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Why Beer Matters (Kindle Single) [Kindle Edition]

Evan Rail
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Over the past few years, there’s been an explosion of interest in good beer. As hundreds of great new breweries have opened across the country and around the world, quality ales and lagers have been given an importance never before imagined. Despite beer's renaissance, however, no one seems to have focused on why beer suddenly matters, or what it is about beer that makes it the drink for our age. In this 6,500-word (20-page) personal essay, Evan Rail investigates several compelling aspects of beer beyond its principal role as a great drink, from its very real sense of place to its unusual relationship with the passing of time.

"...good beer writing that takes a fresh perspective.. A travel piece but not through geography, instead it echoes his own path with writing and thinking about beer.. Well worthy."
— A Good Beer Blog

"It's truly a phenomenal piece of writing. Rail explores not only his own relationship with beer—how it affects his career, his travel and his writing—but how beer affects everyone associated with it, from brewers to consumers. He takes you on a journey that spans the globe and ends up in his living room. It's a deeply personal and wonderfully beer-geeky experience, that he relates in a easy-to-come-by manner—It really is a fantastic work."
— Drink Drank

"Mandatory reading for anyone with at least a passing interest in beer."
— Pivní Filosof


Product Details

  • File Size: 128 KB
  • Print Length: 20 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B006X0FXVM
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,026 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
(19)
3.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Compelling and True January 27, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
This short booklet explains clearly and with such evident passion for beer, why the bringing together of malted barley, hops, water and yeast in the form of beer matters to so many people, and also that beer is about the people - being at heart an egalitarian drink that brings together both lord of the manor and average Joe. A delightful read!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What matters most about beer is... February 25, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
In his short essay, "Why Beer Matters," author Evan Rail writes with both fervor and expertise about what beer means to him and why beer matters. He notes the obvious attractions of beer - "the sugar rush of malt, the fragrant flavors of hops, and the elemental calm of alcohol," but he goes a bit deeper into the subject. Inevitably, he compares beer with wine, but the differences go well beyond taste or alcohol content. The finest (and most expensive) wines are old vintages that the average person cannot afford. Beer, on the other hand, is a more democratic drink, being much less expensive, and a drink that the common man can unabashedly discuss and share his opinions with others.

The author points out that beer expresses a strong sense of geography and time, with many beers being brewed and served in only one place and/or during a certain season. The many varieties of beer and the different brewing methods make beer stand out in a world where so many things look and taste the same. Thanks to craft brewing, beer has escaped the sameness that affects so much of what we eat and drink today.

The author knows his beer. He relates some fascinating details of beer-making around the world, including efforts to recreate famous beers of the past.

In the end, the author concludes that what matters most about beer is... well, you can probably guess the answer.

As befits a Kindle Short, the essay is brief--about a half-hour read for most people--with no wasted words.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Just good writing on beer February 2, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
A well written piece on beer, history, geography, and why we drink what we do. A good starting point for what I can only hope is more good writing on a fun and expansive topic. As the author points out, everyone has an opinion on beer, and so everyone should take a read through this essay.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars a quick fun read! February 25, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Avoiding pedantic trivialism, the writer shows why so many people -- of all classes and nationalities -- have passionate opinions about beer today. (Hint: One reason is the increasing reinvention of classic craft beers.)

I can't wait to check out his recommendations, especially his picks for the best Czech pale lagers. Here's to vivid writing and good thinking. Cheers! :-)
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read May 10, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm always amazed by the amount of research, passion, knowledge and writing skills behind each Mr. Rail's writing. This (and other his kindle singles) is a great source of knowledge about beer, presented in a very popular science way. Don't attempt to read it without a beer in hand.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Good March 31, 2013
By G. Ely
Format:Kindle Edition
Informative and interesting. I'd like to see a longer version of this. Seems to have good points on beer and current trends.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Mmmmm Beer...... March 1, 2013
By Rob
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
A nice essay on beer, makes me want to head to the Czech Republic and Germany this summer to do some exploring!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book to read February 19, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you like beer, then you should read it. Its very will written and to the point. Beer lover should read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars "Why Beer Matters"....to Evan Rail...sort of...
"Why Beer Matters" could well be the title of a great piece of beer writing. I certainly bought it with those hopes. It could be... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Curtis Collins
3.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm
I liked reading this, it was a quick and easy read. However Is the author arguing that the old days of beer are gone and that the main question should be "does beer matter? Read more
Published 5 months ago by Thomas Patt
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read for anyone who drinks beer
This essay captures the essence of what makes beer so attractive and so universal to people. I'm no beer snob but I occasionally like to drink craft beer and visit local breweries... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Carlos Castellanos
3.0 out of 5 stars why beer matters
Being a beer drinker the title "Why Beer Matters" mattered to me.

I have not recommended it because I don't think the author
has experienced the humor and character... Read more
Published 7 months ago by suzq
1.0 out of 5 stars Deep stuff
Beer is cheaper than wine. No, really. Also, beer is not as time-dependent as wine is: beer is more or less the same every year, whereas wine changes year after year. Seriously. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Menocchio
3.0 out of 5 stars Too fancy for my tastes
Well, I guess I already knew Why Beer Matters. But Evan Rail trys his best to make it more complicated. Read more
Published 12 months ago by T. Gross
5.0 out of 5 stars Beer does matter
This essay on beer was unexpectedly will done. It mounts a good case for why beer is important to its drinkers and gives readers a taste of what goes in the beer world. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jake Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight into Beer Culture
This was an excellent short that really captures the passion people are beginning to openly display about beer and the history behind why it has been years in the making.
Published 13 months ago by JP13
2.0 out of 5 stars Short but still too much
Okay, Rail's obviously really knowledgeable about beer. Mostly he writes about rare brews most of us will never have a chance to drink. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Kenneth
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More About the Author

Evan Rail is the author of "Triplebock," a collection of three beer-themed short stories, as well as two Kindle Singles, "In Praise of Hangovers" and "Why Beer Matters," a Kindle Singles bestseller. His writing on food and travel is regularly featured in the New York Times, and appears in such collections as "The New York Times Book of Wine" and "Best Food Writing." Mr. Rail's poems have appeared in the New Republic, Agni and Zyzzyva, and he regularly reviews books about food and drink for the Times Literary Supplement (TLS). He lives in Prague.

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