28 Of The Top Beer And Booze Books Of 2022

BEER

The Anchor Brewing Story: America’s First Craft Brewery & San Francisco’s Original Anchor Steam Beer (David Burkhart, Foreword by Fritz Maytag)Author David Burkhart brings us the story of San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing, home of the iconic Anchor Steam beer. With a foreword by Fritz Maytag (yes, that Fritz Maytag, the man who gave rise to craft brewing when he bought the failing 19th century brewery in 1965), this book is sure to fill you in on everything you ever wanted to know (and probably some things you didn’t) about one of the oldest and most pioneering breweries in the United States.

Beer A Tasting Course: A Flavor-Focused Approach to the World of Beer (Mark Dredge) It’s hard to narrow down why you might recognize this author’s name, as he involves himself in so many activities He’s won numerous beer/food/travel awards, written several books, and currently presents on Britain’s “Sunday Brunch” TV show as the go-to beer expert. In his book, Mark Dredge covers styles from across history and around the world with instructions on how to best enjoy each brew, whether you’re drinking it solo or as a pairing with food.

The Book of Hops: A Craft Beer Lover’s Guide to Hoppiness (Dan DiSorbo) Hops have many uses in beer – bitterness, aroma, flavor, preservation, etc. But what do we really know about this fragrant plant? The Book of Hops, written by best selling author Dan DiSorbo, highlights 50 of the world’s top hop profiles and reveals them in their full splendor with stunning photography. Feel like a connoisseur after reading notes from hop growers and brewers about the composition, history, and examples of the hops you find in so many popular brews.

The Botany of Beer: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 Plants Used in Brewing (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History) (Giuseppe Caruso, Translated by Kosmos SRL and Foreword by Marika Josephson) Though we don’t know for sure, humans likely “discovered” beer while foraging in nature for food, and plants remain an integral part of the beer-making process today. In this book, Giuseppe Caruso takes a deep, deep dive (we’re talking 640 pages!) into the botany of beer. He leads readers way down the path of plant uses in beer, including which beers and parts of the plant match best, the history behind it all, and even the dark side of plants, which stem from their potential toxicity. Marika Josephson, owner and head brewster at the renowned foraging-forward Scratch Brewing, writes the foreword.

Brewing with Hemp: The Essential Guide (Volume 2) (Ross Koenigs)

As marijuana becomes increasingly legal throughout the United States, brewers are getting creative at the intersection where alcohol and cannabis meet. This book traces the structure of the plant and explains how to apply each part to beer as well as outlining the various infusion techniques. Its accessible approach to the science of hemp beers allows the reader to become responsibly educated without the feel of a school textbook. As your teachers have always said – science can be fun!

Celis Beer: Born in Belgium, Brewed in Texas (Jeremy Banas, Forewords by Christine Celis and Chris Bauweraerts)

Pierre Celis is best known for the resurgence of the popular beer style witbier. While his work with this style began in Belgium, fate – in the form of a fire – would bring him, his recipes and his yeast strain (smuggled in his sock) to Texas. They say everything is bigger in Texas, well, so was Celis Beer. In 2017, his daughter Christine regained the name rights after the brewery had been acquired – and shuttered – by Miller Brewing, and reinvigorated the brand once more using the original recipe. The legacy continues on with his granddaughter, Daytona, who currently brews the beer. Jeremy Banas (author and co-founder of San Antonio Beer Week) explores the history behind the legend.

Craft Beer Design: The Design, Illustration and Branding of Contemporary Breweries (Peter Monrad)

“They” say that we eat and drink with our eyes, right? This book explores craft beer branding and the creative geniuses and thought processes behind them. As the former creative director of one of Scandinavia’s largest media companies, Copenhagen-based author Peter Monrad brings a sharp international eye to branding and how it impacts the beer world.

The Craft Brewery Cookbook: Recipes To Pair With Your Favorite Beers (John Holl) Think of the last time you drank beer with food. Did it score as a winning combination? Raise your pairing game with longtime beer journalist and cookbook author John Holl’s 70+ examples of pairings that hit just right. Whether you’re trying to show off to a crowd or simply want an excuse to kick it up in the kitchen, this book covers everything from seafood (ex: spicy fish ceviche with grilled pineapple) to vegetarian (mushroom and vegetable dumplings with mango chili nuoc cham) to desserts (peanut butter bonbons).

