Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher: Now an Interactive eBook

Tasting Beer, the comprehensive beer guide by Randy Mosher, is now available as an interactive eBook for iPad, iPhone, and reading on the web.

Redesigned by San Francisco start-up Inking, this new version includes sharp, interactive graphics, instant access to glossary definitions, and the ability to interact with friends on social media. The Inkling platform makes it easy to navigate the chapters and to take notes on the content.

Today only, you can purchase the entire book for just $1.99 through the Apple iTunes Store. After that, it goes up to the regular price of $12.99, which is still pretty reasonable. You will also be able to purchase individual chapters for $1.99, however Chapter 4 is free for you to try out.

Burlington, VT: Magic Hat's Winterland Variety Pack

"A performance in every bottle."

Christmas came early for this beer writer. Arrived on my doorstep a week or so ago was a sampler of three beers from Magic Hat Brewing Company's Winterland Variety Pack. It may not be "local" for many readers (unless you live in Vermont), but the company widely known for their #9 "Not Quite Pale Ale" has some new seasonals out that might be worth a try. Plus, readers from Costa Rica may be interested in what the new Florida Ice and Farm/Cervecería Costa Rica subsidiary has to offer.

Book Review: Eat the City

A Tale of the Fishers, Foragers, Butchers, Farmers, Poultry Minders, Sugar Refiners, Cane Cutters, Beekeepers, Winemakers, and Brewers Who Built New York
Book by: Robin Shulman
Review by: David Ackley

“Food is culture. Food is an art the economy will sustain.” - Tom Mylan, butcher, from Eat the City

Today’s fascination with craft beer is very much part of a larger local food movement. In addition to enthusiasm for local breweries, there is also great interest in locally-produced, artisanal products of all kinds, from wine, cheese, and honey, to vegetables, bourbon, and beef. But who are those people on the other side of the table at the farmer’s market? Who are the people tending urban gardens and working behind the bar at the local brewery?

Chicago, IL - Beer School Day 2

On Day 2 of the Siebel course, we hit the ground running and dove straight into some spreadsheets. Tim Lane of Goose Island Brewpubs led the session and guided the class through various charts, sales projections and cost analyses, demonstrating how important the math can be when running a restaurant.

Just a few of the things you need to ask yourself if you want your pub to be successful: What's the average check amount? How many turns of the tables each day? What's the profit margin on each menu item? What are your projected sales minus the total cost of goods sold and payroll and other expenses? Bottom line: Serving food really complicates things.

Chicago, IL - My Kind of (Beer) Town

Finally, I've had a chance to check out the city Sinatra's been singing about -- Chicago.

I was in the Windy City last week taking a Start Your Own Brewery course through the Siebel Institute.  The 3-day seminar was held at the Goose Island Pub in the Clybourn neighborhood and covered a wide range of topics, including business plan development, site selection and construction, brewpub operations, starting a packaging brewery, distribution, marketing, and much more.  The class was moderated by Ray Daniels, author of the highly-rated homebrewing manual Designing Great Beers.  For each segment of the class, Ray brought in different players from the Chicago and Midwest beer scene to talk about their experiences.  I was pleasantly surprised with both the breadth and depth of the course.  Hearing from people who had actually been successful in the beer business was both inspiring and eye-opening.

DAY 1 started with a brief overview of the course and introductions by each of the students in the class.  The 53 students came from all over the country.  I noticed the class was about 80-90% bearded male, a trend commented on here and inspiring this brewer and his blog.  Anyways, I digress.

Homebrewing for the Holidays

It's that time of year. The leaves are changing and it's getting nice and cold. With this weather comes stronger beers to keep us warm, and with the holiday season approaching it's a good time to add some celebratory spices to our brews.

All cliches aside, I'm getting to work on a Winter Spiced Ale. It's from the Winter Wassail recipe found in the Homebrewer's Garden, scaled down to 3 gallons and with few minor tweaks:

8 oz. 2 Row Carahelles
8 oz. American 6 Row
4 oz. Crystal 120 malt
4 oz. Crystal 60 malt
3 lbs. Golden Light LME

.5 oz. Cascade :40
.25 oz Cascade :20
.5 oz. Saaz :2
(Here's where it gets a little crazy)

Beer Book: The Homebrewer's Garden

This book was written for the true Do-It-Yourself-er. The Homebrewer's Garden is all about growing and using with your own ingredients for making beer. The authors explain clearly and in depth what it takes to grow hops, grains, and herbs for your homebrew. Included are diagrams and complete instructions for:

• building a hop trellis
• planting hops rhizomes and caring for the bines
• building an oast (for drying your hops)
• growing over 40 different herbs to use in your beer (including basil, coriander, mint, and rosemary)
• growing, harvesting, and malting your own barley and other brewing grains

The authors also include over 25 recipes to get you started brewing with your homegrown ingredients: Mixed Berry Porter, Oregano Pale Ale, Ginger Ale, Quinoa Bitter, Chicha de Jora, Pumpkin Ale, and Dandelion Stout, just to name a few.

Whatever your skill in brewing, this book will open up countless new possibilities! Check it out!

3 Great Beer Books

Here are some gift ideas for your favorite beer drinker:


Red, White, and Brew: An American Beer Odyssey

In this easy-to-read road trip book, Brian Yaeger travels across the United States to visit 37 American breweries. As much about beer as the people who make it, he interviews the founders and owners of several of them, starting with the oldest active brewery in the States: D. G. Yuengling & Son in Pennsylvania. His "Beer Odyssey" takes you North to Maine, all the way to the West Coast, across the South, and up the East Coast to Dogfish Head and Brooklyn Brewery. Yaeger revisits the theme of the family business throughout.

You'll learn about brewing history in America, including the first breweries opened by early immigrants, how the industry struggled through Prohibition, and the latest of what's happening in craft brewing today.

The Complete Handbook of Beers and Brewing: The Beer Lover's Guide to the World

This was the first beer book I ever bought and partly what got me into homebrewing and craft beer. A world atlas of beer, the book is divided into two sections. The first part covers the history of the beverage and the process of making beer. It briefly discusses the origins of beer, how it has changed over the centuries, and what ingredients are used to make beer.

The second part of the book, my favorite, is a 'World Tour' of brands and styles. Jumping from continent to continent, breweries and types of beers are listed for each country or region with interesting anecdotes scattered throughout. Though its a few years out of date at this point, you can get a used copy on Amazon for less than a dollar.

Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery

This is a great read for anyone interested in starting a business. Steve Hindy and Tom Potter, the founders of the Brooklyn Brewery, take us through their experience of starting a business from the ground up. From how their idea came about, to where they found their investment capital, to the many bumps along the way, Hindy and Potter hold nothing back. They share their experience of dealing with the mob, getting robbed at gunpoint, and how they almost lost their business in the dot com bust.

For a book about business, this was fascinating. Keep an eye out for my next post about visiting the Brooklyn Brewery.