass.  I do my rating before referencing experts' opinions

     (like Michael Jackson or Stephen Beaumont) so that I record

     my own opinion first.  After that, I check what I wrote

     against what one of the experts has written.  Surprisingly,

     you might find that you and the experts agree a lot, which

     will build your confidence.  When you don't agree, look for

     the reasons why.  If you rated a beer lower than the

     experts, it could simply be a style that you do not

     particularly like or a beer that is more extreme in its

     character than you are used to.  If you rated the beer

     higher than the experts, don't worry about it -- have

     another and enjoy it.  Also, the beer you consumed may have

     been different from the beer the experts tasted.  See the

     note below.



     A tasting book is useful for several reasons:



     1.   It helps you understand styles and your impressions of

          other beers in a style;



     2.   It helps you understand and monitor your own progress

          and development as you learn about beer.  Try beers

          again.  Try beers you didn't like before and try them

          with an open mind -- you might find you like them

          better the second time.  Try beers you liked before and

          review them critically again.  Sometime you will find

          that your rating go down slightly.  That is a sign of a

          growing ability to distinguish the good from the very

          good from the excellent.



     Quoting Binger again:



     Never trust your first impression, but let it guide

     you. Often, I've gone back to a beer that didn't really

     turn me on the first time, just to see if it was the

     wrong frame of mind or circumstance to try that beer,

     or a bad bottle/six. I've yet to re-attempt those beers

     I strongly disliked (not too many) but will at a future

     date.





A comment on disagreeing with the experts:



     You might also find that you are differing from the experts

     opinions for reasons other than differing tastes:



     Different versions:  The beer you taste may be different

     from the beer the experts tasted and rated.  For example,

     there are dozens of Guinness styles, sub-styles and local

     variations, so the Guinness you are drinking may be

     different from the one the experts rated.



     Different breweries:  Pike Place Pale Ale is brewed in

     Seattle and contract brewed by Catamount at White River

     Junction, Vermont.  Some claim they can tell the difference. 

     

     Distance and Freshness:  The Guinness you drink in

     Sunnyvale, will not be as fresh as the one you drink at St.

     James Gate, Dublin.



     Handling:  Many here on The Internet have complained about

     the quality of Pilsner Urquell, which many view as being the

     epitome of the Pilsner style.  The problem encountered by

     many is that this beer is often poorly handled,

     specifically, not shielded from the light.  Pilsner Urquell

     is packaged in green bottles which allows light to pass

     through that interacts with the hop compound to form

     mercaptans, the odoriferous compound that we generally

     associate with skunks.



What if you cannot attribute your vastly different opinion to one

of these factors?  It may simply be a matter of taste.  The most

common disagreement is to dislike a "great" beer.  Do not be

intimidated or put of if you taste a top-rated beer and do not

like it.  It could simply be a style that is new to you.  One of

my favourite beers is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Maerzen, which

Michael Jackson gives his highest rating: ****.  At a tasting

hosted by Michael Jackson and attended by many knowledgeable beer

fans, about two-thirds of the attendees dumped their tasting

samples.  Why?  It is a strong tasting, smoky flavoured beer that

they found to be foreign or unusual.  





3.   Discussing



When you post, you will get feedback.  Some may be critical, but 

that's part of learning.  Talk with friends, publicans,

homebrewers, anyone that knows something good about beer.  Ask

questions, listen and learn.



To quote Binger:



     Rather than worrying about being right, or using the

     "expert" terminology, describe the beer like you would

     any other food: Sweet, dry, light, heavy, sharp.... 

     give us the texture, and colour. If you never had a

     piece of pizza before, how would you describe it after

     your first one?



          "An interesting foodstuff, with a powerful

          cheese aroma; a tang of tomato sauce and a

          hearty crust with the most delicate dried

          bubbles. Just a touch of oregano, and

          sporting a light to medium brown colour.

          Seems like it would go well with beer."



Drop into the Virtual Pub and discuss there.  Details are in the

main FAQ.





4.   Attending Workshops and Lectures



Beer workshops and lectures are not as common as you might like. 