Gluten-Free Brewing: Techniques, Processes, and Ingredients for Crafting Flavorful Beer (Robert Keifer)

For centuries or longer, the grains used in brewing forced many drinkers with gluten intolerances or sensitivities to stay away from beer. Thanks to a new familiarity with alternative grains and brewing techniques, these drinkers now have many ways to enjoy beer without the unfortunate side effects of the allergy-provoking protein. Founder of a gluten-free brewery in Southern California, Robert Keifer explains to professionals and homebrewers how to identify, obtain, and integrate gluten-free ingredients and includes more than 30 recipes to get them started.

The Good Beer Guide 2023: 50th Edition (The Campaign For Real Ale) For five decades, the UK’s CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) organization has published a guide to British Isles beer. Packed with guides to ales and where to find them, CAMRA aims to support local pubs as a way to reinforce community and bring people together in the enjoyment of a common love.

Hooray for Craft Beer!: An Illustrated Guide to Beer (Em Sauter)Hooray for Craft Beer! makes learning about the world of craft beer more colorful. With a book full of cartoon-inspired illustrations, award-winning cartoonist Em Sauter doesn’t just tell you the story of beer – she shows you. These bright works of art bring the reader to a better understanding of beer styles, pairings, ingredients, history, and much more.

Pairing Beer & Chocolate, A Bean to Barstool Zine (David Nilsen)

David Nilsen, a beer historian, writer and host of the podcast “Bean to Barstool” has self-published a pamphlet on, you guessed it, pairing beer and chocolate. Starting with intros into sensory components of the two fermented foods, Nilsen opens the door to beginners looking to add this bitter/sweet combo to their culinary repertoire. But he doesn’t leave sophisticates behind – readers of all levels can gain insight from his suggestions on what to achieve and what to avoid when pairing chocolate with specific styles.

SPIRITS

60-Second Cocktails: Amazing Drinks to Make at Home in a Minute (Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley)

Oh no! You forgot you promised to make drinks for girls night in. Or you’ve just had a hard day and want a calming drink that requires minimal time or effort. No problem – here come 60 drink recipes you can make within 60 seconds each. Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley – both named a Keeper of the Quaich, Scotch’s highest honor – make it even more accessible by organizing the recipes into three sections (No Shake, Sherlock, Shake It Up and Magnificent Mixes), that range from simple to speciality.

American Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Original Spirit (Clay Risen)

This compendium will give you a crash course in everything rye whiskey, starting with its history and even digging into how to read a label. Clay Risen, whiskey whisperer, historian and deputy op-ed editor for The New York Times, blind tasted each type of whiskey in the book with the help of an expert panel – making for a unique angle for such an expansive offering.

Bar Menu: 100+ Drinking Food Recipes for Cocktail Hours at Home (André Darlington)

André Darlington has certainly been busy. His second book of the year, Bar Menu, is the perfect companion for a night in. Maybe you’re wanting to host the greatest happy hour ever for your friends, or maybe you just want the experience of going to a bar but with the comforts of drinking in pajamas. (We won’t judge!) Either way, this book guides you through bar bite recipes like piri piri shrimp cocktail and soba noodles, and provides some pointers (like how to make a batch cocktail and other ways to think ahead) to make you look like a pro.

Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology (Tamika Hall and Colin Asare-Appiah)

Black Mixcellence is, in and of itself, a glorious mixture – one of the rich history of Black and Brown contributions to the world of mixology and the components behind them that bring our favorite drinks to life. Learn how to make delectable drinks from legendary mixologists and sip them while reading up on the stories of those who created them. The authors themselves are examples of mixcellence, with Tamika Hall receiving the 2021 Budweiser Hashtag Sports Award for Black Storytelling and Colin Asare-Appiahgetting named the ‘Best American Brand Ambassador’ at the 2016 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards®.

