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How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Beer Right the First Time
Everything needed to brew beer right the first time. Presented in a light-hearted style without frivolous interruptions, this authoritative text introduces brewing in a easy step-by-step review.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
August 22, 2011
Extremely useful for anyone interested in homebrewing, and a perfect companion to The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.
If you can make oatmeal, you can make beer.
If you can make oatmeal, you can make beer.
March 14, 2023
Of the two books that were recommended to me (Papazian's
, and Palmer's
), this is the one that "clicked" the best with me. Whereas Papazian's approach was colloquial and laid-back, Palmer is a bit more methodical and scientific. This isn't to say that Papazian doesn't know his stuff, nor that he isn't scientific at all, but rather that it's more conversational and somehow that makes it harder to pull out the information that I felt I needed as a "what's a wort?"-stage beginner.
That being said: I found myself repeating Papazian's "don't worry...have a homebrew" mantra to myself every time Palmer started going deep on yeast starters or hop varieties but (but) if I had to pick only one then I'd pick Palmer. (But since I don't have to pick only one, I'll recommend both.)
That being said: I found myself repeating Papazian's "don't worry...have a homebrew" mantra to myself every time Palmer started going deep on yeast starters or hop varieties but (but) if I had to pick only one then I'd pick Palmer. (But since I don't have to pick only one, I'll recommend both.)
December 10, 2008
I picked this up after starting my first batch of beer, which for me was the best time to read it. I couldn’t put it down. Half way through the book, I discovered that my local brew shop is a pretty good one. They start beginners here with recipes that have a high success probability with fairly low screw up potential, and fresh, high quality ingredients. I didn’t know that though, until I read How to Brew.
If you read the book before you brew your first bath of beer, it may be a bit overwhelming. It needn’t be. The first few chapters seem to be designed as a standalone beginner’s guide that one could read without digging into the rest, as a way of getting started. Once I picked up the book, I skimmed this section fairly quickly. The rest of the book is fairly dense and appears to be a good reference to come back to again. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of yeast and hops varieties and am encouraged to jump into all grain brewing with this book as my guide.
If you read the book before you brew your first bath of beer, it may be a bit overwhelming. It needn’t be. The first few chapters seem to be designed as a standalone beginner’s guide that one could read without digging into the rest, as a way of getting started. Once I picked up the book, I skimmed this section fairly quickly. The rest of the book is fairly dense and appears to be a good reference to come back to again. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of yeast and hops varieties and am encouraged to jump into all grain brewing with this book as my guide.
May 17, 2018
Compared to the previous edition this is almost a new book. Several new sections were added for strong beers, sour beers, and brewing with fruit/vegetables. Water chem was expanded. Lots of equations to figure things out were added. Great update. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to start home brewing and wants something more formal than The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian.
January 23, 2021
Not my favorite home brewing intro how to guide, but a very solid volume that I often find myself referring to.
January 21, 2012
If you make your own beer and own one book on the subject, this should be it. From start to finish, Palmer explains each brewing style and methods in easy to comprehend details. For those still not quite getting it, the book also includes pictures.
Want to know about hop usage? What type of hop for each variety of beer? Need to know the bitterness level? It's in here.
Want to know more about grains? Which can be steeped? What grains must be mashed? How much of certain grain types should be used at the most? What flavors, colors, or aromas do different grains impart? It's in here.
How and when do you make a yeast starter? It's in here.
You get the point by now. This is a brewer's bible in a sense. It's a great source of reference and includes a number of recipes as well.
The one con I found was that the hop, yeast, and grain sections are outdated. This has nothing to do with the author, but with the advances of brewing.
Now, you can find some of this book online for free. It is drastically cut though, but will give you a good idea of what it includes.
Regardless, if you homebrew or are considering it, buy this book. You won't regret it.
Want to know about hop usage? What type of hop for each variety of beer? Need to know the bitterness level? It's in here.
Want to know more about grains? Which can be steeped? What grains must be mashed? How much of certain grain types should be used at the most? What flavors, colors, or aromas do different grains impart? It's in here.
How and when do you make a yeast starter? It's in here.
You get the point by now. This is a brewer's bible in a sense. It's a great source of reference and includes a number of recipes as well.
The one con I found was that the hop, yeast, and grain sections are outdated. This has nothing to do with the author, but with the advances of brewing.
Now, you can find some of this book online for free. It is drastically cut though, but will give you a good idea of what it includes.