The Bard of Beer (Michael Jackson) travels extensively and

promotes his books.  If you get the opportunity to attend a

tasting hosted by him, do it.  He is quite entertaining and

informative.



Beer festivals often have workshops about beer tasting.  Some

stores that cater to the fan of good beers hold lectures,

tastings and workshops to promote their selections of beers.  You

might find a beer appreciation society in your area.  Ask them if

they organize educational workshops.





5.   Brewing



As I said earlier, brewing is an excellent way to learn how

ingredients influence flavours.  So were do you start?  The

rec.crafts.brewing FAQ is helpful.  So are the homebrew archives

at sierra.stanford.edu /pub/homebrew/  Charlie Papazian's book,

The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, is a very helpful and

informative book whether you brew or not.  There is also a

brewing newsgroup, rec.crafts.brewing and an email digest, the

Homebrew Digest.  You can subscribe to the Homebrew Digest by

sending a message to homebrew-request@hpfcmi.fc.hp.com.  The

Homebrew Digest is also archived at sierra.





B.   TASTING



Learning about tasting does take some time, practice and effort,

there is so much to learn.  (I have a small book, *Wine Tasting*

by Michael Broadbent that describes how to taste wine.)  So how

do you taste beer?  Like most sensory experiences, we use our

five senses.





1.   Preliminary -- pouring and looking at the beer



(a)  The Right Temperature



Most people store their beer in refrigerators, which for most

beers is too cold for drinking.  Allow the beer to warm up for 15

to 30 minutes before opening and pouring.  If you try to taste a

beer too cold, you taste buds will be numbed and you will not be

able to appreciate all the beer's character.  I often review

beers at room temperature but most will say 50-60 degrees is best

for ales and 45-50 degrees is best for lagers.



(b)  The Right Glass



You don't have to buy special glasses to taste beer, but some

beers do have there traditionally shaped glasses for serving. 

Pilsners are served in tall narrow glasses to show off their

clarity;  Chimay glasses are wide goblets;  British ales are

served in sleave glasses or tankards.  (For additional

information about glass shapes, there is a .gif file at Joel's

Virtual Pub Archives, lager.geo.brown.edu /pub/virtual-pub/ and

Michael Jackson's Beer companion has many pictures of beers in

their traditional glasses.)  While serving a beer in its

traditional glass might add to the experience of tasting a beer,

it often isn't the best way to "taste" a beer.



Choose a glass that is clear and free from texture that will

interfere with viewing the beer.  For strong beers and barley

wines, brandy snifters are a good choice.  The Standard Wine

Tasting Glass (ISO 3591-1977/BS 5586) is a good choice for beer

as well, albeit somewhat small.  To be sure there are no soap or

detergent residues, rinse the glass with fresh water.  Never

towel dry the glass as the towel may leave cotton or linen fibre

or residues and perfumes from the detergents it was cleaned in.



In a pinch, I once used a clear plastic juice glass.



You cannot adequately taste beer from the bottle.  



You now begin to use your senses.  First, sight.



(c)  Pouring



Some people pour beer gently down the side of the glass to

minimize the disturbance to the beer and minimize the head

formed.  When tasting beers, you want to examine the head's

character and enjoy the aroma which is better released by a

vigorous head.  Pour the beer into the centre of the glass and

allow the head to form.  Add beer as there is room.  



(d)  The Head



Describe the head.  Ask yourself questions like:  Is it large or

small?  How would I describe the colour -- white, creamy, cafe-

au-lait, beige?  What about the texture?  Is it light and bubbly

or dense and creamy?  How well does the head last?  Does it cling

to the glass or slide away as you tip the glass?  Does it leave

lacing on the sides of the glass (called Brussels Lace) as it

settles?  Is it even or rocky?



(e)  The colour



Look at the colour and describe it.  Approximately, from light to

dark, you might describe it as straw, yellow, amber, copper, nut

brown, brown, mahogany, dark brown, black.  For the darker beers,

is there any reddishness showing when you hold it to the light? 

