Jim Laughren - A Beer Drinkers Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine

What Theyre Saying

Jim Laughrens very readable book provides a wealth of information about the worlds of beer and wine, and a very useful bridge between the two. My first love will always be great craft beer, but Jim certainly helped round-out my appreciation for the worlds other great beverage. This is a book that will be read in its entirety and then brought back out to answer questions and settle disputes raised over many bottles of great beer and great wine. Cheers to that!

Dan Kenary, President and Co-Founder,

Harpoon Brewery

Wine and beer are the worlds two oldest and most important beverages. Finally heres a book that respects, appreciates and gives both their due. A Beer Drinkers Guide To Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine is excellent. If youre a beer drinker you already know about fermentation, flavors and aromas; now let author and wine expert Jim Laughren reveal the secrets of great winehow its made, where its found and how to maximize your enjoyment of it. This book is a must read for anyone, beer drinker or not, who wants to increase their knowledge of fine wine. Its probably the best, and certainly the least snobby, introduction to wine on the market today.

Shields Hood, CWE, CSS, Past President,

Society of Wine Educators

Jim Laughrens no-nonsense approach to these two marvelous beverages leaves no room for swill, yet elevates both great beer and exceptional wine to the levels they deserve. His love of beer and obvious expertise in all things vinous allows him to pull back the veil on the world of fine wine, while at the same time celebrating the best of brewing. A Beer Drinkers Guide To Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine is the ideal starting point to learn more about the worlds other great beverage.

Jeff Erway, President and Head Brewer,

La Cumbre Brewing Co.

Jim Laughren dives into the world of fermentable beverages and comes up a winner. Unpretentious and utterly enjoyable, A Beer Drinkers Guide to Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine is masterfully writtena true imbibers fun and friendly exploration into wine, beer, and exciting wine cocktails. Research and recipes go hand in hand so discover what Jim already knows: wine is for enjoying, so enjoy mixing it up!

Linda Pettine, CWE, CSS, Professor of Mixology,

Johnson & Wales University

A Beer Drinkers Guide To Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine scores a bulls-eye for anyone wanting to explore the ins and outs of wine. Though author and certified wine educator Jim Laughren uses beer and ale as a starting point, his conversational, easy-to-understand style makes this a book for anyone seeking entre to the world of wine. From styles and varietals to scoring, storing and wine-speaking with the best of the insiders, this book is both fun and truly educational.

Jane Nickles, CWE, author of WineSpeak 101

A Beer Drinkers Guide To Knowing And Enjoying Fine Wine

Jim Laughren, CWE

Chicago, Illinois

A Beer Drinkers Guide To Knowing And Enjoying Fine Wine

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2012 Jim Laughren

Maps by Christa Wilson

Illustrations by Charles Somerville

Cover design by www.KarrieRoss.com

Front cover photo by Kate Laughren

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the express written consent of the publisher.

Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2012908979

ISBN: 978-0-9855336-0-1

Crosstown Publishing, Inc.

www.crosstownpublishinginc.com

Printed in the United States of America

For Patti,

Always by my side

And Kate,

Always in my heart

Table of Contents

Introduction

Of course I drink wine. How could I not? Anyone who enjoys aromas and flavours must find enjoyment in both of the worlds two great fermented drinks.

the late, great Michael Jackson, international beer expert

S o, its finally time to get serious, to stop fooling around. No one says you have to give up beerlike thats ever going to happenbut. Was it the lady in your life who suggested it? Or maybe the husband or boyfriend, or someone at work talking about that new wine bar down the street. It might even have been your boss, or those think-theyre-all-that friends, who keep trying to get you into wine.

But why? you ask. Because, they say. Youre missing out; its time you showed a little, well, sophistication (as if they had any of their own). Its time your palate grew up. Or, says the boss, wed like you to entertain some clients but theyre looking for a more upscale experience. Or because you moved to that hip new neighborhood and when you get invited to parties or get-togethers, everyones standing around sipping glasses of red or white, not frothy amber. Or maybe youd like to find a partner and its dawned on you that wine tastings can be great venues for slightly tipsy encounters of the possibly romantic kind. And youre rightdrinking wine can be a delicious way to meet smart, interesting and yes, attractive people. To expand your circle, not to mention the old horizons. To learn something new and worthwhile and easier on the shins and fingernails than rock-wall climbing at the gym. Or maybe youre thinking that wine could be almost as interesting as some of the terrific new craft brews youve been enjoying. And lets be honest, what wine youve had, youve liked. Maybe you havent sampled that much, not of the really good stuff, but most of the juice youve tried has been pretty tasty. So why not uncover its secrets? Explore a little. Take a walk on the vino side of the street. Welcome to the wonderful world of wine.

Is there anything better on a hot summers day after a sweaty afternoon pushing a lawnmower around the postage stamp or finishing a three-lost-balls round of golf in the midday sun than an icy cold lager? The answer, as every beer drinker knows, is of course not. Nothing quenches that deep-down, hard-work thirst like a frosty mug of liquid nectar.

Lovely, delicious, and refreshing. From pale ale to a rich, heady stout, nothing fills the bill like a great beer when it comes to satisfying a big thirst. From toasty to nutty, from sweet to sour, with a dose of caramel, a hit of hops, or a dash of fruit, good beer offers a dazzling array of flavors that only adds to its enjoyment.

And yet, as good as the properly chosen brew can be, especially with a hefty meat and cheese or a sizzling burger off the grill, even the most ardent hops fan will be amazed at the incredible range of stylesthe diversity of the flavors, textures and aromasfound in the worlds other great beverage. For those into the grape, nothing is more versatile, more complex, more damned delicious, glass after glass, than a well-made, well-chosen wine.

Now hold on! Dont get yourself all in a froth, there. And dont even think about hurling that heirloom stein at me. What is, is. And just as beer in all its manifestations, from pilsner to porter, from doppelbocks to double IPAs, makes for a remarkable gallery of taste and satisfaction, wines range of styles, types, colors, tastes, and aromas makes it a beverage worthy of study and imbibing by even the worlds greatest brew lovers. Consider the influence of tens, if not hundreds of thousands of vineyard sites, of thousands of grape varieties, of uncountable variations in soil and weather conditions, of the umpteen winemaking decisions that vary not only from vintner to vintner but from day to day during the growing season and the winemaking process, and even the aging regimenand the potential for beautiful outcomes is unlimited. Not to mention the annual shifting of all the rules and possibilities due to vintage variation.