Regardless, if you homebrew or are considering it, buy this book. You won't regret it.
May 28, 2014
There is no doubt that this is an amazing book on brewing. It covers every aspect of beer brewing. In fact I find that for myself and many others I'd say that it maybe covers a bit too much. The book is 400 or so pages and has more info then you can shake a stick at. And at some point in your brewing education you will want to own this book and many others. But the amazon description for this is at best, um, lacking?
"Everything needed to brew beer right the first time. Presented in a light-hearted style without frivolous interruptions, this authoritative text introduces brewing in a easy step-by-step review."
This is a 400 page tome and you can only give me two quick sentences that really don't describe it at all? You get the feeling that this book is designed for entry level brewers and honestly I don't feel that for most people who are new to brewing that this is a good book to start with.
To be fair I must add this disclaimer at this point. I am an author and a micro publisher in this same filed. My books are focused mainly on Home Distilling (aka Moonshine). And I hate being called an "author" I'm just a guy with a bunch of experience who likes to share what he has learned.
Now I'm a pretty smart guy. Not to toot my own horn but I can rebuild an engine, build a house, work on computers and in my day job I manage a small video game company in the Silicon Valley. I have patents to my name and can even make a pretty good pumpkin bread. But long ago I found that I'm not the sort to sit down, read a text book and just absorb everything in it. My learning curve looks more like stairs. I have one friend who can't even cook but after reading How to Brew he was making world class beers a month later. He also has issues being in public and talking to people who are in the same room with him.
What I found is that I'm not alone. The vast majority of people I know, myself included, just don't "download" data like this. They need to absorb it in progressive steps. I mean, think about college, there is a reason classes are staged 101, 201, 301 and 401. This book felt like it was trying to download too much to fast... at least for someone who is an entry level brewer as the description seems to be implying that this book is designed for.
The book is great. Palmer really tries to break the mold of the dry text book kind of mold. I found it fun to read and insightful. He has some other issues such as jumping around a bit and also using some terms early in the book that are not discussed until a couple hundred pages later. But I think the biggest issue is the level of technical detail. 99% of brewers will never need to use a great deal of the chemistry that is covered in this book. And as such it has a tendency to go off the rails of what is really needed to make good beer and into the geeky realm of why one chemical will bond with X, Y or Z. Even most commercial brewers don't consider the issues at that level and certainly no beginning brewer does. This seems a classic example of a book trying to be all things to all people. I'm sorry but I don't feel that a book for beginners should also try to cater to experts as well.
As someone who learned about moonshining up in the hills of Kentucky the brewing aspect of shining was not the primary focus. And you can be sure that I never saw anyone taking a scientific approach to anything. Once I realized how much of distilling was really about brewing I tried to back fill my knowledge on the subject. I've read most books on brewing over the past 20 years and I doubt if I've read one that covers every aspect of brewing as well as this book does. The question is does it all "belong" in one book?
Different people learn by different methods. I HIGHLY recommend this book for brewers who have done a good bit of brewing and are looking to fill in some gaps. For serious brewers who are looking for even more technical knowledge. For the hobbyist who must read/own every book on the subject. And for beginning brewers who are the type who can pick up a technical book, digest it totally and just go from there. Good on ya, I wish I was wired like that.
For everyone else... I'd say pass, at least for now. If you stick with it at some point you will want this in your brewing library until then baby steps.
Final note. There have been several issues reported with the Kindle version and it's "readability". Format issues and clarity of charts as well as pictures. I would suggest that you avoid the ebook version. Even if theses issues are corrected this is a reference book. This is something that you will probably want to make notes in and be able to grab and flip open to a dog earned page. And you are going to wan to do this near to where you are brewing. This is not an environment that is friendly to e-anthing. Mash is essentially sugar water and it will destroy any electronic that it meets up with.
"Everything needed to brew beer right the first time. Presented in a light-hearted style without frivolous interruptions, this authoritative text introduces brewing in a easy step-by-step review."
This is a 400 page tome and you can only give me two quick sentences that really don't describe it at all? You get the feeling that this book is designed for entry level brewers and honestly I don't feel that for most people who are new to brewing that this is a good book to start with.
To be fair I must add this disclaimer at this point. I am an author and a micro publisher in this same filed. My books are focused mainly on Home Distilling (aka Moonshine). And I hate being called an "author" I'm just a guy with a bunch of experience who likes to share what he has learned.
