The Oxford Companion to Beer

A beer renaissance is well underway, suitably affirmed by this handsome "Oxford Companion" documenting the science, history, and culture of this beverage revival. The 1100-plus alphabetically arranged, signed entries range in length from about six pages for essentials ("Germany") to a quarter page on the more obscure ("glycogen") and are nicely balanced between the scientific ("aroma unit") and the sociohistorical ("beer gods"), covering a fine mix of ingredients, styles, process details, and beer-culture arcana. Though a small handful of entries on the latter (e.g., "real ale") written by enthusiasts sometimes stretch the bounds of tone uniformity, overall the editorship here is admirable for providing accessible entry to this jargon-laden topic that until recently was almost exclusively the domain of dedicated hobbyists. Many articles feature a list of sources and cross-references. Sixteen color plates illustrate intricate steins, historical sales posters, and more, while dozens of monochromatic images supplement the remaining text. Additional sections cover conversion factors; beer organizations and enthusiast clubs; festivals; websites, magazines, and newspapers; beer museums; and a directory of the 166 contributors, who are a welcome mix of academics, writers, and accomplished brewmasters. Editor Oliver (The Brewmaster's Table), brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery, is known equally for his musings about beer history and culture and for spearheading the brewery's wild success.