Miracle Brew – Hops, Barley, Water, Yeast and the Nature of Beer, by Beer Writer of the Year Pete Brown, was published earlier this month and is available on Amazon.
Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink on the planet, but few who enjoy it know much about how its four ingredients – malted barley, hops, yeast and water – miraculously combine.
We’ve been brewing and drinking beer for thousands of years, without understanding how or why the brewing process works. In the Middle Ages, yeast was called ‘godisgoode’ because no one had any idea what fermentation was. Malting barley, too, has for centuries seemed genuinely wondrous: it’s only in the last 200 years that science has identified and understood how man and yeast work together to gently (or not so gently) persuade this humble grain to give up its sugary stash for fermentation into beer.
From the birth of brewing (and civilization) in the Middle East, through an exploration of water’s unmurky depths and the surreal madness of drink-sodden hop-blessings in the Czech Republic, to the stunning recreation of the first ever modern beer – Miracle Brew is an extraordinary journey through the nature and science of brewing.
Along the way, we’ll meet and drink with a cast of characters who reveal the magic of beer and celebrate the joy of drinking it. And, almost without noticing, we’ll learn the naked truth about the world’s greatest beverage.
Praise for Pete Brown
‘Brown is an unashamed beer nerd but by some twist of fate he’s also a fascinating and engaging writer’ – Financial Times
‘Like a good drinking companion, Pete Brown tells a remarkable story… The beer drinker’s Bill Bryson’ – Times Literary Supplement
‘Like an evening in some louche boozer packed with crackpot regulars… froths with offbeat charm’ – Boyd Tonkin, The Independent
About Pete Brown
Pete Brown is a British author, journalist, blogger and broadcaster specialising in food and drink, especially the fun parts like beer and cider. His broad, fresh approach takes in social history, cultural commentary, travel writing, personal discovery and natural history, and his words are always delivered with the warmth and wit you’d expect from a great night down the pub. He writes for newspapers and magazines around the world and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme. He was named British Beer Writer of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2016, and Fortnum & Mason Drink Book Winner in 2017. He lives in London.
Miracle Brew is available on Amazon and all good bookshops. An ideal Father’s Day present!