[Big_Eight]

I know this is about book ideas, but we need a drunk history themed show on beer history.

I do like reading about beer history though, but I assume there is enough of that around already.

[Drewch]

But much shorter.  And more humorous. Seems like a scientific audio book would be dry and boring.

I agree. I have an audiobook copy of Beer by Charles Bamforth and the material just doesn't translate well for me.

At the moment, my interests lie in two areas.

First, I'm more interested in books that tell the story of brewing ... I'd like more books on historical brewing -- local & national traditions.  Martyn Cornell or Ron Pattinson or Andreas Krennmair type stuff.  Or think of the huge classic beer styles series (e.g., #11 Barleywine), but do each volume as an in depth exploration of a culture's brewing tradition rather than a system of styles that were only codified recently. Secrets of the Master Brewers does a good job of exploring history and applying it to the hobby, and I hear Beer Bible 2nd Ed. expands on this idea.

Second, I'm homebrewer: this is a hobby.  I'm not trying to be the next Sierra Nevada or even the next Straight to Ale or Monday Night. Even if I went pro, that market is crowded. Give me books about doing fun stuff with the ingredients around me.  Hyper-local brewing.  Like the Growing Beer podcast or The Wildcrafting Brewer by Baudar.

[Drewch]

PS - track down Jannsen and make him turn the disjointed series of blog posts at Hors Catégorie into a cohesive exploration of turn of the (last) century Franco-Belgian brewing.

[lupulus]

My opinion only.

You don't need any book written.
Haven't bought one of your books nor opened one in ages.
Translate Narziss two volumes of Die Bierbrauerei.
Cheers!

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[Bel Air Brewing]

As a brewer since 1990, many of your books have been purchased and read from cover to cover.
Today much of the info sought by the average brewer is available online. With a few simple mouse clicks. There are multiple brewing forums that can and do offer good advice.

It is doubtful that we would purchase any new book.

[goose]

With regard to updating DGB, I too think it would outdated very quickly.  There is so much information about great beer recipes online these days that one can design a great beer by looking at the online recipes and choosing an ingredient from one person's recipe, then another, etc., to make a great recipe for their own brew.  That is what I do when trying to brew something new and have had really good luck with it.  It takes a bit of practice to get really good at tweaking the recipe to what a person will be looking for but that is the whole fun part of the hobby.

The current version of DGB gives you ideas on what can make a good recipe for a certain style and then a person can go to online recipes to pick out what they want to put in that beer.  Years ago DGB was my go to book, but now I rarely open it.

Just my 0.02.

[denny]

I second the plea to keep it homebrewer focused.  If I never see another book like Water, it would be too soon.

[lupulus]

I second the plea to keep it homebrewer focused.  If I never see another book like Water, it would be too soon.

"The training of brewers is the same whether you are training a home-brewer or you are training a brewer for Anheuser-Busch"
Michael J. Lewis

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[denny]

I second the plea to keep it homebrewer focused.  If I never see another book like Water, it would be too soon.

"The training of brewers is the same whether you are training a home-brewer or you are training a brewer for Anheuser-Busch"
Michael J. Lewis

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So much wrong with that statement.  For one, homebrewing is a hobby and I get to decide for myself what's important to me.

[RC]

Fact: A huge percentage of homebrewers (I'm thinking at least 50-60%??) are scientists, engineers, and IT people.  Give us SCIENCE and give us MATH. 

The only data I know of about this is Brulosophy's, which indicate that this percentage of homebrewers is just shy of 40%.

I am a scientist, and the thought of reading a brewing book that is essentially a compendium of primary papers sounds dreadful (although to be fair I do not necessarily think that this is what you are suggesting).

IMO what homebrewers desperately need is not yet another book about brewing science, but formal sensory training. This of course does not lend itself to book format unless the book came with scratch-and-sniff stickers

[ynotbrusum]

I enjoy listening to podcasts during the brew day - some for fun and less than technical expositions (Denny and Drew usually hit this button, as does Brulosophy); some for in depth discussion on a topic involving commercial brewers (MBAA usually hits this button); and some for in-depth homebrewing issues (Palmer and Zainasheff come to mind).  These are interesting and help pass the time during mash and boil intervals.  There are many others, including the whole Brewing Network selection to watch and listen to if you would want.  Books are typically things I like to spend some time with during long winter evenings - some are easy reading, some are not and if not, I tend to let it sit until I really have little else to do and can justify working through the harder to read books.

[erockrph]

Fact: A huge percentage of homebrewers (I'm thinking at least 50-60%??) are scientists, engineers, and IT people.  Give us SCIENCE and give us MATH. 

The only data I know of about this is Brulosophy's, which indicate that this percentage of homebrewers is just shy of 40%.

I am a scientist, and the thought of reading a brewing book that is essentially a compendium of primary papers sounds dreadful (although to be fair I do not necessarily think that this is what you are suggesting).

IMO what homebrewers desperately need is not yet another book about brewing science, but formal sensory training. This of course does not lend itself to book format unless the book came with scratch-and-sniff stickers

It's been a while since I read "Tasting Beer" by Randy Mosher, and I honestly don't remember whether it was before or after I started brewing, but I remember that being rather useful. It might be time for a re-read, as a matter of fact.

And I also agree that as a scientist myself, I would much rather consume whitepaper and technical journal articles in online format rather than in a book.

[lupulus]

I second the plea to keep it homebrewer focused.  If I never see another book like Water, it would be too soon.

"The training of brewers is the same whether you are training a home-brewer or you are training a brewer for Anheuser-Busch"
Michael J. Lewis

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So much wrong with that statement.  For one, homebrewing is a hobby and I get to decide for myself what's important to me.

Yet, he's the most respected brewing teacher in the US.

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[denny]

I second the plea to keep it homebrewer focused.  If I never see another book like Water, it would be too soon.

"The training of brewers is the same whether you are training a home-brewer or you are training a brewer for Anheuser-Busch"
Michael J. Lewis

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So much wrong with that statement.  For one, homebrewing is a hobby and I get to decide for myself what's important to me.

Yet, he's the most respected brewing teacher in the US.

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So what?  I know what I want from homebrewing and I don't need you or anyone else to tell me.  Nothing you or he say applies to my hobby.  Do what you want to and so will I.  It's freaking making beer at home.  It's not a big deal.

[Big_Eight]

+1 to Denny!