The Oxford Companion to Beer is an encyclopedic work covering every subject related to beer. Drawing on the expertise of 166 beer experts from more than a twenty countries, Editor in Chief Garrett Oliver, presents 1,100 entries that explore topics from brewing processes and styles of beer, to history of beer and biographies of the pioneers of beer-making with detailed information on subjects like food pairings, hop and barley varieties, outstanding beer producing regions of the world, and the chemistry of beer making. The entries are alphabetically arranged, range in length from a few to several thousand words, and are heavily cross-referenced.

The range of topics is great and vary from scientific to cultural. You can learn about the role of amylases in brewing, the effect of killer strains of yeast, or the use of beachwood chips as a lagering aid. You can also read the most popular pub game is darts, that women are valued by breweries for their superior sense of taste and smell, and that “snakebite” is a mix of lager and alcoholic cider that appeals to young drinkers in Britain that are often considered undesirable. Forty images enhance the text and include postcards, stamps, and advertisements, as well as photographs, paintings and etchings. Also included is list of abbreviations, a conversion table and appendices with information on beer organizations and enthusiast clubs, beer festivals, beer museums, and useful websites, magazines,and newspapers. This is truly a comprehensive treatment of beer.

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