Now I'm a pretty smart guy. Not to toot my own horn but I can rebuild an engine, build a house, work on computers and in my day job I manage a small video game company in the Silicon Valley. I have patents to my name and can even make a pretty good pumpkin bread. But long ago I found that I'm not the sort to sit down, read a text book and just absorb everything in it. My learning curve looks more like stairs. I have one friend who can't even cook but after reading How to Brew he was making world class beers a month later. He also has issues being in public and talking to people who are in the same room with him.
What I found is that I'm not alone. The vast majority of people I know, myself included, just don't "download" data like this. They need to absorb it in progressive steps. I mean, think about college, there is a reason classes are staged 101, 201, 301 and 401. This book felt like it was trying to download too much to fast... at least for someone who is an entry level brewer as the description seems to be implying that this book is designed for.
The book is great. Palmer really tries to break the mold of the dry text book kind of mold. I found it fun to read and insightful. He has some other issues such as jumping around a bit and also using some terms early in the book that are not discussed until a couple hundred pages later. But I think the biggest issue is the level of technical detail. 99% of brewers will never need to use a great deal of the chemistry that is covered in this book. And as such it has a tendency to go off the rails of what is really needed to make good beer and into the geeky realm of why one chemical will bond with X, Y or Z. Even most commercial brewers don't consider the issues at that level and certainly no beginning brewer does. This seems a classic example of a book trying to be all things to all people. I'm sorry but I don't feel that a book for beginners should also try to cater to experts as well.
As someone who learned about moonshining up in the hills of Kentucky the brewing aspect of shining was not the primary focus. And you can be sure that I never saw anyone taking a scientific approach to anything. Once I realized how much of distilling was really about brewing I tried to back fill my knowledge on the subject. I've read most books on brewing over the past 20 years and I doubt if I've read one that covers every aspect of brewing as well as this book does. The question is does it all "belong" in one book?
Different people learn by different methods. I HIGHLY recommend this book for brewers who have done a good bit of brewing and are looking to fill in some gaps. For serious brewers who are looking for even more technical knowledge. For the hobbyist who must read/own every book on the subject. And for beginning brewers who are the type who can pick up a technical book, digest it totally and just go from there. Good on ya, I wish I was wired like that.
For everyone else... I'd say pass, at least for now. If you stick with it at some point you will want this in your brewing library until then baby steps.
Final note. There have been several issues reported with the Kindle version and it's "readability". Format issues and clarity of charts as well as pictures. I would suggest that you avoid the ebook version. Even if theses issues are corrected this is a reference book. This is something that you will probably want to make notes in and be able to grab and flip open to a dog earned page. And you are going to wan to do this near to where you are brewing. This is not an environment that is friendly to e-anthing. Mash is essentially sugar water and it will destroy any electronic that it meets up with.
November 16, 2020
A great primer for starting home brewing, taking the reader from extract to all-grain with a patient style that's comprehensive without being overwhelming.
The book starts by taking you through a sample brew day and then dives at length into each aspect of brewing: sanitation, water, the wort, etc. It does does a good job balancing high-level "just get it done" summaries with detailed technical explantations of pH, gravity and fermentability.
There's a good deal of math in here if you're interested in it. I was interested, although some of it was too technical for me. Still, you could skip the sections with variables and still have a strong high-level overview.
Palmer includes some recipes as well; I have brewed one but it's still fermenting, so I can't comment on that score. Even if it doesn't turn out well, I'm sure the issue in with the reader, not the author.
The book starts by taking you through a sample brew day and then dives at length into each aspect of brewing: sanitation, water, the wort, etc. It does does a good job balancing high-level "just get it done" summaries with detailed technical explantations of pH, gravity and fermentability.
There's a good deal of math in here if you're interested in it. I was interested, although some of it was too technical for me. Still, you could skip the sections with variables and still have a strong high-level overview.
Palmer includes some recipes as well; I have brewed one but it's still fermenting, so I can't comment on that score. Even if it doesn't turn out well, I'm sure the issue in with the reader, not the author.
May 14, 2022
Unless you’re looking for a college-level science book, this is the definitive text on brewing. This will take you from knowing almost nothing about brewing to being able to hold your own in a conversation with a professional brewer. This book makes many dense and complex topics approachable and understandable, highly recommended for anyone with an interest in homebrewing or understanding the science behind how beer is made.
