Synopsis:

Designed for anyone who enjoys a good brew, The Beer Lover's Rating Guide encourages readers to discover their own favorite beers while offering an assessment of each entry on its look, smell, and taste. By including full descriptions of beers from 77 countries and 36 states, veteran beer-rater Robert Klein gives fellow beer drinkers the details they need to decide whether or not each selection is one they would enjoy. A drinker-friendly, down-to-earth, portable rating guide to over 1,200 beers, plus much more: discussions of beer with food, beers for non-beer drinkers, non-alcoholic beers, the right glass for different types of beers, a glossary of beer terms, how packaging contributes to a beer's taste, and bunches of barroom trivia. All you need to explore and conquer the world of brews and the brews of the world. 2-color illustrations throughout.

Review:

This guide will quickly become the best friend of any true beer connoisseur. Author Bob Klein actually makes his living drinking, judging, and writing about beer. This encyclopedia came about when Klein realized he had sampled so many different brews over the years, he couldn't remember which he had tried.

Klein first describes the different styles of beer, from ales to stouts, and provides the best storage temperature and a basic range of coloring and alcohol content for each style. He then recommends the proper glass from which you should drink each style of beer and suggests foods that particular brews should be paired with.

The lion's share of the book is Klein's rating guide, which begins with a rundown of his judging methods for taste and aroma. Entries in the guide are arranged in alphabetical order by beer name, and each beer is ranked on a number system from zero to five (with anything below a three being a big waste of taste buds). In addition to detailed descriptions of each beer's flavor, Klein also tells where the beer is brewed and the type of brewery that produces each brew.

This pocket-sized reference ends with an alphabetical listing of beers by state and by country (so you know what you should be drinking wherever you happen to be), by style, by uniqueness, and by odd names. An index of brewpubs and a section for making your own rating notes round out the guide. --Cristina Vaamonde