The 50 Greatest Beers In The World: An Expert's Ranking of the Very Best [Paperback]

Stuart A. Kallen (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806518413
• ISBN-13: 978-0806518411
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,048,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a fun collection of facts and anecdotes, June 11, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The 50 Greatest Beers In The World: An Expert's Ranking of the Very Best (Paperback)

I found this short, easy to read text at a local bookstore and so enjoyed it I ordered a bunch from Amazon to give to my fellow zymurgists. The book lolls in those places usually reserved for crosswords or other things that can be read in a brief sitting moment. In the search for information there is always an interesting item about a brewery or style which is fun to learn.

After purchasing the text I then searched all of the local purveyors of malted beverages in order to find the number one beer listed by Kallen. His choice, Delerium Tremens, may be the best beer. If not it was a great one to find not only for the variety of flavors found in its taste but also to introduce one to the Belgian beers. The shortcoming of the book or perhaps better of the ranking of beers is the heavy emphasis on Belgians. On the other hand Kallen also introduced me to a number of U.S. microbreweries which I might not have tried.

I heartily recommend this to any who enjoy beer in its wide varieties and wishes to broaden his or her horizons

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-own for any serious beer enthusiast!, July 2, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Stanford University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 50 Greatest Beers In The World: An Expert's Ranking of the Very Best (Paperback)

Stuart A. Kallen demonstrates his prolific knowledge of the world's finest beers in this delightful tome which enlightens and practically intoxicates the reader with its scope and vivacity. Kallen transports his lucky readers far from the commercial boredom of limp, filtered macrobrews and delivers them to a fantastic world filled with deep. flavorful stouts and crisp, complex lagers. Kallen's book is a must have both for the young beer drinker seeking to escape the doldrums of today's mass-produced, watered-down society and the elder beer drinker who wishes to reflect upon and cherish the infinite pleasures delivered by the perfect brew.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, articulate, approachable, June 16, 2003

By 

Mike (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 50 Greatest Beers in the World: An Expert's Ranking of the Very Best (Hardcover)

The heightened interest in wine review we saw blossom in the nineties has given way to similar interest in beer review in recent years. Books like The Beer Lover's Rating Guide by Klein and Michael Jackson's various Beer Guides and Beer Companions dominate the market, but Stuart Kallen's simple book is far more approachable and to the point.

The big beer guides contain ratings and reviews of between 1200 and 2000 brews--about 1750 more varieties than I have been able to find in the Madison area. Kallen focuses on the 50 beers you are likely to find nearly anywhere--excepting those few beers which are no longer produced (like the #2 Eisenbock): the text could use a quick update. His reviews discuss the unique history of the chosen beers, the way the beer is produced, and gives a sip-by-sip analysis of the beverage as it goes down. His text is a heartwarming introduction to my favorite new hobby.