Beer, Tap Into the Art and Science – By Charles Bamforth

Beer, Tap Into the Art and Science – By Charles Bamforth

If you want to know everything about the history of beer, the processes of brewing, and the chemistry behind each of the ingredients this is the book. It is full of interesting facts and quotes about beer, yet it is a very serious approach. Contains details on the chemical composition of grains and the malting process. The chapter on hops covers the treasured plant’s original shaky introduction into beer in Europe, where and how it is grown, and all facets of its chemical makeup. The chapter on the brewing process is full of details about modern day brew house vessels, quality control, and considerations and trade offs during production.

This book does not touch on home brewing, nor is it a ‘how to’ guide in any sense. It gives an elevated sense of appreciation for beer, its rich history, and elaborate modern production process. The author hammers home the point of nearly freezing beer for at least three days before bottling to drop out the remaining sediment. That may be something to try in my next home brew batch.

Topics unique to this book:

• History of beer and its ingredients
• Tables on beer production and consumption
• Information on the positive health effects of moderate alcohol consumption
• Large scale brewing process schematic (page 54, 2^nd edition)
• Diagrams of large scale brewing equipment: Mash converter, lauter tun, wort kettle, hot wort receiver, and wort cooler. (starting page 132, 2^nd edition)
• Information on the various defects that can occur in beer and how to correct