Jay McInerney on wine? Yes, Jay McInerney on wine! The best-selling novelist has turned his command of language and flair for metaphor on the world of wine, providing this sublime collection of untraditional musings on wine and wine culture that is as fit for someone looking for “a nice Chardonnay” as it is for the oenophile.

On champagne: “Is Dom Pérignon worth four bottles of Mo‘t & Chandon? If you are a connoisseur, a lover, a snob, or the owner of a large oceangoing craft, the answer . . . is probably yes.”
On the difficulty of picking a wine for a vegetarian meal: “Like boys and girls locked away in same-sex prep schools, most wines yearn for a bit of flesh.”
On telling the difference between Burgundy and Bordeaux: “If it’s red, French, costs too much, and tastes like the water that’s left in the vase after the flowers have died, it’s probably Burgundy.”
On the fungus responsible for the heavenly flavor of the dessert wine called Sauternes: “Not since Baudelaire smoked opium has corruption resulted in such beauty.”

Includes new material plus recommendations on the world’s most romantic wines and the best wines to pair with a meal

"With over 3,000 years of history behind it, the future of Sherry lies in its past. Sommeliers admire it for its many varieties and Ben Howkins' book will tell you why." - Steven Spurrier "Here Ben Howkins approaches his subject with passion and flair, bringing to life the vineyards, the bodegas, the wines and the history of the region with a light and entertaining touch." - Matthew Nugent, The Irish Sun Made in a unique way, matured in cellars dating back to the age of the Conquistadores, and bursting with a panoply of sun-drenched flavours, Sherry has - due to a succession of scandals and bad luck in the 1970s - been maligned and misunderstood. But the Sherry scene is set for seismic change. With a series of new styles, new vineyards and a dynamic new crop of cellar masters, this wine is creating a revolution in the world's restaurants that can't be ignored. Ben Howkins, in colourful words and equally evocative pictures, delves deep into Sherry's fascinating story and reveals why it is set to come back into our lives with a magnificent flourish!

Get hoppin' with this guide to microbrewing your own beer Thinking of brewing your own beer or want to know how it's done? Homebrewing For Dummies is for you. If you're ready to take a crack at making your own brew, you'll need this guide to the supplies, ingredients, and process of crafting the perfect beer. Follow our recipes for lager, porter, stout, and other brew types--or invent your own. When you've tasted your perfect creation (and after the hangover wears off), we've got you covered with ideas for entering your beer into homebrewing competitions and selling your beer. This new edition keeps pace with the exciting world of small-batch beer, introducing you to new flavors and varieties that are popular on the microbrew circuit. We've also got the details on the latest at-home brewing equipment, software and apps, and resources you can tap (get it?) to make a better beer. Not an IPA person? Not to worry! You can also make your own hard seltzers, flavored malt beverages, and juice drinks with this handy how-to. Get recipes and instructions for brewing lagers, porters, and other beers at home Enhance the quality of your small-batch brews and make your operations more eco friendly Enter homebrewing competitions with your beer, hard seltzer, and malt beverages Discover new gadgets, apps, and resources that can make home brewing even easier Homebrewing For Dummies is for anyone looking for a fun and easy-to-use guide to the exciting, rewarding, and refreshing hobby of beer brewing.

In recent years there has been a rapid growth in the popularity of wines of all sorts. And although commercially produced wine has become less expensive, it is always a challenge to turn your own hand to reproducing the flavour and quality of commercial wines in your own home, using easily-obtained ingredients. Sauternes, Hocks, Moselles, Chianti, Madeiras, Champagnes and Liqueurs can all be made at home cheaply from easily available ingredients - are all possible with the help of this book. You can become a wine connoisseur on a shoestring budget! The line illustrations are all based on photographs from the Radio Times Hulton Picture Library.

We are familiar with the medical opinion that a daily glass of wine is good for the health and also the rival opinion that any more than a glass or two will set us on the road to ruin. Whether or not good for the body, Scruton argues, wine, drunk in the right frame of mind, is definitely good for the soul. And there is no better accompaniment to wine than philosophy. By thinking with wine, you can learn not only to drink in thoughts but to think in draughts. This good-humoured book offers an antidote to the pretentious clap-trap that is written about wine today and a profound apology for the drink on which civilisation has been founded. In vino veritas.

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book is the essential reference book for everyone who buys wine - in shops, restaurants, or on the internet. Now in its 41st year of publication, it has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide. Hugh Johnson provides clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world. He reveals which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both. This new edition also contains a colour supplement on Syrah and Garnacha grapes.

