For the Love of hops

[Vossy1]

Stan Hieronymus book 'For the Love of hops' dropped though the letter box today, I've been looking forward to reading this for some time. I have to be interested in a book before I'll read it and even then I've been known to stop reading it once started as I've lost interest.
I opened it with the intention of reading the 1st few pages, 2 hours later and 45 pages have been and gone, another 2 hours and 87 :shock: ...what a fascinating read! So far it's gone some way to explaining why I can smell things others can't and visa versa, why big aged beers can't be replicated quickly, and that the subject of hops is just as complicated as I thought it was :lol:
I'm surprised to find farming chemicals have contributed to differences in hops so growing location differences may not be down to 'just' soil.
Can't wait to read the rest, hope it's as good as the start but I know it's going to get heavier :P

EDIT, Well I still can't put it down but my eyes are strained now, page 131 beckons and I'll have to leave it there. The book has continued in the same vein which I would class as easy reading, and from a brief forage into further pages that seems to be the case throughout. For some reason I had the preconception that this would be a 'techy' book with lots of formula's etc, that's certainly no the case.

 

[paulpj26]

I've been looking at this book too, glad it's a good read, think I'm might have to purchase it. :thumb:

 

[dennisking]

One for the Christmas list. :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Up to page 200 now and the book is still proving to be an interesting read. One thing that's become apparent it that this isn't a technical book so if your looking for the science/chemistry behind hops this isn't the book for you. What it does do is provide glimpses into the bigger micro's and conglomerates and also to some of the important discoveries made. It also goes some way to showing how little is still understood and how techniques recently dropped, are finding favour again due to exposure from big micros and their success.
It's gone some way to explaining things I can't put into words, like how 1st wort hopping, which I've nearly always done due to taste preference, actually has science to back the theory up.
It's also confused me slightly by saying that unfavourable compounds can be formed when boiling in excess of 90 mins...standard practice for some recipes in the Durden book that produce great beers.
It's made me want to try hop bursting...adding hops only in the last 20 mins...sounds like fun.
The dry hopping section is fascinating as is the alpha acids in the brew house, and the section that deals with aroma is an eye opener, including glycosides that may be responsible for aroma with the aid of cleavage by yeast and the fact that enzymes in our mouths may alter the way we perceive the beer, which may change the taste half way through a pint!
A large portion of the the book, page 239 onwards are recipes with information about how they came to be etc so most of the book is done but I can't wait to read the rest

One important theme I perceive running through the book...never rely on convention, challenge it where suspect and always try to think out of the box

 

[LeithR]

Been swithering as to whether to buy this book or not - have just put my order into Amazon thanks Vossy for the extra encouragement I needed.

 

[JonnyD]

Totally agree with vossy's review. Its not a technical book but does give an insight into what micro breweries are doing. Interesting read but i was hoping for a 'how to' book and this is not one of those. as i have been getting more and more experienced this book is proving to be more and more interesting.