The world's best-selling annual wine guide.

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 47th year of publication, it has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide.

Providing clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world, the book also reveals which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine 2024 gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both.

This latest edition of Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine includes a colour supplement on Chardonnay, the world's most obliging grape, discussing everything from history and taste to texture, fashion and the role oak plays - and of course who makes the best Chardonnays around the world.

In this timely book, John Parkes demystifies the brewing process and explains in easy-to-follow terms how anyone can produce delicious beer with the help of just some basic equipment and a few key skills. Those new to home brewing will love the easy-to-follow instructions and the detailed explanations of the brewing process and anyone already adept at home brewing will be delighted by the original recipes. Made without unnecessary chemicals and additives, the beers featured here will appeal to anyone seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

..".a very valuable book...Lie any good book, this one raises as many questions as it answers. It is a solidly anthropological volume, combining biological and cultural dimension of the discipline. I recommend the book highly." . American Anthropologist

Over the last decades quite a few studies have been devoted to drinking. Most of these were concerned with alcohol and written by social anthropologists. This book presents multidisciplinary aspects of the ingestion of liquids at large, addressing many of the overt and covert meanings of drinking: from satisfying biological needs to communicating with humans and the hereafter, attempting to reach a differential emotional state or seeking good health and longevity through the ingestion of appropriate beverages. It includes papers from both biological and social scientists and covers a fair range of societies from rural and urban environments, and in continents and countries ranging from Europe, Africa, and Latin America to Malaysia and the Pacific.

Igor de Garine, Emeritus Director of Research, CNRS, Paris, and President of the International Commission for the Anthropology of Food

Over the last decades quite a few studies have been devoted to drinking. Most of these were concerned with alcohol and written by social anthropologists. This book presents multidisciplinary aspects of the ingestion of liquids at large, addressing many of the overt and covert meanings of drinking: from satisfying biological needs to communicating with humans and the hereafter, attempting to reach a differential emotional state or seeking good health and longevity through the ingestion of appropriate beverages. It includes papers from both biological and social scientists and covers a fair range of societies from rural and urban environments, and in continents and countries ranging from Europe, Africa, and Latin America to Malaysia and the Pacific.

Until the eighteenth century or even later, beer was the staple drink of most men and women at all levels of society. Tea and coffee were expensive luxuries while water might well carry disease. To supply the needs of both owners and servants, every country house with an accessible source of water had a brewhouse, usually close at hand. Although many of the brewhouses still stand, in some cases with the original brewing vessels (as at Lacock and Charlecote), their habitual conversion to other uses has allowed them to be ignored. Yet they are distinctive buildings - as much part of a country house as an ice-house or stables - which need both to be recognised and preserved.
The scale of brewing in country houses, which went on to a surprisingly late date in the nineteenth century (with odd survivals, such as Hickleton in Yorkshire, into the twentieth), was often considerable, if small besides that of commercial brewing. Copious records for both brewing and consumption exist. Pamela Sambrook describes the brewing equipment, such as coppers, mash tuns underbacks and coolers; the types of beers brewed, from strong ale to small beer and how they were kept; and the brewers themselves, their skills and attitudes.
"English Country House Brewing, 1500-1900" shows the role beer played in the life of the country house, with beer allowances and beer money an integral part of servants' rewards. Generous allowances were made for arduous tasks, such as harvesting. For celebrations, such as the heir's coming of age, extra-strong ale was provided. This book, which is heavily illustrated, is an important and original contribution to architectural, brewing and social history.

Easy Cocktails features over 100 cocktails all made with four ingredients or less! Forget the syrups and foams and make quick cocktails at home. With Easy Cocktails on hand you'll be able to mix an amazing variety of cocktails, all of which are made with four ingredients or less, at a moment's notice. Just because a drink only has a few ingredients doesn't mean it can't be great, and this book features over 100 delicious drinks, from classics to newfangled mixes. Innovation is spurred by tradition and being able to make the most of what you've got on hand is an essential lesson, which Easy Cocktails is all about. This is the home bartender's go-to guide.