Lager your loaves, beer your brioche, pale ale your pretzels, dunkel your dough... just pour a pint to bake something extra special. The brew will add a unique depth of flavor to baked goods from bread to biscuits. Here are 75 fun recipes that use a variety of beers-golden ales to Belgian blondes, chocolate porters to juicy IPAs-and take baking to the next luscious level: Cream Ale Irish Soda Bread, Honey Whole Wheat Blonde Bread, and Cheese and Herb Pale Ale Bread. Each recipe includes multiple suggestions for beers, with information on how different types will taste once baked. It's also not all about the yeast; in addition to loaves and rolls that need to rise, there are easy quick breads, muffins, biscuits and scones. Featuring beautiful photography Beer Bread is the must-have book for anyone who "kneads" beer to live.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of this good book must be in want of a drink. Winner of the Gourmand Award in the Gin category (US). In six enduring novels, Jane Austen captured the fancies and foibles of Regency England, and every delightful page of this book celebrates the picnics, luncheons, dinner parties, and glamorous balls of Austen's world. At these social engagements, gossip reigned, love flourished, and drinks flowed. Discover an exotic world of cobblers, crustas, flips, punches, shrubs, slings, sours, and toddies, with recipes that evoke the past but suit today's tastes. Raise your glass to Sense and Sensibility with a Brandon Old-Fashioned, Elinorange Blossom, Hot Barton Rum, or Just a Dashwood. Toast Pride and Prejudice with a Cousin Collins, Fizzy Miss Lizzie, Gin & Bennet, or Salt & Pemberley. Brimming with enlightening quotes from the novels and Austen's letters, beautiful photographs, and period design, this intoxicating volume is a must-have for any devoted Janeite.

The beer of today--brewed from malted grain and hops, manufactured by large and often multinational corporations, frequently associated with young adults, sports, and drunkenness--is largely the result of scientific and industrial developments of the nineteenth century. Modern beer, however, has little in common with the drink that carried that name through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Looking at a time when beer was often a nutritional necessity, was sometimes used as medicine, could be flavored with everything from the bark of fir trees to thyme and fresh eggs, and was consumed by men, women, and children alike, "Beer in the Middle Ages" and the Renaissance presents an extraordinarily detailed history of the business, art, and governance of brewing.During the medieval and early modern periods beer was as much a daily necessity as a source of inebriation and amusement. It was the beverage of choice of urban populations that lacked access to secure sources of potable water; a commodity of economic as well as social importance; a safe drink for daily consumption that was less expensive than wine; and a major source of tax revenue for the state. In "Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance," Richard W. Unger has written an encompassing study of beer as both a product and an economic force in Europe.Drawing from archives in the Low Countries and England to assemble an impressively complete history, Unger describes the transformation of the industry from small-scale production that was a basic part of housewifery to a highly regulated commercial enterprise dominated by the wealthy and overseen by government authorities. Looking at the intersecting technological, economic, cultural, and political changes that influenced the transformation of brewing over centuries, he traces how improvements in technology and in the distribution of information combined to standardize quality, showing how the process of urbanization created the concentrated markets essential for commercial production.Weaving together the stories of prosperous businessmen, skilled brewmasters, and small producers, this impressively researched overview of the social and cultural practices that surrounded the beer industry is rich in implication for the history of the period as a whole.

The pub has been at the heart of English life for generations. But how has this unique institution developed over the centuries? Paul Jennings traces the history of the English pub, looking at how it evolved from the coaching inn and the humble alehouse, through back-street beerhouses and 'fine, flaring' gin palaces to the drinking establishments of the twenty-first centuries. Covering all aspects of pub life, this fascinating history examines pubs in town and country. It identifies key trends and discusses architecture and interior design. It looks at customers and their varied activities in pubs and at the men and women who ran them. The story of the pub is set throughout the wider context of social change. The Local is a must-read for the pub-goer and anyone interested in the history of the English people.

From the wildly creative team behind Philadelphia's Art in the Age comes The Cocktail Workshop, a deep-dive into 20 classic drinks that make up the foundation of cocktail creation, and the delicious variations that will make them all your own. Learn to craft a perfect, classic drink, or workshop that creation into a unique, flavor-forward spin with The Cocktail Workshop, an indispensable guide to foundational cocktails and the tools to elevate them into master-level creations. In this richly illustrated book, the team behind Philadelphia's beloved Art in the Age guides aspiring mixologists through the fundamentals of 20 essential cocktails. Then, each foundational drink is spun off into creative and customizable riffs on flavors, techniques, and ingredients, called Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master versions. Each classic drink is concluded by a Workshop: how to take your at-home bar efforts to the next level with aging, infusing, garnishing, and more. Drawing on the building blocks of iconic cocktails like the daiquiri and the old-fashioned, readers will grow their knowledge base as they move through each drink, taking away real skills for their home bar -- like the proper way to dry-shake an egg white cocktail or carve a manicured lime twist -- and an understanding of the fundamentals of cocktailing: how drinks are created, related, and integrated.

