Brown Ale: History, Brewing Techniques, Recipes (Classic Beer Style Series, 14) (Paperback)

by Jim Parker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This "Mother of all Beers" has come a long way since its murky beginnings as the first beer style ever produced.

From the Back Cover
So, while brown ale's past may be somewhat elusive and its present somewhat complex, its future is bright. In today's beer world, few other beer styles hold more potential for exploration and enjoyment. As a result, it is destined to survive and thrive with brewers and lovers of brown ale. --From the book

Brown ale is the chameleon of all beers. Its ever-evolving identity lends to its elusive reputation. To trace brown ale's history and development, it's necessary to visit nearly every other style of British ale--from mild and pale to porter and stout. Ray Daniels and Jim Parker harness the mystery of this beer style and divulge some of its secrets. They also reveal how Samuel Smith's and Scottish and Newcastle breweries craft their world-renown ale and why chefs use brown ale more than any other beer style. Brown ale will never seem the same after reading this book.

The Classic Beer Style Series is devoted to offering in-depth information on world-class beer styles by exploring their history, flavor profiles, brewing methods, recipes, and ingredients.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Brewers Publications; illustrated edition edition (December 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0937381608
• ISBN-13: 978-0937381601
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #624,583 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 14 in The Classic Beer Styles Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful, well-crafted brewing text., May 30, 2004

By	Adam Bigham (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

It has a very appetizing cover photo. Brown Ale tends to be a misunderstood style these days, and this book's clarification of its history and present state is a relief. One highlight for me was the proposal of separating the American style of brown ale into the hopped-up Texas-style and then American-style brown ale, which is demonstrated by analyzing a cross-section of samples from across the country. The history goes way back, further than you might guess, and the explanation of malting and brewing techniques from early to modern times is enlightening. Recommended reading, even for extract brewers.

3 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a textbook for the beginner but still good to learn from, March 20, 2001

By	A. Burchfield (Conway, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I bought this book to learn something about the subject, and I did learn quite a bit.The potential buyer should read the subtitle closely and be aware that this is not a how to book for the first time beer brewer, you'll have to go elsewhere for detailed brewing information. This book does give a lot of history and information, good book to have if you're thinking of brewing your own Brown Ale, or just think you might want to drink the stuff.