Fermentation for Your Culinary Delight

What do all these have in common: beer, bread, cheese, yogurt, cured meats, pickled fish, vinegar, cider, wine, distilled beverages, tea, coffee, cocoa, and chocolate? Answer: they are all products of fermentation: the use of microorganisms to convert a raw material (say milk in the case of cheese; grain in the case of beer; grapes in the case of wine) into a longer lasting and more enjoyable product. If you have ever wondered how these products are made and why they have the properties they do, then read this book.

Fermentation has always been at the heart of the human diet. Fundamentally it is the action of microorganisms (or to a lesser extent components of these organisms, notably enzymes) to convert a food material into a form that is safe to consume and desirable for its inherent flavour and appearance. Fermentation for Your Culinary Delight discusses, in accessible terms, the underpinning science of these foodstuffs and the processes involved in their production. The author, Charles W. Bamforth, explores the basics of the science of fermentation in an easy-to-understand manner for all types of readers. He leads the reader through the breadth of fermented products, interspersing the descriptions with many personal and humorous anecdotes that bring colour to the narrative.

Charles W. Bamforth is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of California-Davis and a Senior Quality Adviser at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. He has been part of the brewing industry since 1978. Formerly with the Brewing Research Foundation and Bass in the UK, he was lead professor of brewing at UC-Davis from 1999 to 2018. He is Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham. He was President of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling from 2014 to 2016. Charlie has received numerous awards for his contributions to the industry and featured extensively in the media.