Is the beer clear or cloudy, translucent or opaque?  There are

colour transparency strips available to gauge beer colour

available from Dennis Davison, 4025 S 65th #14, Greenfield, WI

53220 for $9.95 U.S., including postage.





2.   Prelude -- Aroma



There are some beers that a more interesting to smell that they

are to drink.  Of course, great beers have wonderful aromas (also

called "noses") and are equally enjoyable to drink. 

Unfortunately, some beers offer very little pleasure for one's

noses too.



To appreciate a beer's nose, hold your glass just under your nose

and take a slow, deep breath.  What do you smell?  Malt gives the

beer caramel flavours and scents.  Hops impart spicy and dry

aromas.  Yeasts may leave aromas that can variously be described

as floral, sweet or reminiscent of fresh bread, depending on the

beer style.  In stronger beers, is the alcoholic strength

evident?  Some beers have spices, and seasonings added.  Are

these detectable?



Sometimes you will detect off-scents as well.  Aromas such as

grassy, wet-cardboard, musty, cooked corn, phenols (chlorine) and

skunk are signs of problems.  Fruity aromas (such as banana,

apple, pear, peach or apricot) are normal in ales, but would

often be considered "off" in lagers.  If the beer uses adjuncts,

such as corn, can you detect this in the nose?





3.   Tasting and feeling



To taste a beer, don't take a big gulp, but don't just sip

either.  Take a decent mouthful.  How does it *feel*?  Heavier

beers, such a bocks, stouts and barleywines will often have a

rich silky feel in your mouth.  Lighter crisper pilsners will

have a bubbly effervescent quality.  Don't ignore the feel of the

beer!



Describe the flavours you taste.  How much sweetness is there

from the malt?  How much bitterness do the hops contribute?  Is

the balance between sweet and bitter just right, too malty or too

bitter?  Are there any good metaphors you can use to describe the

flavours.  Michael Jackson is criticized by some for use wine

comparisons, but they are often valid.  Fruit flavours are often

good metaphors.



Pay attention to the range of flavours both in terms of the

variety of sensations and where you experience them.  Different

flavours are sensed at different places on the tongue and you

will get sensations from your palate and throat as well.





4.   Aftertaste



What do you experience one, two, five or ten minutes later?  Do

the flavours die quickly?  Do they linger suggesting more?  Is it

pleasant or excessively dry (astringent), sweet (cloying) or

grainy?





5.   Overall Impression



So far, I have not used a numerical grading scale to score the

beers.  If you want to become a beer judge, sign up for the Beer

Judge Certification Program and you'll be given plenty of

opportunity to "score" beers.  I don't do this.



I ask myself, "How was it?"  I generally record in my logbook a

few words of overall impressions including what foods I think 

would be suited to have with the beer.  I also rate it using

Michael Jackson's four star system:



    *     Typical of its country and style

   **     Above average

  ***     Worth seeking out

 ****     World classic



Most people using the four star system allow for ratings between. 

Some will say ** 1/2, while other use **->***.  I have found that

I agree with Jackson about two-thirds of the time.  We will

differ by a half star about a quarter of the time and a full star

or more less than 10% of the time.  (So far, my biggest

difference with Jackson is over Labatt Ice.  He gives it **, and

I think it does even deserve one star.  He'll come around

eventually ;-)





C.   CONCLUSION



Is that enough?  Well, get to work, you have some homework to do. 

But please, don't throw yourself into your homework too much. 

Don't try to taste and drink too many beers at once.  First,

getting drunk is a health hazard and, depending on the

circumstances, a safety hazard too.  Second, your tastebuds are

numbed and dulled when you drink too many beers.  





                            Appendix



                    The Good Beer Book Guide



I started to expand the section on beer books in the Learning

About Beer and Tasting FAQ, but soon found that it completely

disrupted the reading of the FAQ.  Therefore, I have relegated

these reviews to this Appendix.  It may become a separate FAQ in

the future.  Submissions are most welcome.



This guide is organized according to the geographic scope of the

books.