July 16, 2021
This is the book every brewer’s must read. Rarely are there such exhaustive literature of a subject as this. Contains every bit of information any brewer would need. Thorough and detailed, diving pretty deep into each subject. For example I would say that very few brewers would need more information about water treatment than what this book has to offer
March 28, 2018
Really, everything you need to know, and a lot more...
I can't wait to start my own homebrewing, so I can start to understand (and use) some of the stuff I read.
I can't wait to start my own homebrewing, so I can start to understand (and use) some of the stuff I read.
August 17, 2017
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a homebrewer, this has got to be the bible on how to do things. There is a lot of technical detail, which could be overwhelming for someone new to the hobby, but the first chapter is really all you need to get started and it isn't too complicated.
I've read the previous edition in detail, so I mainly skimmed it this time around. What I like best about it is that it is broken up into two main sections (one for extract brewing and one for all grain) and that within each are numerous chapters that the curious mind can delve into to try to improve their beers. There is a progression that can be followed without being restrictive.
As I said, it is quite technical at times. It's possible to go as deep as you want into that aspect. Don't care about certain aspects (or maybe don't understand it)? You can skip it altogether and still make good beer by following the points outlined in the first chapter. This book can hook you in to learn about all the different things that affect the brewing process. It can also serve as a resource for brewers of all levels. The fourth edition has added a lot of information about various hops and malts that are available now. This is a book I've used multiple times and will certainly use again in the future.
As a homebrewer, this has got to be the bible on how to do things. There is a lot of technical detail, which could be overwhelming for someone new to the hobby, but the first chapter is really all you need to get started and it isn't too complicated.
I've read the previous edition in detail, so I mainly skimmed it this time around. What I like best about it is that it is broken up into two main sections (one for extract brewing and one for all grain) and that within each are numerous chapters that the curious mind can delve into to try to improve their beers. There is a progression that can be followed without being restrictive.
As I said, it is quite technical at times. It's possible to go as deep as you want into that aspect. Don't care about certain aspects (or maybe don't understand it)? You can skip it altogether and still make good beer by following the points outlined in the first chapter. This book can hook you in to learn about all the different things that affect the brewing process. It can also serve as a resource for brewers of all levels. The fourth edition has added a lot of information about various hops and malts that are available now. This is a book I've used multiple times and will certainly use again in the future.
January 2, 2011
I came away from this book being unable to think of a single thing that I thought could have been better explained.
There is no shortage of information here, and the book works for all levels of home brewers. It is organized in an interesting way, starting off with a "just jump in and brew" attitude. From there it goes to describe the process a few times, at different stages of complexity.
Palmer also goes into depth with advanced topics including everything from fluid dynamics to constructing you own equipment. He is aware when he might be getting in too deep for the casual brewer, and mentions that these sections can be skipped. But it is great that they are included, because this book can therefore be kept for easy reference whenever a brewer wants to dive in deeper.
I will be keeping this book at the ready whenever I am brewing.
There is no shortage of information here, and the book works for all levels of home brewers. It is organized in an interesting way, starting off with a "just jump in and brew" attitude. From there it goes to describe the process a few times, at different stages of complexity.
Palmer also goes into depth with advanced topics including everything from fluid dynamics to constructing you own equipment. He is aware when he might be getting in too deep for the casual brewer, and mentions that these sections can be skipped. But it is great that they are included, because this book can therefore be kept for easy reference whenever a brewer wants to dive in deeper.
I will be keeping this book at the ready whenever I am brewing.
January 31, 2013
This is a fantastic introductory book. If you really give it your attention, it will carry you through to some fairly advanced brewing.
I read this after taking the introductory course at our local brew shop. It has helped me unstick fermentations and identify flaws in several of my beers. Definitely worth the read.
The production value is what holds this back from a 5 star review for me. A lot of the information feels very dated - especially the sections concerning quality of ingredients available. Nowadays, you can get almost anything and get it fresh, but Palmer still refers to buying dusty cans of extract that have been sitting for months/years. Also, an update to include better and more images would be welcome. Many of the images are amateur ones of Palmer decades ago in his kitchen - others are corny clip art that look like they are from a 90s copy of MS Publisher.
I read this after taking the introductory course at our local brew shop. It has helped me unstick fermentations and identify flaws in several of my beers. Definitely worth the read.
