Beverages Books

This book says it all,great maps,beautiful pictures and very good comments on the wine and the winery's The bordeaux bible

Before, I would always wonder why Bordeaux wine is so expensive. Many had told me that it was, indeed, superior. I am glad that Stephen Brook took the time to explain in common language, all the factors that have made this wine region such a "hot-spot" for the wine industry.

This book is not only a look at this wine region and it's wines, but a must read for all who are interested in the power structure of Europe, especially France.

This is one of the best Bordeaux presentation in recent years. The book really focuses on the excellent wines by today's standards, instead of following the 1855 Classification guidelines that really should have been updated a long time ago. Those beautiful pictures really help, too - it is easier for readers to remember when they know what the bottles look like! The brief descriptions of wine-making methodologies of these chateaux provide very useful information. A great book overall!

And every day for that matter. This is a classy book from England with eye popping photography of each libation. Garnishes range from the simplistic to the flamboyant. What I most like is the plan the authors lay out to slowly stock your own bar. Week by week you purchase the featured liquor: Gin one week, rum the next, etc. etc. The only problem I have is converting the alcohol amounts into ounces. The authors use their country's convention of the measure. That is 1 measure (msr)= 1 gill = 25 ml. But this is not enough of a problem to stay away from this book.

The Regans are seasoned and trustworthy spirits enthusiasts, and I have learned much from their friendly, thorough, and lore-packed books. Compared to The Book of Bourbon, Companion is a smaller, more compact guide that can be conveniently carried into a liquor store to remedy the indecision that inevitably strikes when one is faced with a wall of tantalizing American whiskeys. Helpfully, the Regans list a comprehensive guide to bottlings in purely alphabetical order and give tasting notes and ratings (summarized on a page or two at the end of that section for easy reference). They include the newest bottlings on the market and give inside gossip on upcoming new entries. The Regans also make sense of confusing bourbon terms and provide a brief history of the bourbon industry. They make it easy to understand why Americans should be proud to claim this superior spirit as their own. For a more leisurely read and amazing recipes, get their Book of Bourbon, but for a run to the local spirits store, The Bourbon Companion is all you need.

Very informative and detailed history of brewing in the state made famous by the craft of German immigrants. Short histories of the major breweries of Wisconsin fill in the trivia gaps any beer buff may have. Includes many historical pictures of Blatz, Schlitz, Pabst, Walter, Oshkosh, Mathie-Ruder, Gettelman, and of course, Miller. The listing of all known brewery buildings still standing in Wisconsin is espescially helpful for guiding the weekend roadtrip. Viewing these historical structures is a great way to imagine the brewing industry of the past 150 years. Highly recommended for anyone interested in beer, from the history afficionado, to the basement homebrewer.

A delightful read and truly a work of passion. Completely packed with articles and details, photos of long-defunct beer brands, and tales. My only regret is that in producing this spiral-bound book himself, Dr. Musson used photocopying which loses some detail of the wonderful historical graphics. Its layout, done by the author, is a bit quirky...but it's all part of the fun. What a magnificent effort. It can be contrasted with Bob Skilnik's Brewing History of Chicago (Part 1), a polished book professionally published...Dr. Musson's material is as interesting. A great treat for thos eof us who enjoy brewing history.

Be warned: This is not for the casual reader; Belfrage goes into levels of detail heretofore unknown regarding Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily, and the rest of the South. He seems to have visited every producer in Italy, and to have traced (where possible) the origins of every grape he comes across--and he comes across quite a few that you won't find in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine or in Jancis Robinson's "Vines, Grapes & WInes." I have a special place in my heart for the unfortunate Nuragus, the most widely planted grape in Sardinia, of which Belfrage says "Nuragus probably has little or nothing to do with Trebbiano Toscano, as the ampelographer Cettolini would have us believe, but it does share an inability to rise above a certain fairly basic level of mediocrity winewise..." If you have to look up "ampelographer," you are probably going to find this book heavy going.

On the other hand, it's not like you need to know to enjoy the book. Belfrage is a good writer, a terrific reporter, and has the added benefit of being honest. He's got some commercial connections in Italy, and he's very straightforward about stating them.

His overall take on the slowness of southern Italy to rally to the cause of quality over quantity is astutely observed: He has no love for Italian Bureaucracy, EU bureaucracy, or the Mafia. All three, he says, conspire to prevent progress.

Anyway, if, like me, you find it is actually important to know that the wide variability in quality in Chianti is as much due to clonal selection as anything else, you'll greatly enjoy Mr. Belfrage's company.

This is the 11th edition of this book that I've bought and I find it an indispensable tool. As an amateur wine-o-phile I take exeception to the widespread belief that I need to be marketed to by glossy spread magazines whose genuine interest lies more in pleasing their advertisers (Wine Connosieur, etc.). This pocket-sized guide is to wine as the original Field Guide to Birds of North America is to birding: all business, no ads, and without substitute.
Try this: buy the guide, determine the highest price you'll pay for a particular varietal, find the ones in each category that have a significant # of awards, then carry the book with you the next time you're in your favorite wine store. In 12 years I have NEVER been let down by my choices- the prices listed as a reference are often higher than what you'll find at your store, at least at the beginning of the season. Prosit!

Caribbean Cocktails is filled with tropical drink recipes that will have you smelling the ocean and feeling the warm breezes no matter where you may be located. They are done with fresh juices and easy to find ingredients. There are sections on eats and even one for your non-alcohol drinking guests. The added bonuses are the bits of triva placed thoughout the book as well as the "recommended listening" for each drink. I was very impressed with the book when I received it. It will be one I grab often thoughout the summer, winter, spring, and fall to entertain and to just fix something to relax and take me to that little tropical place in my mind. Well, any season is a good season to escape into one of these drinks.