1.   Books with a Global Focus



Michael Jackson, *The Simon & Schuster Pocket Guide to Beer* 4th

     edition, revised, updated, and expanded.  New York: 

     Fireside Books (Simon and Schuster), 1994.  ISBN: 

     0-671-89813-0 <Also known as (Michael) Jackson's Pocket

     Guide or MJPG94 in the FAQs I maintain>



This book briefly reviews and rates over 1500 beers from around

the world.  Despite its small size (it *will* slip easily into a

pocket), it is likely the world's most comprehensive book on

beer, in terms of scope.  There is section describing beer

ingredients and a glossary in the Introduction.  The 1994 edition

has expanded its coverage of Asia, Australia and New Zealand's

beer.  The books is organized by countries and regions.  Many

beer lovers consider this book a necessity.  It cost me $16.00 in

Canada; figure on about $12.00 in the U.S. and #10.00 in the U.K.



Michael Jackson, *Michael Jackson's Beer Companion* London:

     Duncan Baird Publishers, 1993  ISBN: 1-55144-001-6



This book deals with different styles of beers, which is the

basis of its organization.  This is a larger book -- bordering on

the "coffee table book" genre -- so don't plan on tasking this

with you on your beer tasting jaunts.  There is information of

use to the beginner, as well as the seasoned cervisophile.  This

is a great book to put on a gift list.  (In Canada, I paid about

$40.00)



Gregg Smith, *The Beer Enthusiast's Guide*  Pownel, Vermont: 

     Storey Communications, Inc., 1994.  ISBN:  0-88266-838-2



This small, inexpensive ($12.95 U.S./$17.50 Canada) could have

been better laid out -- I would have preferred a pocket book

format.  Nevertheless, this is a nice book filled with

information that, while targeted at apprentice beer judges, is

still quite accessible to beer lovers starting just out.  It

describes the brewing process, beer styles, and the resulting

characteristics of beers.  It also lists about 200 U.S. brewpubs

and microbreweries with addresses and phone numbers in an

appendix.



Fred Eckhardt, *The Essentials of Beer Style*  Portland, Oregon: 

     Fred Eckhardt Communications, 1989.  ISBN:  0-9606302-7-9



This book is rather eccentric.  It has lots of information to the

beginning student of beers, yet it is also one of the best little

books for technical information about various beers.  Eckhardt

also uses a rather unique taxonomy, classifying beers by

primarily by colour.  It is particularly good about describing

tasting terminology.  This book is hard to find (impossible?) in

bookshops since it is self-published.  Look for it in brewing

supply shops.





2.   Books of regional interest



There are many excellent beer guides and books that deal with

beers of a specific country or region.  For example, Michael

Jackson has one about Belgian beers, but I have never seen it 

(Michael Jackson, *The Great Beers of Belgium : A Complete    

Guide and Celebration of a Unique Culture*  2nd ed.  Antwerp,

Belgium : M.M.C.-CODA, 1992.)  Since I live in Ontario, Canada,

but study in the U.K., my beer library reflects this in its

representation.  <Submissions are most welcome.>  What follows is

my geographically-biased guide to beer books with a local focus:





(a)  Canada



Jamie MacKinnon  *The Ontario Beer Guide* Riverwood Publishers,

     Sharon, Ontario



The beer scene in Ontario has developed and changed so much in

the past two years that this book is getting somewhat out of

date.  I do not agree with MacKinnon's preoccupation with the

visual aspects of beer -- beer is for drinking, not viewing --

nor do I see the sense in using a five star system when most

other writers use a four star one.  But don't let these negative

comments deter you from buying this book if you see it.  Frankly,

I find the opening sections and chapters to be one of the best

introductions to beer and brewing that I have ever read.





Steven Beaumont's *Great Canadian Beer Guide*  Toronto: 

     Macmillan Canada, 1994.  ISBN: 0-7715-9031-8



Canada's foremost beer writer has produced the definitive guide

to Canadian beers, breweries and brewpubs.  This book has

relatively little general information about beer.  It focuses on

the companies and their products.  Most of the book is in the

three main chapters:  One about the large national brewers,

Molson and Labatt, one about the regional brewers and

microbreweries, and one about brewpubs.  The most significant

criticism of this book would be that Steve expects all aspects of

brewing to be done on the premise to qualify as a brewpub.  This

eliminates C'est What? from review since it cooks it wort off-

site and pitches it yeast and ferments on site.  For anyone that

loves Canadian beer, this book is a must.



