Pale Ale, Revised: History, Brewing, Techniques, Recipes (Classic Beer Style Series, 1)

I've been planning to brew an English special bitter and read this book recently in order to more accurately understand the style. It is extensively researched and provided information that was very helpful. For example, Foster explains why he doesn't use adjuncts like sugar and flaked corn (as many commercial brewers do) but relies instead upon his malt bill to achieve both gravity and flavor. His brief discussion of crystal malts and dark malts was likewise informative. I was pleased to find that my percentage of malts in my recipe dovetailed with his suggestions and ended up taking out the flaked corn that was in my recipe and replacing it with a higher percentage of grain. Certainly Ray Daniel's "Designing Great Beers" provides more detail with respect to describing the different grains, hops, and yeasts available to the home brewer - but if you are in the market for "Pale Ale" then you probably already knew that (or will soon). Get both if you're interested in brewing pale ale. Foster provides several recipes indicative of different styles of pale ale (the use of the term, it should be noted, is not entirely accurate - but Foster is the one who brings it up) such as bitter, pale ale, India pale ale, American amber, and American pale ale. These recipes are included to show how the ingredients in the recipes help them to reflect a specific style, and I plan to use them as guidelines for developing my own recipes in the future. Readers looking for specific recipes that clone English commercial pale ales should get "Brew British Real Ale" by Graham Wheeler and Roger Protz - although it should be noted that you will have to figure out the specific color-range of crystal malts and yeasts used in the recipes as the authors don't include them! Finally, I don't understand why one reviewer marked Foster down for his frequent use of exclamation points as indicative of sarcasm; in my gentler reading they were merely indicative of his enthusiasm!

This book has excelence in my opinion. Foster knows how to come around with the subject, starting with the history of beers in England direct to the mashing, ending on the cellar's casks. If you want history, you got it; if you want definition, you got it; if you want to know how to brew and drink this amazing beer, well, it is in this book! Foster yet points his experience and personal preferences, explaining why's. Sincerely, this book got rank #1 in the classic series, even for an advanced brewer, it has plenty of tricky knowledge worth learning. I do strongly recommend this one. (If you got the 1st edition, buy this new one; it comes with a lot new knowledge and statements)

I was disappointed with this book. I found some contradictory statements in it as well as being too pedantic and even technical. I brew; but some of this technical info is not really needed for what i make. I am not so concerned about putting everything in neat tiny boxes. That is why I experiment and make my own varied styles. (I love porter and have his Porter book. To short; but also too technical.) I find that maybe 20-25 pages of the total book is worth anything to me. Sorry I spent the $ on it now. can only sell it back for 35 cents. not good.

A pretty quick read, but covers a lot of ground. I especially like the detail Foster goes into with dispensing, and casks - as opposed to kegs. I always suspected air got into the cask and wondered how that could be a good thing. Turns out all you have to do is drink your beer fast, before it spoils. Makes me want to brew a batch.

I should have been more careful when buying this book, it was written before 1999, and some of the material could be dated. The author does have a different perspective, by not being an American writing from an American viewpoint.

Getting back into home brewing after a long break. This book by Mr Foster has been invaluable. It covers a the history of the pale ale style(s) as well as some great recipes. Each recipe has an extract and all grain version(s).

Excelent book to understand the style, history and Technics of production...

Gave this book as a gift to my Son in Law who has gotten into home brewing over the last few years, he loves IPA so this was a good reference for the style.

Great piece of work, whether your a brewer or drinkerI've been brewing pale ale for 8 years plus now and continue to search for more knowledge to stretch my style further. This is a great book full of old history and recipe tips. Recommended to be read, with a pint by your side.

A substantial and important revision to the error riddled first edition but still seeks to cover too many 'styles' in too little depth really.

I had quite high expectations from this book, but the more I read the less fulfilled they were.The book was tedious to read. The recipe section is OK I suppose, but the history and other commentary is convoluted, and at times self-contradictory.Granted, it's a book about beer history and not a thriller, but even as these things go, I found this effort exceptionally dull.I read some reviews about what a great book this is because it has had a proper revision since first published. I haven't read the original edition, but if this represents an upgrade then I'm grateful for small mercies.It's not like it's the only book of this type I've ever read. It is perhaps the most dreary thing I've read on the topic.As stated, the recipe section is OK, but there's nothing there which is not available elsewhere for no charge.There is some good information in the book. It's just a shame it's buried deeply in such a lot of words.

Grear book to have, either to read or to help to you brew. I give it 5 stare.