Brew Like a Monk: Trappist, Abbey, and Strong Belgian Ales and How to Brew Them (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: secondary fermentation, primary fermentation, original gravity, Apparent Degree of Attenuation, Also Noteworthy, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Brew Like a Monk delves into monastic brewing, detailing this rich-flavored region of the beer world. It also examines methods for brewing these unique ales suited to commercial and amateur brewers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 295 pages
• Publisher: Brewers Publications; illustrated edition edition (October 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093738187X
• ISBN-13: 978-0937381878
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,700 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > History > Europe > Belgium
  #4 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to know everything about brewing Abbey ales?, December 9, 2005

By	Jeffrey S. Erway "barleywhiner" (Navajo Nation, NM) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

So if you've just done your first batch of beer this is not the book for you. As a matter of fact, if you have just done your first all grain batch this might not be the book for you. However, if you are a seasoned veteran of the mash tun and want to really delve head first into some of the most beautiful beers on earth this could be your ticket. I know Stan and can affirm that he knows as much about Belgian brewing as anyone in the US. Interviews with Belgian beer masters as well as those stateside gives the advanced homebrewer or professional a great idea of what it will take to brew great belgian inspired beers. Clearly the most important parts of this book to the brewer are the sections on ingredients and fermentation. If you are a diehard English inspired brewer this book will be an eye opener as to what exactly is so different about brewing belgian ales.
While being the most accessible of the series, Brew Like a Monk does have periods of extreme tehnical pursuit and it is not just there to baffle, but to educate. Topics such as pitching rates, krausening, bottle conditioning, mash PH, hop extracts, fermentation temperatures, attenuation, and adjunct types are covered in full. For those that are so inclined, Malt analysis and enzyme content are also covered as well as fermenter design of the trappist and secular breweries.
As I said, this, as well as the other two in this series, are not for the novice brewer, but if you really want a definitive and complete working knowledge of belgian brewing in the trappist tradition, look no further.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for brewing abbey-style ales, September 8, 2006

By	maltdog - See all my reviews

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As other reviewers have pointed out, it's a good idea for the reader to have several years of all-grain brewing experience. That, and an existing appreciation of abbey-style beers; words alone cannot adequately portray the unique flavors of Belgian fermentations.

Homebrewers often set out to create trappist-inspired beers with the goal of high alcohol content. From reading the book, one will learn that this is a flawed approach; these beers are about allowing the yeast to contribute flavor and attenuation, about embracing the quirky qualities of the yeast, and about retaining balance and "drinkability" in the beer. Higher alcohol content is serendipitous, but almost incidental.

Insightful interviews with trappist brewers, and secular brewers of superb abbey-style ales, introduce the reader to this brewing "philosophy." These discussions, and the technical data of the beers they brew, are of enormous value. (As are the lessons they learned from brewing less-than-spectacular beers.) In fact, the differences in malt bills between the two schools is radical at times. I found it amusing that many of the most revered examples of the styles do not fit neatly into the "guidelines" that are supposed to define them.

All aspects of abbey-style brewing are explored in depth... from water, ingredients, and mash temperatures to pitching rates, influences on yeast behavior, and bottle conditioning. Questions about two of the most controversial topics among homebrewers... yeast origins and sugars... are definitively answered.

Finally, the text is a joy to read! At once both thoughtful and passionate, the book conveys the reader on a journey of exploration and teaching. (As of this writing, my copy is only a few months old, and already frayed and littered with page markers.) It is amazing that such a wealth of useful information can be packed into under 300 pages and still remain so interesting and approachable.

In my fifteen years of homebrewing, I can think of no other publication that is as captivating and enlightening as Brew Like A Monk.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Technically valuable and a good read!, March 19, 2006

By	Lyle W. Neander "brains_trust" (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author presumes you are a proficient brewer and concentrates on the philosophy of belgium abbey brewing rather than the mechanics of brewing. It is a good read and provides the home brewer with useful data to incorporate into their brewing. Excellent section of the use of sugars for increased attentuation and reduced cloying qualities associated with malt only brewing. Overall I would recommend this book without reservation to any home brewer seeking to gain more professional results in their brewing and greater complexity.