Few pleasures are more gratifying than pouring a glass of fine wine, admiring its clarity and color, savoring its rich bouquet, raising it to your lips, and knowing that you made it yourself. With this complete guide to home winemaking, such pleasures can be yours with little fuss and lots of fun. The Home Winemaker's Companion will guide you as you progress from making your very first batch of kit wine to mastering advanced techniques for making wine from fresh grapes. Included are Gene Spaziani's tried-and-true recipes for 115 delectable wines -- even port and champagne!

Making consistently great wine at home is easy; the hardest part is being patient while your wine ages!

The beer-lovers' bible is fully revised and updated each year to feature recommended pubs across the United Kingdom that serve the best real ale. The GBG is completely independent, with listings based entirely on evaluation by CAMRA members. The unique breweries section lists every brewery - micro, regional and national - that produces real ale in the UK, and their beers. Tasting notes for the beers, compiled by CAMRA-trained tasting teams, are also included. This is the complete book for beer lovers and for anyone wanting to experience the UK's finest pubs.

100 spell-binding, crowd-pleasing cocktails. Work some magic at home with these original cocktail recipes from everyone's favourite experimental bar, The Alchemist. Elevate your mixology skills and bring some creativity to your bar cart with unique and show-stopping tipple time recipes, from their iconic Caramelised Rum Punch and Smokey Old Fashioned, to new takes on the cocktail classics. With chapters from Chemistry & Theatre, Twisted Classics and New Wave to Classics and Low & No Alcohol, The Alchemist Cocktail Book truly has something for everyone, from mixing novices to experienced bartenders. Bring some dramatic flair to your cocktail hour, with recipes including: Lavender Daiquiri Paloma Rhubarb and Custard Sour Bananagroni Maple Manhattan Cola Bottle Libre Grapefruit and Apricot Martini

The wines of Bordeaux are universally recognized as being among the finest in the world and in this fully revised and updated edition of his classic text, renowned wine expert Stephen Brook provides an unrivalled survey of the region and its wines. The Complete Bordeaux offers detailed information on the many communes and appellations of Bordeaux along with descriptions and assessments of all its major properties. As well as incisive portraits of the leading properties and their produce, Stephen Brook provides a detailed look at Bordeaux's lesser-known areas and chateaux. There is also an invaluable vintage guide to the last four decades. Bordeaux encapsulates an incredible 13,000 wineries throughout 54 appellations and this book includes a thorough explanation of Bordeaux's history, terroir and winemaking styles. Praise for the third edition: "A fresh and authoritative addition to the Bordeaux library." Eric Asimov, The New York Times "This new edition is the ultimate guide to perhaps the greatest wine area in the world. Whether you use the book in your local wine store or tote it on a journey to Bordeaux itself, this book is definitive. And magnificent." Huffington Post

Embrace the magic of tarot and perfectly match the cards with mixed drinks in this beautifully illustrated bar book. "Don't take advice from tequila, that's the tarot's job." Tarot & Tequila is a positive and spiritually uplifting guide that includes both basic and humorous tequila-inspired meanings of all 78 tarot cards that both beginners and experienced tarot card readers will relate to. Featuring 40 cocktail recipes-one for each Major Arcana card plus bonus Minor Arcana drinks, too-based on the attributes of the cards themselves, as well as a mystical pairing that explains why professional tarot card reader David Ross chose to pair each card to their respective drink, this magical mixology book can be used as both a guide and a recipe book. Try drinks like: -The High Priestess, an elixir of tequila, lemon juice, thyme, and seltzer -The Chariot, a tequila version of a Moscow Mule, with lemon, beet, and apple juices -The Four of Wands, a positive concoction of rum, homemade fennel liqueur, and more Perfect for fans of drinking, bartending, and tarot alike, this beautifully illustrated book makes both a perfect gift and a must-have addition to any home bar.

This 43rd edition of the authoritative South African wine guide features Five Star wines out of over 8,000 wines reviewed. Platter's features descriptions of over 900 producers across the vibrant wine regions of South Africa and also offers the 100-point equivalents for the familiar star ratings, as well as useful information for learning about and travelling in these beautiful wine lands.

Treat yourself to a tongue-in-cheek-but very practical-glimpse into the world of moonshine, from its history and American heritage to its uses and creation today. These 101 ways to interact with moonshine are wide-ranging and include practical housekeeping hints (glass cleaner, anyone?), medicinal uses, recipes, and more. Coulter & Payne is a farm-to-bottle distillery-that is, it not only makes spirits, but also grows its own ingredients. Dozens of photos offer a glimpse into the daily world of this small craft producer's operations on the farm as they bring moonshine, vodka, and bourbon to America. In these pages you'll enjoy learning about moonshine's benefits and potential applications, and understanding what it means to produce a farm-to-bottle, artisanal distilled spirit. This great resource for adventurous foodies, homesteaders, and home distillers will bring whiskey out of the backwoods for the rest of us to enjoy.

