The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition (Harperresource Book),   ISBN:9780060531058

Customer Rating: 

I have had this book for more than 6 years. I got it with a birthday present of a home brew kit. Have been brewing beer & winning ribbons the last 4 years. I have pages marked that I refer to completely. This book has so much GREAT & Useful well-organized information. The charts are well layed out make for great references. The pages are worn & some wort spilled on the Specific Gravity charts. You will actually use the book again & again. Would highly recommend to the the beginner & intermediate person.

Customer Rating: 

First off, you are brewing -- approach it with a touch of humor and joy! This book does that wonderfully. When I started, I read this cover to cover and LOVED the descriptions, the insight, the simplicity, and the information. Now as a seasoned home-brewer, this is now a spectactular reference book. As I discover NEW things to try (Flanders? -- Check! Lambic? -- there too!) I realize, truly, what a depth of knowledge is included in this tome. Honestly, besides the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, this is the book I have read more than any other -- if you are brewing, please please please start here. There are others that will get you making beer and/or wine that is too hoppy/simplistic respectively. Stand on the back of Giants instead, read this, experiment -- and make (wonderful!) mistakes, and you will not be dissapointed. If you want a simple recipe book, a "Color by number" brewing tome ...this is not your book as it has TOO much information to dig through for you.

Customer Rating: 

If you're brewing for the first time, this book contains everything you need to know to make good beer. If you're an experienced brewer, you may find it hard to quickly look up certain information in this book, which is a pain in the neck. For example, this book contains many recipes, spread throughout the book based on technique used to brew the beer -- but the recipes aren't in the index.

Customer Rating: 

If you love beer, buy this book. Period. It will make you want to brew your own beer.

I was handed a dog-eared copy of this from a master home brewer friend and after buying other books on the specific brewing esoterica, I still refer to this book for the basics. It is fun to read while being packed full of everything you need to be a self-sufficient brewer. It starts out basic, telling you what and why you are doing everything you are doing but eases into more advanced techniques alongside appropriate recipes. The writing style is in-line with how much fun making and drinking beer (preferably at the same time) is supposed to be. Also, this book is exceptionally well organized, so you will be going to back to it all the time. Best of all, it is appropriate for both the brewer who just wants to by extract malts, ready live yeast cultures and hop pellets to the the all-grain brewer who cultures their own yeast and grows their own hops.

If you are interested in home brewing and don't have a clue where to begin and are considering one of those all-in-one beer kits, dont't do it... find a local brew supply store and get this book. It makes it easy and affordable to get started.

Customer Rating: 

Great read for beer enthusiasts, whether you want to try the hobby or just enjoy the product.