Incredible book if you want to or are home brewing beer. Easy to read but heavy on the facts ( )

This is a superb book about brewing beer. It explains the basics (from kit brewing to extract to all grain), gets quite scientific and provides a number of recipes. For an absolute beginner of brewing this book may be a bit overwhelming. As somebody who has brewed many kits and recently got into all grain brewing (with Brew In A Bag) I found the book to be superb. ( )

Great introduction to the basics of brewing. I started my education kind of backwards (with Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher) but as a result I was able to understand a lot more about yeast attenuation and IBU calculations from this book. I don't know if I can recommend my style of reading to anyone else but I would definitely recommend this book to those new to brewing science. ( )

Great introduction to the basics of brewing. I started my education kind of backwards (with Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher) but as a result I was able to understand a lot more about yeast attenuation and IBU calculations from this book. I don't know if I can recommend my style of reading to anyone else but I would definitely recommend this book to those new to brewing science. ( )

“How To Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Great Beer Every Time” is the perfect book for anyone interested in making beer at home. The book starts out detailing the most important thing for aspiring brewers, it answers the question about what to take in order to make a basic beer and the steps to succeed at it. The author, John J. Palmer, gets into the chemistry involved and troubleshooting later in the book. This format is perfect as most of us want to know how to start a hobby first; then, if we like it, we thirst to learn more about it.

According to Palmer, cleaning and sanitizing cannot be over emphasized in the beer making process. He reviews different products and goes into their uses, advantages, and disadvantages.

Buying beer making equipment and ingredients, whether as components or as a kit, is discussed in detail. This detailed script gives the reader the knowledge required to enter a homebrew store and ask intelligent questions about the products offered.

After purchasing the ingredients needed to make beer, you need to know how to extract the essences from the grain and the hops. The author provides detailed instructions on how to do this. He also goes on to explain the chemistry behind the extraction process that he recommends. Following this is a thorough explanation of the fermentation stage including yeast buying guidelines.

The only other book that I’ve read like How to Brew is a book by Daniel Pambianchi on home wine making. In that book, the author also emphasized the importance of cleanliness and sanitation and, again like Palmer, talked about the process and the chemistry. While the processes are different, the chemistry behind the two different products is similar. For me, both books serve as reference guides. My only regret with How to Brew is that I acquired it in a digital format. I highly recommend that you buy it as a physical book as it will be easier to navigate as a reference guide.

Where Palmer excels in How to Brew is in his approach to the subject. His writing leans toward a person new to the hobby of home brewing beer. In my mind, this is the best aspect of Palmer’s book and it is the reason that I will recommend it to anyone contemplating home brewing. ( )