The production value is what holds this back from a 5 star review for me. A lot of the information feels very dated - especially the sections concerning quality of ingredients available. Nowadays, you can get almost anything and get it fresh, but Palmer still refers to buying dusty cans of extract that have been sitting for months/years. Also, an update to include better and more images would be welcome. Many of the images are amateur ones of Palmer decades ago in his kitchen - others are corny clip art that look like they are from a 90s copy of MS Publisher.
May 11, 2020
This isn’t a book you can really “finish�, but I’m marking it as such for bookkeeping purposes and so I can write a review. I’ve brewed 3 extract batches after reading this and just finished my first all grain, so it’s fair to say that I’ve used it enough to review it.
It’s amazing. If you are brewing at home, this book is worth it. It has something for just about any level.
Totally new? - Chapter 1 has all you need to start.
Brewed a few extract brews? - Chapters 1-10 can help you really understand the hop additions, yeast management, etc.
Ready to move to all grain? - Palmer has you covered with a “Your first All Grain Brew� Chapter
Master All Grain Brewer? - Literally more than you’d ever want to know about conditioning, Lager Brewing, Strong Beer brewing, and water management.
Shocking amount of content in this book, and I’m sure I’ll be referencing it for many brews to come.
It’s amazing. If you are brewing at home, this book is worth it. It has something for just about any level.
Totally new? - Chapter 1 has all you need to start.
Brewed a few extract brews? - Chapters 1-10 can help you really understand the hop additions, yeast management, etc.
Ready to move to all grain? - Palmer has you covered with a “Your first All Grain Brew� Chapter
Master All Grain Brewer? - Literally more than you’d ever want to know about conditioning, Lager Brewing, Strong Beer brewing, and water management.
Shocking amount of content in this book, and I’m sure I’ll be referencing it for many brews to come.
March 13, 2011
Probably the best book to read for a beginning brewer. Palmer covers pretty much any topic a basic brewer could need from abstract to specific details. Well written and laid out. Illustrated and easy to follow. I recommend this to anyone who has ever considered brewing. A few items are a bit dated. The techniques are solid, but the recipes are not quite in line with modern homebrewing recipes (IPA hop schedules for example).
It is a beginners bible. I do own a copy, and reading this is a must. That said. I WOULD NOT BUY THIS BOOK. It might be nice to have a physical copy, but for some reason (maybe out of his wishes to better educate a new generation of brewers), Mr. Palmer offers a slightly older (not much) version of the COMPLETE book on his website. Go there first! Happy brewing!
It is a beginners bible. I do own a copy, and reading this is a must. That said. I WOULD NOT BUY THIS BOOK. It might be nice to have a physical copy, but for some reason (maybe out of his wishes to better educate a new generation of brewers), Mr. Palmer offers a slightly older (not much) version of the COMPLETE book on his website. Go there first! Happy brewing!
April 10, 2012
I have seen the light. This book did everything it said it would, taking me through the basics of brewing, from extract to all-grain. I'm confident that, given the right equipment and the information herein, I could make any of the common styles right in my lovely kitchen. The prose is friendly and accessible, too, as you would think any book about beer should be. I especially appreciate the author setting those kit instructions straight (reserving the last half of extract to add to the boil at knock-out, for example, makes a big difference). I understand now why this was at the top of the "recommended" list from all my more-seasoned homebrewing friends. It's definitely at the top of mine.
January 23, 2014
I started reading this over Christmas break as soon as I opened by first brew kit, and was very happy to learn how simple this can be. Talking to my friend and beer mentor at work about concepts in this book, the one big take away was a focus on sanitizing and making sure your instruments are ALWAYS cleaned then sanitized. I'm glad that was went over multiple times in the book.
Although this is targeted towards beginners, when talking about the HOW's and explaining the science behind yeast and fermentation, I got a little lost, and now reading The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" to help fill in some gaps.
Although this is targeted towards beginners, when talking about the HOW's and explaining the science behind yeast and fermentation, I got a little lost, and now reading The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" to help fill in some gaps.
March 8, 2020
As best I can tell, this book is the gold standard for home brewing. It is part reference, part text book, part step by step instruction manual. It will appeal to a wide array of home brewers. If you just want the basics and you want to jump right in, the first chapter or two will get you started. Of you are like me and need to know the reasons how and why brewing works, this will fit the bill. There are chapters with advanced information and pages of recipes as well. Everything you need is there is here for you. I have, quite literally, read this 3 times this month.
