Reddit reviews The Oxford Companion to Beer (Oxford Companion To... (Hardcover))
We found 15 Reddit comments about The Oxford Companion to Beer (Oxford Companion To... (Hardcover)). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
The Oxford Companion to Beer
I like "how to brew" by John Palmer for a more textbook oriented reference, although I'm sure there are better options out there. If you're looking for a really in depth guide to specific styles, "Designing Great Beers" can't be beat.
And Finally: http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Beer-Garrett-Oliver/dp/0195367138
The Oxford Companion to Beer is really cool and Amazon just listed it at 60% off.
Here's a list of some good General Books on beer.
I'm fond of Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. It does a great job of introducing the history of beer, the different styles, and other great info. I recommend it to everybody who wants to learn about beer. http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Beer-Insiders-Worlds-Greatest/dp/1603420894
If you're interested in the history of American beer, Ambitious Brew is a great read. It's limited in scope to just the history of American beer, but that proves to be a rich subject. http://www.amazon.com/Ambitious-Brew-Story-American-Beer/dp/0156033593
Beer is Proof That God Loves Us, It's not the greatest book, but for free on Kindle, it's worth checking out. The guy knows his beer, he just is a big time Macro brewing apologist, and his constant praise for the big brewers, and his disdain for hops make it not my favorite book. There are some good anecdotes, and history of beer. http://www.amazon.com/Beer-Is-Proof-God-Loves/dp/0137065078
And I've heard good things about the Oxford Companion to Beer, though I haven't read it myself. http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Beer-Garrett-Oliver/dp/0195367138/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_z
The Oxford Beer Companion > http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Beer-Garrett-Oliver/dp/0195367138
960pgs, 160 experts, 1000+ subjects!
Principles Of Brewing Science
Yeast and also Water, Malt and Hops, a very informative series.
Also Oxford Companion to Beer is a great reference to look up general questions or terms.
The Oxford Companion to Beer
It's basically an encyclopedia of beer and terminology with deep definitions and history behind just about everything. Very well done and edited by the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery.
Hornsey's A History of Beer and Brewing mentions that Abbot Adalhardus published an ordinance in 822 that monastery tenants (discussed within the scope of what millers weren't to be responsible for) were supposed to gather firewood and hops for brewing purposes. There's a second reference to a tithe of both malt and hops to be given to the porter of the monastery. These are probably the first printed references to hops as an ingredient in beer. This is also mentioned in The Oxford Companion to Beer, albeit in less detail, on p464. "Mainstream" is tough to nail down, but the French were apparently rocking hops in the 9th century. The Oxford Companion goes on to say that the use was widespread by the 11th, though.
If you're nervous about getting him a beer he might not like, you can always spring for something like glasswear or an experience. For example:
Glasswear - very few beer drinkers have a good set of tasting glasses or a nice Teku glass. They tend to spend their money more on the beer than the proper glasswear. Here are some to consider:
Teku Glasses
Tasting Glasses
Experience - This is completely scalable based on budget. Need to do something cheaper? Check out Yelp reviews and Beer Advocate reviews to find the best local brewery near you and take him there, followed by dinner at a great tap room or gastropub. Have more budget? Take him on a beer roadtrip or brewery tour around some of the local breweries in your area.
Beer books and merch - There are a lot of great books about the history of beer, tasting beer, etc. Here are a few to check out:
Tasting Beer
Oxford Companion
You can also get merch from his favorite brewery's online store or taproom. They'll have shirts, branded glasses, etc. All of those things should score points with any beer drinker.
Here's a brief list:
Garret Oliver's book, being a little more general purpose, is probably more what you're looking for. The other two are more specific, though still very good and informative.
(http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/06/cocktail-101-measuring-utensils-jiggers-cups.html)
The Oxford Companion to Beer. $41 now, but it was on sale for $26 before Christmas.
I love Randy Mosher's book as well. That might be the big yellow book. However, Garett Oliver's newest book The Oxford Companion to Beer is THE book to own. But it is 900 pages long
This. Should be required reading before they let you buy a carboy.
Also get the Oxford Companion to Beer:
http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Beer-Garrett-Oliver/dp/0195367138
I started off with a Mr. Beer as well--as the guy at my local brewshop put it, it's the Spaghetti-os equivalent of homebrewing. Very simple, but a great gateway to real brewing.
As for a kit, it depends on where you live. Here in LA you can get completely set up for an all-grain system for about $120-$150 depending on a few things.
If you can get your hands on a turkey fryer it will make the boil start that much faster.
One last thing--if you have the resources, I strongly suggest splurging for a keggerator and kegging your beer instead of bottling it. Easier, no risk of broken bottles, and pulling a pint that you brewed yourself is priceless.
Oxford Companion to Beer!
Been reading this quite a bit lately, learning alot that i had no clue about.
We have this book in our brewery. We refer to it as "The Bible"
Sorry for Amazon link, it was the first thing to pop-up on google and I'm lazy: http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Beer-Garrett-Oliver/dp/0195367138
Edit: I didn't read this well. If you're looking to learn how to brew, I recommend the Joy of Homebrewing. It's what I used.