Following the success of Wine Trails, we now bring you 40 perfect weekends in North American wine country, introducing vineyards in regions including Sonoma, Walla Walla, Finger Lakes, Texas Hill Country and Okanagan, as well as celebrating secret gems off the beaten path. Wine Trails - United States and Canada is perfect for travel enthusiasts with a passion for wine. It includes detailed itineraries recommending the most interesting wineries and the best places to stay and where to eat in 40 wine regions near major cities. Winemakers offer personal insights into what wines to taste and why they're special, and help you understand a place, its people and their traditions through the wine that's made there. Entries are accompanied by gorgeous photos, maps and in-the-know authors. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.

Following the success of Wine Trails, we now bring you 40 perfect weekends in Australia and New Zealand wine country, introducing vineyards in regions including the Clare Valley, Margaret River, Hawkes Bay, Tamar Valley and Marlborough, as well as celebrating secret gems off the beaten path. Wine Trails - Australia & New Zealand is perfect for travel enthusiasts with a passion for wine. It includes detailed itineraries recommending the most interesting wineries and the best places to stay and where to eat in 40 wine regions near major cities. Winemakers offer personal insights into what wines to taste and why they're special, and help you understand a place, its people and their traditions through the wine that's made there. Entries are accompanied by gorgeous photos, maps and in-the-know authors. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.

Portable sized edition of the award-winning ""Malt Whisky"," from Charles MacLean, a world authority on the subject of malt whisky.
This edition is produced in a smaller format than the original "Malt Whisky" to allow the whisky enthusiast to carry it as a portable companion for reference when buying, tasting, or visiting distilleries. Full color maps locate the key distilleries, while over 150 photographs capture the essence of the spirit and how it is made. Charles MacLean describes how to appreciate and get the most out of tasting malt whisky, and a detailed A-Z directory features all of Scotland's key distilleries and their whiskies with full color labels. Also included are tips on buying malt whisky, as well as a guide to distillery visitor facilities and the best whisky societies and websites. This book offers all the information any malt lover could ever need to appreciate this magical spirit to the full.

Punch is the original party drink. Versatile, easy, and inexpensive, it is the perfect addition to any occasion, whether a large wedding party, baby shower, or just a fun backyard barbecue with friends and family. Potent Punches gathers the best unique recipes that will please your whole party in just one bowl. The guide shows the beginning bartender how to throw an awesome party on a budget, with simple and easy-to-follow recipes that will leave guests wondering when you had time for a bartending class. Recipes feature the familiar Bloody Mary Frappe, Whiskey Sour, Sangria, and Sweet 'n' Sour Fizz in crowd-pleasing portions, along with vintage cocktails like the San Francisco Cocktail, Mexican Patriot Cocktail, Ooo-La-La Champagne, and Frosted Black Russians. In the foreword, cocktail expert Albert W. A. Schmid explains the resurgence of punch as the modern go-to party drink and provides tips to help you be the life of the party and the ultimate punch host. Potent Punches has something for everyone, from delicious, nonalcoholic options for the kids to potent vintage punch and cocktail recipes that guarantee a fun retro vibe for your next party.

SILVER AWARD FOR BEST BEER BOOK, BRITISH GUILD OF BEER WRITERS 'Jaega Wise is the new brewing superstar' CAMRA BEER magazine Produced using a mixture of naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria, wild fermented beers offer the 'fine dining' of the beer world. These beers are how beer tasted 200 years ago, before brewing was industrialised, and are enjoying a worldwide revival. Jaega Wise, head brewer at East London's Wild Card Brewery and presenter of Amazon Prime's Beermasters, is one of the UK's experts in wild fermentation. Here, she explains the science behind the brewing process and shares her recipes so that you can experiment at home. Learn how to brew, bottle, and age your beer in wooden barrels, and produce a range of different sour beer styles, farmhouse ales and fruit beers. Recipes and styles featured in the book include: - German Berliner Weisse (tart and refreshing) and Gose (salty and dry) - Belgian Lambics, gueze, Flanders red ale and fruit beers - French Farmhouse ales such as saison and biere de garde - Norwegian Farmhouse Ales including the Kveik IPA - English Old Ale Also included is a trouble-shooter section to guide you through what happens when wild yeast and bacteria get out of control and how to remedy it. Whether you are a beer geek or a home brewing novice, Wild Brews contains everything you need to replicate today's sour and wild beer styles at home.