April 23, 2009
Hands down the best brewing book for learning how to brew and beginning to learn advanced techniques in brewing. John Palmer does and absolutely superb job in breaking down the complexities of brewing. If you are looking for something even more advance, Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels is the way to go.
August 24, 2011
At this point, I have not read every word on every page of this book (although I assume in the end I probably will). I have picked up a huge number of valuable brewing tips in here, and anyone who has tasted my beer has benefited.
October 7, 2016
Can be a bit on the technical side, but very very informative. Coming into homebrewing from a food science background I see this almost as a textbook. Definitely one for the reference shelf for re-reading and reminders.
January 22, 2024
This is the book that singlehandedly taught me how to make beer. If my first batch was good enough for a notoriously picky, Kentucky born and bred electrician, your first batch will be good enough too.
March 21, 2013
A must have for homebrewers. More data and info than you could poke a stick at.
April 26, 2015
An extremely thorough guide for amateurs and brewers seeking more advanced techniques. An excellent book for those looking to get started brewing your own mind-incapacitating ales.
March 19, 2016
The best one for the rookie. Everything you need to have a good start. Also contains a lot of recipes)
December 18, 2019
Second book I've read after the bible by C. Papizian "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing"
Strongly recommended
Strongly recommended
July 5, 2019
“How To Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Great Beer Every Time� is the perfect book for anyone interested in making beer at home. The book starts out detailing the most important thing for aspiring brewers, it answers the question about what to take in order to make a basic beer and the steps to succeed at it. The author, John J. Palmer, gets into the chemistry involved and troubleshooting later in the book. This format is perfect as most of us want to know how to start a hobby first; then, if we like it, we thirst to learn more about it.
According to Palmer, cleaning and sanitizing cannot be over emphasized in the beer making process. He reviews different products and goes into their uses, advantages, and disadvantages.
Buying beer making equipment and ingredients, whether as components or as a kit, is discussed in detail. This detailed script gives the reader the knowledge required to enter a homebrew store and ask intelligent questions about the products offered.
After purchasing the ingredients needed to make beer, you need to know how to extract the essences from the grain and the hops. The author provides detailed instructions on how to do this. He also goes on to explain the chemistry behind the extraction process that he recommends. Following this is a thorough explanation of the fermentation stage including yeast buying guidelines.
The only other book that I’ve read like How to Brew is a book by Daniel Pambianchi on home wine making. In that book, the author also emphasized the importance of cleanliness and sanitation and, again like Palmer, talked about the process and the chemistry. While the processes are different, the chemistry behind the two different products is similar. For me, both books serve as reference guides. My only regret with How to Brew is that I acquired it in a digital format. I highly recommend that you buy it as a physical book as it will be easier to navigate as a reference guide.
Where Palmer excels in How to Brew is in his approach to the subject. His writing leans toward a person new to the hobby of home brewing beer. In my mind, this is the best aspect of Palmer’s book and it is the reason that I will recommend it to anyone contemplating home brewing.
According to Palmer, cleaning and sanitizing cannot be over emphasized in the beer making process. He reviews different products and goes into their uses, advantages, and disadvantages.
Buying beer making equipment and ingredients, whether as components or as a kit, is discussed in detail. This detailed script gives the reader the knowledge required to enter a homebrew store and ask intelligent questions about the products offered.
After purchasing the ingredients needed to make beer, you need to know how to extract the essences from the grain and the hops. The author provides detailed instructions on how to do this. He also goes on to explain the chemistry behind the extraction process that he recommends. Following this is a thorough explanation of the fermentation stage including yeast buying guidelines.
The only other book that I’ve read like How to Brew is a book by Daniel Pambianchi on home wine making. In that book, the author also emphasized the importance of cleanliness and sanitation and, again like Palmer, talked about the process and the chemistry. While the processes are different, the chemistry behind the two different products is similar. For me, both books serve as reference guides. My only regret with How to Brew is that I acquired it in a digital format. I highly recommend that you buy it as a physical book as it will be easier to navigate as a reference guide.
Where Palmer excels in How to Brew is in his approach to the subject. His writing leans toward a person new to the hobby of home brewing beer. In my mind, this is the best aspect of Palmer’s book and it is the reason that I will recommend it to anyone contemplating home brewing.
