Looking for a book on the history and development of beer styles

[Welshwizard]

Hi folks,

I've beem reading the excellent 'How to Brew' for a while now in between making my own brews. I'm a beginner and my house only had a very small kitchen so for now I'm extract brewing.

I'd like to learn more about the history of the different kinds of beer styles that are put there though if possible. While there are all sorts of different styles of beer I've not yet found a good cpmprehensive guide that explains how they developed and why (though Palmer's notes on some of his recipes in 'How to Brew' are very good). Any recommendations? Cheers folks.

 

[trueblue]

Ron Pattinson has written lots of books mainly concentration on individual styles. Very knowledgeable, he gave a talk at one of the brewing festivals and stayed drinking until about 2 in the morning. He does a daily blog and there is a lot of information, and recipes, on there. Shut up about Barclay Perkins

 

[Welshwizard]

Thanks, I'll check it out!

 

[Hanglow]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amber-Gold-Black-History-Britains/dp/0752455672Also his blog zythophile is very good

Brew Britannia: The Strange Rebirth of British Beer: Amazon.co.uk: Boak, Jessica, Bailey, Ray: 8601411305658: Books is quite good and again their blog, boakandbailey, is excellent

 

[Welshwizard]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out as well.

 

[Lynx Brewery]

I bought this recently. It was £6.00 + p&p from http://www.bibliophilebooks.com/

A really interesting read that goes through the development of modern brewing from the 17th century to the present day.

 

[Stu's Brews]

View attachment 53210
I bought this recently. It was £6.00 + p&p from Bibliophile Books - Bargain Book Store

A really interesting read that goes through the development of modern brewing from the 17th century to the present day.

I've read this recently too and would definitely recommend. As well as providing a lot interesting insight into how beer styles have developed it provides suggestions of matching beers to try.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

View attachment 53210
I bought this recently. It was £6.00 + p&p from Bibliophile Books - Bargain Book Store

A really interesting read that goes through the development of modern brewing from the 17th century to the present day.

Just bought this book. £2.99 on Apple Books. Same price on Kindle.

 

[St00]

Just bought this book. £2.99 on Apple Books. Same price on Kindle.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[dmtaylor]

+1 on Ron Pattinson. Following is an outstanding book on old European beer styles:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Brewe...to+Vintage+Beer&qid=1631185692&s=books&sr=1-1

 

[St00]

+1 on Ron Pattinson. Following is an outstanding book on old European beer styles:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Brewe...to+Vintage+Beer&qid=1631185692&s=books&sr=1-1

I'll add that to my wishlist as the other one is only £2.99

 

[GerritT]

Radical Brewing, by Randy Mosher.

And I +1 on Pattinson. Nearly had him booked for a talk last year, but you know: things and stuff...

 

[NormanHurst]

Found this in a Hay on Wye bookshop today. No idea if it's any good yet!

 

[An Ankoù]

Pattinson has his place and he's properly referred to as a "beer historian", but I get a sense that the OP is more interested in the socio-cultural development of a style than the evolution of a recipe or a brand. They are two sides of the same coin and I find both fascinating. I bought Mark Dredge's "A Brief History of Lager" in desperation at having nothing to read and I loved every page- discovering history through a lifelong pub crawl is definitely the way to do it. Again, I found Boak and Bailey's "Balmy (sic) Nectar" appalling, but The WIse One put "Gambrinus Waltz" into her Amazon Basket to make up the amount needed for free delivery and it's a cracking little booklet. Neither she nor I had ever heard of the battle of Fishguard in 1797 when we were invaded by the French- I'd thought they'd got all that out of their system in 1066!
I could mention Martyn Cornell's "Story of the Pint", which I enjoyed yonks and yonks ago, but It's so long ago I can't remember what's in it.
Edit:
Anything by Jeff Alworth is well worth reading.