Looking forward to baron rating The Oxford Companion to Beer book

Although I absolutely love receiving samples of bottled beer to review, it's always interesting when someone contacts me about something beer-related that I can't drink. The very kind people from Oxford University Press got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would like to review the soon-to-be-released The Oxford Companion to Beer book. It arrived today with a massive thud on my doorstep (well it is 848 pages!):

It's a gorgeous-looking book, beautiful stylish cover and hardback too with a silky paper dust jacket - although as it's a reference/encyclopedic book couldn't it have come with a clear plastic dust jacket for the paper jacket? I can see the cover of mine getting tatty in no time...

It's a big thick book with a good three-finger  head  spine and happily stands proud unsupported. Once it's on the shelf amongst the other books there's no doubting what this one is about!

It's laid out alphabetically like an encyclopedia, two columns per page to ease readability and includes relevant diagrams and photos where suited. It's printed on quality paper meaning that flicking through doesn't leave you licking your fingers every few pages to be able to 'thumb through it'.


I've barely opened it so far but here's a short example of the entries, this one will be of particular interest to my southern UK readers ;-)

I'm going to be giving this book a good read through over the next few weeks so expect a full 'baron rating' soon but if you can't wait until then to know if it's any good or not (and the above description hasn't whetted your appetite enough) then please read the reviews of these people who have already ploughed through it: Pete Brown, Tyson the Beer Hound & Alan McLeod.

Look out for a 'baron rating' for The Oxford Companion to Beer book soon, and a big thank you to Kate from Oxford University Press for sending it through to me!

Buy The Oxford Companion to Beer on Amazon or direct from OUP

New arrival: Zak Avery's '500 beers' book

Zak Avery, beer expert & manager of the excellent Beer-Ritz has somehow managed to find the time to research and write a book called '500 beers':

This classy-looking squat hardback book runs to nearly 300 pages of information about beers from all over the world, classified by their type (IPA, stout, trappist, etc.). Each entry includes a short bio about the beer, some details of it's colour & intensity as well as it's perfect serving temperature.

Amazon kindly delivered it this morning so I've not had much chance to read it yet but it looks an excellent ale resource!  This would make a brilliant present for anyone who is interested in ales (either British or worldwide) and is not too expensive at around £6.50 - by it through this Amazon link and give a few more hard-earned pennies back to Zak!