'James Crowden is Britain's best cider writer ... Cider Country is the book we've all been waiting for.' Oz Clarke Join James Crowden as he embarks on a journey to distil the ancient origins of cider, uncovering a rich culture and philosophy that has united farmer, maker and drinker for millennia. LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 ANDRE SIMON FOOD AND DRINK AWARD Cidermaking has been at the heart of country life for hundreds of years. But the fascinating story of how this drink came into existence and why it became so deeply rooted in the nation's psyche has never been told. In order to answer these questions, James Crowden traces an elusive history stretching back to the ancient, myth-infused civilisations of the Mediterranean and the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan. Meeting cider experts, farmers and historians, he unearths the surprising story of an apple that travelled from east to west and proved irresistible to everyone who tasted it. Upon its arrival in Britain, monks, pirates and politicians formed a pioneering and evangelical fan base, all seeking the company of a drink that might guide them through uncertain times. But the nation's love-affair with cider didn't fully blossom until after the reformation, when the thirst for knowledge about the drink was at its peak. This infatuation with experimentation would lead to remarkable innovations and the creation of a 'sparkling cider', a technique that pre-dated Dom Perignon's champagne by forty years. Turning to the present day, Crowden meets the next generation of cider makers and unearths a unique philosophy that has been shared through the ages. In the face of real challenges, these enterprising cider makers are still finding new ways to produce this golden drink that is enjoyed by so many. Spanning centuries and continents, Cider Country tells the story of our country through the culture, craft and consumption of our most iconic rural drink.

Whilst Wine Marketing: a practical guide also looks at theory and existing research, the main focus of this book is on the practicalities of wine marketing. Each chapter includes the following invaluable features: * 'How to' and 'how not to' case studies based on international examples * A guide to further reading and websites * 'Issues to consider when marketing' section as a means of self-evaluation 'Wine Marketing' systematically outlines the major issues involved in the production and marketing of wine. Its accessible and clear-sighted approach makes it an invaluable guide for everyone in the field.

This is a short, entertaining and illuminating introduction to the history and culture of coffee, from the humble origins of the bean in northeast Africa over a millennium ago, to what it is today, a global phenomenon that is enjoyed around the world. It is the perfect gift for coffee lovers, including chapters on the rise of the coffeehouse, legal bans on coffee, Brazil's domination of the world coffee trade and the birth of the espresso.

An introductory survey of the industry's history precedes the dictionary proper--articles arranged in alphabetical order which describe virtually every facet of the industry. Institutions, personalities, legislation, terminology, histories of breweries and distillers, and more. Twelve appendixes enhance the book's usefulness.

A Perfect Gift for the Cocktail Lover Inspiring, practical, and designed for entertaining, this beautifully designed deluxe box set includes two cocktail books and matching coasters-- The Negroni Book: More than 30 recipes, including both the classic that achieved cocktail perfection in Florence, Italy, and dozens of variations, deviations, and delicious reinterpretations. The Martini Book: A celebration of the timeless, sophisticated, and iconic cocktail of choice among generations of writers, actors, politicians, bon vivants--and of course, 007--and more than 30 recipes. 8 Coasters: Serve your perfect drinks in style. Eight cocktail-bar quality coasters are included in the set, four Negroni and four Martini, each featuring a striking image over a strong cork base.

Would Queen Victoria have been good value over a pint? Where can you find the most northerly pub in the UK? Which pub was run by a member of the mafia?

Britain is famed, above all else, for two things: a great literary tradition, and truly superb pubs. It should naturally follow that there are lots of great books about pubs, right? Wrong.

Now, we are correcting that with this miscellany of the fascinating, the quirky, the exciting, the novel and the downright odd that you will want to sit down with a pint and dive in. Here you'll find stories, quirks, essays, deep-dives, listicles and more - everything but the pint - for you to immerse yourself in the wonderful, weird, funny and witty history of British pubs.

Collected by The Fence, with contributions from the brilliant Tom Parker Bowles, William Hanson, John Banville, Róisín Lanigan, Clive Martin, Katy Hessel and many more.