Great Beers of Belgium - Hardcover

Jackson, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9053730125 ISBN 13: 9789053730126

Publisher: Media Marketing Communications, 2003

Synopsis

this is the latest edition of the world famous book by Michael Jackson devoted entirely to the fabulous Beers of Belgium. Reworked with attention to the latest creations by the Belgian brewers. Full of beautiful colorful pictures. The first publication in 1991 opened the worlds eyes to these incredible beers of Belgium.

About this title

Review:

Belgium must be Michael Jackson's idea of heaven. The diversity, individuality, and ubiquity of beer in that country astounds even the beer sophisticate. Belgians lay claim to dozens of brewing styles that, motley as they are, read like a royal registry of beer: Lambics, Abbey Ales, Belgian Whites, Strong Golden Ales, Trappist Ales, Belgian Browns. Consider the Lambic brewer's "wind through the rafters" approach, in which wild yeast and airborne bacteria are responsible for the fermentation process and the otherworldly flavor characteristics of the final product. The brewing style is so dependent on the microflora of the greater Brussels area that it cannot be successfully duplicated anywhere else in the world.

Jackson exposes the history and inner workings of this quiet, quirky brewing behemoth with characteristic thoroughness and enthusiasm. We learn the origins of monastic brewing, the good fortune of spiders in Lambic breweries, and the reasoning behind using orange peels, coriander seeds, and three years' worth of stale hops in the brewing process. Ample tasting notes of commercial Belgian products--from those famous worldwide to those available only locally--provide a reference point for the reader's own beer hunting.

A few bottles of Belgian brew and a copy of Great Beers of Belgium are as close to a brewing tour of Belgium one can get, short of visiting the country itself. Such armchair exploration, with Jackson as a guide, may be just the revelation that makes a physical trip irresistible. --Todd Gehman

About the Author:

Michael Jackson is of course the Godfather of beer writing, and is still recognized as the best. He is published in numerous beer and food magazines all over the world.

About this edition

• Publisher: Media Marketing Communications
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 9053730125
• ISBN 13: 9789053730126
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 369