From prompting a transition from hunter-gatherer to an agrarian lifestyle in ancient Mesopotamia to bankrolling Britain's imperialist conquests, strategic taxation and the regulation of beer has played a pivotal role throughout history. Beeronomics: How Beer Explains the World tells these stories, and many others, whilst also exploring the key innovations that propelled the industrialization and consolidation of the beer market. At the same time when mega-mergers in the brewing industry are creating huge transnationals selling their beer across the globe, the craft beer movement in America and Europe has brought the rich history of ancient brewing techniques to the forefront in recent years. But less talked about is the economic influence of this beverage on the world and the myriad ways it has shaped the course of history. Beeronomics covers world history through the lens of beer, exploring the common role that beer taxation has played throughout and providing context for recognizable brands and consumer trends and tastes. Beeronomics examines key developments that have moved the brewing industry forward. Its most ubiquitous ingredient, hops, was used by the Hanseatic League to establish the export dominance of Hamburg and Bremen in the sixteenth century. During the late nineteenth century, bottom-fermentation led to the spread of industrial lager beer. Industrial innovations in bottling, refrigeration, and TV advertising paved the way for the consolidation and market dominance of major macrobreweries like Anheuser Busch in America and Artois Brewery in Belgium during the twentieth century. We're now in the era of global integration- one multinational AB InBev, claims 46% of all beer profits- but there's a counterrevolution afoot of small, independent craft breweries in both America, Belgium and around the world. Beeronomics surveys these trends, giving context to why you see which brands and styles on shelves at your local supermarket or on tap at the nearby pub.

Paul has a great fondness for beer and a wealth of knowledge about it. He has spent considerable time developing recipes in which beer plays a significant role, not as a gimmick, but as an essential flavouring. His recipes display a depth of knowledge about the flavours and qualities of various beers and the dishes that they best complement. The 80-plus recipes include both bold and subtle dishes, from traditional beer-based favourites such as Lamb Shanks in Guinness, to variations on classics, such as Beer-Braised Beef Osso Bucco, to those that use beer in unexpected but wholly delicious ways, such as Birramisu and Sticky Date Pudding.

In 1300, women brewed and sold most of the ale drunk in England, but by 1600 the industry was largely controlled by men. Ale, Beer and Brewsters investigates this change, asking how, when, and why brewing ceased to be a woman's trade and became a trade of men. In doing so, Bennett sheds new light on a central problem in women's history: the effects of early capitalism on the status of women's work.

While the term "session beer" as a style description has only been around since the 1980s, many classic beer styles, like Pilsner, Koelsch, cream ale, and English mild and bitter, to name a few, have been a crucial part of "session" culture for beer drinkers for centuries. In more recent years, many craft brewers in America have begun producing additional low-alcohol drinks, providing sessionable examples of customarily strong beers. Nowadays, the craft beer market has many notable examples of "session IPAs" and moderate-strength pale ales and stouts, and even rare styles like Gose are now part of mainstream craft offerings. These cover a wide range in terms of malt balance and hoppiness, and their moderate strength requires high brewing standards to achieve balance and drinkability. In Session Beers: Brewing for Flavor and Balance, author Jennifer Talley takes an overview of the history behind some of the world's greatest session beers, past and present. Talley weaves societal, political, and brewing trends into her narrative, and stresses the importance of beer in society as well as offering guidance on how brewers can encourage responsible drinking in their patrons. She addresses brewing processes and ingredients to help brewers master recipe development when crafting high-quality but easy-drinking beers. The final section contains 25 recipes curated by the author. These recipes are for popular craft session beers taken straight from the mouths of some of the best brewmasters in America, complete with a brief history of the breweries and brewers involved. Open up this book and disover why beer drinkers say "I'll have another" to session beers, and be inspired to brew some of your own.