Homebrew Beer Blog

I picked this up as a prep for the BJCP exam. Holy cow… This isn’t a beer book, it’s a text book.

This book is out of print, and when Michael passed away, used prices spiked. I’m linking to the second edition, but there are first edition prints for cheap. As I write this, many sellers are asking close to $100 still, although there are now more selling in the $25 range.

I thought about getting this book for some time, but never did. Most of my reading to date has been about brewing, not about beer itself. I really enjoyed this book. There’s plenty there for anyone interested in beer, whether drinking, brewing, or just learning. I know I’ll go back to reference this as I brew specific styles, and certainly this is required reading for anyone interested in beer judging.

I enjoyed the history and background of the many styles and breweries I know, and learning about many others I’ve never heard of. Jackson also includes many interesting personal tidbits. Each style contains some basic info for recipes, and a nice section of each classical brewers. The book wraps up with beer and food items.

This is a great reference book for any beer lover or brewer, and absolutely required for beer judging.

Michael Jackson’s Beer Companion from Amazon