Ian Bowering *The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario* 

     Burnstown, Ontario:  General Store Publishing House, 1988.



One problem with self-published and boutique-published books is

that they are sometimes poorly edited.  This is true about this

book.  While packed with historical information about the Ontario

brewing industry, it has little-to-no flow.  Despite this, it is

an interesting book for those interested in history of beer in

Ontario.



Ian Bowering *In Search of the Perfect Brew In Ontario and

     Quebec*  Burnstown, Ontario:  General Store Publishing

     House, 1993.



Like Bowering's other book, this book seems to have been rushed

to press before it was ready.  (For example, an importer is

listed among the firm's that set up brew-pubs with equipment and

Hamilton is listed alphabetically after Heidelburg and Kingston.) 

Its rough edges show, but there is a friendly quaintness to the

style.  Brewpubs are rated on a four-mug scale, although witty

comments are often substituted.  Individual beers are reviewed,

but not rated.





(b)  United Kingdom



Campaign for Real Ale,  *Good Beer Guide*  (Annual)  St. Albans,

     Herts, U.K.: CAMRA.



Now in its 22nd edition, the Good Beer Guide is the most

comprehensive book about beers of any single country or region. 

The focus of the book is pubs -- five thousand pubs are reviewed

along with most of the beers and brew pubs in the U.K.  Beers are

not rated on a numeric scale, although from the qualitative

reviews you can determine which are the best beers.





Roger Protz,  *The Real Ale Drinker's Almanac*  Moffat, U.K.: 

     Lochar Publishing, 1989



Protz profiles most beers available in the U.K., and like the

Good Beer Guide, avoids using a rating system.  When and where

available, information on ingredients and formulation is

supplied.  This book does not list or profile pubs although many

brewpubs are listed.  I find this a useful and interesting book.





no author.  *Nicholson's London Pub Guide*  London:  Nicholson

     (Bartholomew Division of Harper Collins Publishers), 1990.

     ISBN: 0-9485767-545



This compact little book is handy for the traveller in London and

easily slips in one's pocket.  While a relatively small portion

of the book is dedicated to the good beer pubs, it is useful to

find particular theme of pubs:  Riverside pubs, Pubs featuring

various styles of music, Gay and Lesbian positive, Pubs with

outdoor patios, et cetera.





Neil Hopwood, editor.  *Bradford Real Ale Guide*  Bradford, U.K.: 

     Bradford and Keighley & Craven Branches of the Campaign for

     Real Ale Ltd., 1988.



You are in Bronte country, West Yorkshire with a pub on nearly

every corner.  Which ones are the best?  This guide will tell

you!  From Bradford north to Ilkley, west to Oakworth and Haworth

and south to Wyke, this slim little book reviews the best pubs in

Bradford and District.





3.   Log Books



Stephen Elliot Hightower, *Beer Explorer's Logbook*  Niwot,

     Colorado:  Passport to Adventure Press, Inc., 1994



I have a log book.  Actually it is two, large-ringed, small Day

Runner-sized (6.75 x 3.75 inch) looseleaf binders full of

reviews.  I guess curiosity got the better of me when I bought

this book.  Most of it is pages of forms for you to fill in with

your reviews and impressions of beers -- room for 51 reviews on

two-sided forms to be exact.  Each form has a witty or insightful

quote from beer industry notables and historical figures. 

Besides the quotes, is there *anything* useful in this book? 

Yes:  There is a listing of beer flavours (both on and off

flavours) together with the ASBC flavour wheel;  There is a

listing of styles;  and finally, There is a simple glossary.





4.   Tasting Books



Broadbent, Michael, *The Simon and Schuster Pocket Guide to Wine

     Tasting* revised, updated, and expanded.  New York: 

     Fireside Books (Simon and Schuster), 1988.  ISBN:

     0-671-66788-2



While this book is about wine tasting, many of the principles are

the same and quite transferrable.