April 16, 2018
I always was interested in beer brewing. I live in region where wine and liquor is the choice alcohol. Almost everyone with fruit tree is making their own liquor. Or as they say "if you can make marmalade from it, so can you make liquor". However there is almost non-existent beer culture. People still like beer, but most people only know commercial beers. You would be hard pressed to find someone who know more than 2 beer styles. So when i got a beer making kit for Christmas i knew i will want to learn more about the process than the 2 pages included in the kit.
I like to learn and i hate the "get you started" kinda books. They are fun to read and good motivation but they tend to just scratch the surface and never satisfy my curiosity. Im a kinda guy that like to know how things work. To see a bit of science working behind the curtains. If i can understand it, so can i remember it. And i like to have all info in one place where i can hit it up more easily than searching multiple books for a section that i want to check again.
This book had it all. It got me started. It was entertaining. It explained how things work. Its everything i need and more for the next phase or two in my "brewing career". The book explained the brewing process multiple times with more depth and detail each time. Right now some things are even beyond my comprehension. I admit some parts with equations and the more scientific part i skipped through just so i can start my second batch. Probably with time and experience in brewing i will return to have a better grasp.
This was the perfect book for me. I cannot imagine a book that would have done a better job to incorporate basic/Intermadiate and advanced stuff in a compact and fun way. So here is to John Palmer.. Cheers!
PS.: on a side note the book has both Imperial and Metric units. Some equations cover how to convert one to the other which helps if you find recipes/guides from different sources... But there is not always a metric conversion... So thanks for the Math-homework too..
I like to learn and i hate the "get you started" kinda books. They are fun to read and good motivation but they tend to just scratch the surface and never satisfy my curiosity. Im a kinda guy that like to know how things work. To see a bit of science working behind the curtains. If i can understand it, so can i remember it. And i like to have all info in one place where i can hit it up more easily than searching multiple books for a section that i want to check again.
This book had it all. It got me started. It was entertaining. It explained how things work. Its everything i need and more for the next phase or two in my "brewing career". The book explained the brewing process multiple times with more depth and detail each time. Right now some things are even beyond my comprehension. I admit some parts with equations and the more scientific part i skipped through just so i can start my second batch. Probably with time and experience in brewing i will return to have a better grasp.
This was the perfect book for me. I cannot imagine a book that would have done a better job to incorporate basic/Intermadiate and advanced stuff in a compact and fun way. So here is to John Palmer.. Cheers!
PS.: on a side note the book has both Imperial and Metric units. Some equations cover how to convert one to the other which helps if you find recipes/guides from different sources... But there is not always a metric conversion... So thanks for the Math-homework too..
April 19, 2022
Lots of deep knowledge here that well extends beyond my personal capacity. All kinds of different and interesting varieties - sours, fruit beers, stouts, and lambics are explored in complete detail. As a reference guide and an intro to how to brew this is a very comprehensive tome.
Kind of silly of me to read this now, as I'm currently trying to reduce my consumption of booze, but I find the science behind fermentation, water chemistry, and all the myriad factors that play into a perfect pint to be quite fascinating.
I brewed beer exactly one time, in college after reading one forum online and following some 3 page printout. We melted the siphon immediately so ended up simply slowly pouring the wort into the fermentation vessel haphazardly attempting to keep out the solids. We then had a shoddy, homemade, heavily graffitied "kegerator" that did not get below 65F and our CO2 line never quite worked properly. The sour, chunky, flat swill that we produced was probably the most putrid alcohol I've ever consumed, but we were proud regardless. Glad we didn't die at least.
Needless to say, if I ever make the attempt again, I hope John Palmer's influence will help me achieve better results. Very interesting read.
Kind of silly of me to read this now, as I'm currently trying to reduce my consumption of booze, but I find the science behind fermentation, water chemistry, and all the myriad factors that play into a perfect pint to be quite fascinating.
I brewed beer exactly one time, in college after reading one forum online and following some 3 page printout. We melted the siphon immediately so ended up simply slowly pouring the wort into the fermentation vessel haphazardly attempting to keep out the solids. We then had a shoddy, homemade, heavily graffitied "kegerator" that did not get below 65F and our CO2 line never quite worked properly. The sour, chunky, flat swill that we produced was probably the most putrid alcohol I've ever consumed, but we were proud regardless. Glad we didn't die at least.
Needless to say, if I ever make the attempt again, I hope John Palmer's influence will help me achieve better results. Very interesting read.
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