Rita Kohn - The Complete Idiots Guide to Beer Tasting

Dear Reader,

When it comes to getting information, you have more options than ever. Many of them are online, which is great when you need a little information right away. But when you want detail and depth, a successful outcome, or a rich learning experience, you turn to the source youre holding nowa book. And not just any book: a Complete Idiots Guide.

We designed this Complete Idiots Guide for you, because youre the kind of information seeker we understand and value. Youre smart, competent, and willing to tackle something new no matter how daunting it seemseven when the learning curve is high and you feel like a complete idiot. After all, todays complete idiot is tomorrows expert.

So dive right in and let us guide you past the pain of beginner brain and on to the pleasure of discovery and achievement. Youll get the results you want because our authors are credentialed experts who stick with you every step of the way. Youll enjoy the process because our editors know what makes learning easy and what just gets in the way. And if we ever fall short, well count on you to let us know so we can fix the problem.

And the next time you need information right away, check in with our online experts at idiotsguides.com. Our commitment to intelligent, accurate information carries through everything we doin print or online.

Happy learning!

Mike Sanders
Publisher, Alpha Books

ALPHA BOOKS

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore, Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Copyright 2013 by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240.

THE COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-61564-352-3
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2013930721

15 14 13 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the books printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the books printing. For example, a printing code of 13-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2013.

Printed in the United States of America

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

Most Alpha books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets, Alpha Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014.

Publisher:Mike Sanders

Executive Managing Editor:Billy Fields

Senior Acquisitions Editor:Brook Farling

Senior Development Editor:Christy Wagner

Development Editor:Nancy Lewis

Senior ProductionEditor:Janette Lynn

Copy Editor:Krista Hansing Editorial Services, Inc.

CoverDesigner:William Thomas

BookDesigners:William Thomas, Rebecca Batchelor

Indexer:Bradley Herriman

Layout:Brian Massey

Proofreader:Tricia Liebig

Cover Images:Sian Irvine, Kellie Walsh, Andrew Harris, Steve Gorton

Introduction

Everyone has a favorite story they tell and retell as a life-changing event. Recalling the ambiance, time, and place of the first Craft beer creating a Wow! moment is the reversal of the big one that got away for people who drink Craft beer.

For Anita Johnson, it was going to a pub with family in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s and asking, Are there any local beers? They were served Sam Adams, and they loved it. Anita subsequently opened a homebrew supply shop.

For Ron Smith, it was while browsing the local liquor stores for the usual cheap college beer. I would see these interesting-looking beers from around the world, and I was curious about what they tasted like. He acted on his curiosity, and he never turned back. Ron now leads beer tours to Germany and Belgium.

For Greg Christmas, it was Purdue 1982, with a Learn how to brew beer ad in the student newspaper. I looked at my buddy. He looked at me. We said, Wow, so we marched on down there. They tasted the instructors brew. They said Wow again. Now Greg is a member of the Dogfish Head engineering/quality control team.

For Ted Miller, it was coming home from college and noticing that a brewery was open. Ted recalls, I said to my mom, Theres a brewery five blocks away. Im going to work there. The owner told him to come back when he was 21. Ted came back, traveled the world brewing, became an advocate for Belgians and gastropubs, and opened his own gastropub specializing in Belgians.

For Cari Crowe, it was a student trip to Scotland with the discovery of beer that took her breath away. Cari now is a representative of a regional brewery with a daily mission to pair each person with the beer they will fall in love with. She says, Getting the beer inside you and feeling the interaction when you swallow, thats a visceral experience.