Luxe Beat Magazine OCTOBER 2014 | Page 53

Epicure Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer...Even More The Foodie’s Beer Book: The Art of Pairing and Cooking with Beer for Any Occasion (MAY 2014) (HARDCOVER – AUGUST 2014) by Mirella Amato If you’ve ever experienced the pleasure of a pint, Beerology is the ultimate guide to exploring, understanding and enjoying the world of beer. THERE IS a beer for every mood, food and occasion. And, with the growing number of beer festivals popping up worldwide, beer is finally getting the attention and appreciation it deserves. For the average beer lover, the overwhelming choices, brewing styles and traditions can be confusing to say the least. Enter beer specialist Mirella Amato - one of only seven Certified Master Cicerones (beer sommeliers) in the world. With an advanced brewing certificate behind her, readers will be in expert hands as they navigate the multifaceted world of beer, guided by Amato’s refreshingly accessible style. Broken down into fun, easy-to-read chapters, Beerology starts with an introduction to beer and tips on storage and cellaring, then leads into a guide on tasting. Amato presents beer styles in four groups—Refreshing, Mellow, Striking, and Captivating—covering everything from the history and origins of specific brews, to brands that exemplify each type. She then gives tips on hosting beer-tasting parties at home, complete with beer games, and includes a chapter dedicated to beer cocktails (who’s in for a delicious cucumber Pils?). Her original take on pairing beer with food—including chocolate and cheese—is perfect for anyone with an inquisitive mind and an epicurean streak. WE MAKE BEER: Inside the Spirit and Artistry of America’s Craft Brewers by Brooke Fedora and Luther Fedora Epic Beer Dinners is the ultimate celebration of beer and food pairings. A glass of beer alone can be a splendid thing, but when incorporated into your cooking and served alongside the dish, it can be a symphony of flavor. Chefs Brooke and Luther Fedora explain the many ways beer can enrich and enhance a dish or an entire meal by providing a wealth of recipes and suggested pairings. Begin by exploring beer varieties and their characteristics; helping you to learn the various flavor notes that are the foundation for cooking and pairings. A hoppy beer, for example, can add bite to a dish and is best for batters and light dishes, but is inappropriate for long simmering dishes where it instead An eye-opening journey into craft beer–making in America, and what you can find in the quest to brew the perfect pint. Sean Lewis was living in Boston when he first set foot inside the Blue Hills Brewery. He was writing for BeerAdvocate magazine about America's craft brewers, and the then-fledgling Blue Hills was his first assignment. Lewis was immediately struck by the spirit of the brewers he met there. That visit would lead him first to an intensive study of beer-brewing, and later to a nation-spanning journey into the heart— and the art—of American beer making. What Lewis found along the way was a group of like-minded craftsmen— creators who weren't afraid to speak their minds, who saw their competitors as cherished friends. A group who takes sheer joy in their work, and who seeks the same kind of balance in their lives as they do in the barrels they brew. He shared pints with pioneering upstarts like Paul and Kim Kavulak of Nebraska Brewing Company, and talked shop with craft beer stalwarts like Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada and bombastic innovators like Greg Koch (the "Arrogant Bastard" behind Stone Brewing Co.). He found, in them and others, a community that put its soul into its work, who sees beer-making as an extension of themselves. We Make Beer is not just a celebration of American brewing, but of the spirit that binds brewers together. It's about what you can discover in yourself when you put your hands and your heart into crafting the perfect pint. Recipes are broken down by various regions and seas