The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Really good but.....
Review: I'm a beginning brewer. This book came highly recommended by several websites and brewing forums. So I picked this book up.
It's a thorough book and has been updated recently as the Introduction notes.
Overall it was a good book for a beginner but there are some problems.
First, the beginning chapters really barrel through the process so quickly that you're not sure what some of the terminology means. For instance, Pitching. Which is simply a brewer's word for dumping in the yeast. You'll hear the term used through several chapters before you even have a clue what it means. Another is sparging. Which is another brewer's term for straining the spent finishing hops and other stuff out of the beer.
As you can see I've read the entire book and I'm still uncertain of terms and when they are applied. He finally explains those two previously mentioned phrases and many more in the latter half of the book but by that time I was already confused and asking myself what the heck do those words mean? So much so that I don't really think the meanings set in completely for the last half of the book. This could just be my brain hiccupping (no pun intended) or maybe a flaw in the book. You'd have to decide for yourself. I finally noticed the Appendix in the back containing a glossary. *Sigh* oh well.
Second, this is probably the most annoying part of the book for me. He has a motto that he WAY overuses in the book. Every few paragraphs he spouts off this silly motto.... "Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew"
Doesn't seem like much but after reading it about 200 times in the book I was tempted to black that stupid phrase with a marker. For as many times as he had that in the book he could have put a quick glossary at the beginning to help us newbies to understand the terms he uses and doesn't explain until after he goes over the brewing process. Can you tell I despise that saying?
Now to the good points of the book.
The book is very thorough with some great recipes and knowledge about where beers come from and what kind is what as well as how they are made. And how to make every single one of these brews. It's an invaluable resource for recipes and little tips on homebrewing and some of the pitfalls. Giving many tips and tricks on how to avoid screwing up your first few batches.
He also gives great explanations on the types of Hops, yeast, grains, and sugars. There are so many your head will spin but he manages to keep you grounded with simple knowledge and easy explanations.
This is definitely a book you'll want in your brewing library. Just remember the first time he mentions Pitching or any term you don't understand. Flip to the glossary on pg.315 and educate yourself. Don't wait for him to explain it. And you'll be fine
Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew! *shiver*

Rating:
Summary: Wanna home brew? get this book first!
Review: Many a homebrewer considers this book the BIBLE of Homebrewing.
Mr.Papazian Has sent many a curious soul down the road of the fascinating and wonderful hobby. In fact.. quite a few profesional brewer got thier start after reading this book and following it's advice.. Myself included!
If you wan't to know more about brewing your own beer at home.. you NEED this book!


Rating:
Summary: Learn to Brew
Review: This is where you start (and I started) when learning the basics of homebrewing. It is an essential first step and offers simple step by step guidance along with more advanced considerations.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide when first starting this hobby
Review: This truly is an excellent guide for starting the hobby. It certainly was my first brew book. Although my first homebrew store gave me simpler instructions with my first purchase, this book gave me the understanding of what those instructions meant.

The author is very laid back and is a knowledgeable guy that does not want you to quit the hobby because of petty details. Good brewing comes with time. After 11 years of brewing, I realize that this is a hobby, not a job. This is why the author repeats the phrase "Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew."

Being pretty savvy with both biology and chemistry, I was the typical case of a worry wort (no pun intended to all grain guys).

My first two brews, when I was too clueless to know what to worry about, came out better than the next 5!

Take this from a decent brewer: You will always want this book in your home. Although I normally use a bit more advanced guides (Designing Great Beers, and New Brewing Lager Beer), there is still some good stuff in this book. I would hardly call it only for beginners. I would say since almost every home brewer bought this book first, it is perceived to be a beginner's book. He has excellent all grain and whole hop data. He has excellent dilution data in case your wort is too concentrated. He hits on some topics that even the more advanced books don't.

This book is for beginning and experienced brewers. After all, after brewing for 11 years I picked up the third edition and found some new stuff I never saw before (hop growing and such)

You will like this book. Trust me, and relax don't worry.......


Hint: If you don't understand the terminology of your new hobby at first, use the glossary in the back of the book or an online site such as www,beertown,org or www,howtobrew,com


Rating:
Summary: A Very Well Done Update of a Classic
Review: ~As a typical homebrewer I enjoy reading as many books about the art as I can find. I was a big fan of the 2nd E of this book. That book got me started. Unfortunately it did go out of date... I am now happy to report that C.P. has done a great job updating his book. It has new information on extracts, hops, yeast, the works. Yet, the basic brewing technique is relatively unchanged. Papazian's writing is easy to read and I enjoy the laid-back style. The tables make more sense now (some~~ minor changes) and the recipes are also nicely revamped. I recommend this book to anyone interested in getting started with homebrewing.~