Booze & Vinyl Vol. 2: 70 More Albums + 140 New Recipes (André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington)

What could be better than vibing to vinyl records while sipping on your favorite beverage? More vinyl and more pairings, of course. Brother and sister authors André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington reprise their original Booze & Vinyl in this second edition, pairing 70 assorted records with irresistible cocktail recipes destined to climb the billboard charts and not remain one hit wonders. Readers will recognize André Darlington from a plethora of projects, from bestsellers such as The Official John Wayne Cocktail Book to his work as an entertainment consultant with Turner Classic Movies. Tenaya Darlington has joined her brother on some of these projects, as well as many of her own. These include her blog, Madame Fromage.

Bourbon Is My Comfort Food (Heather Wibbels)

Everyone has that one thing, food or drink, that they turn to on a day when they need a little comfort. Sometimes it’s a glass of bourbon that hugs your insides. “Cocktail Contessa” Heather Wibbels, managing director of the Bourbon Women enthusiast organization, certainly thinks so. Wibbels explores the history of this spirit and shares more than 140 different versions of cocktails to try for yourself. This book also shines a spotlight on Bourbon Women, a first-of-its-kind group for women who, well, love bourbon.

Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity and Intoxicate Your Audience (Steven Grasse and Aaron Goldfarb)

As previously mentioned, branding plays a huge role in the buying – and drinking- decisions of consumers. So what’s in a brand? Turns out, more than expected. This work covers how to approach the mindset and tactics of branding to give it an authentic voice and captivate future customers. Steven Grasse is known for creating legendary brands such as Sailor Jerry rum, founding an ad agency that repped such clients as Miller High Life and Guinness Open Gate Brewery, and owning a distillery making some truly wild concoctions. Aaron Goldfarb has written multiple books, won the 2020 Cocktail & Spirits writer of the year award, and has written for publications such as The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em (Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake)

This certainly reads like a love letter to NOLA, co-written by the owner of the city’s famous Cure bar, Neal Bodenheimer, along with veteran drinks writer Emily Timberlake, who together enchant readers with stories and imagery that evoke New Orleans’ “other” spirits. Snack recipes, drink-making techniques, and tips for getting the most out of your visit are just the cherry on top of this Hurricane.

Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails (Camper English)

An apple a day keeps the doctor away…but what about a beer? Beer, wine, spirits and even cocktails all once played a vital role in the medical world, serving for everything from wound care to fighting the common cold. Camper English, who’s won myriad notable international titles and journalism awards, innoculates us from ignorance of the vast and curious old beliefs around these supposed medicinal remedies.

The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails (Bryan Paiement)

Is it whisky or whiskey? How do you make an Old Fashioned? Is it bourbon if it doesn’t come from Kentucky? These are just a few of the questions that this handy book covers. Even if you’re a complete novice, you will quickly feel like a pro once you’ve read the history and tried all the recipes provided in this compilation.

Modern Caribbean Rum (Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith)Rum writer Matt Pietrek has gotten to the bottom of seemingly every story about this spirit that inspires so many legends. His expertise paired with Carrie Smith’s design vision spotlights an absolutely breathtaking view of the world of Caribbean rum through both words and photographs. Take a journey through the history, the business, the myths and the legends and sail into your destination feeling like a captain of the topic. With over 70 different distillery profiles, you’ll want to book a trip to the great rum-producing nations in no time.

WINE

To Fall in Love, Drink This: A Wine Writer’s Memoir (Alice Feiring)

Controversial and prolific journalist, author and natural wine expert Alice Feiring fills this paper container with personal essays about her experiences hunting the paper tigers of the wine world. How does she pair her musings on wine with stories about everything from joyous occasions to an encounter with a serial killer? I think you’ll find her answers captivating … and I don’t think it’s just the wine talking.

MIXED DRINKS (See what we did there?)

Bartending for Dummies (Ray Foley and Jackie Wilson Foley)

Want to learn how to make a cocktail but don’t know your whiskey from your whisky? Or maybe you don’t want to look like a dummy while ordering at the bar. From basic bar tools to glassware, recipes and descriptions of everything from seltzer to spirits, the founder and publisher of Bartender Magazine are here to save you with everything you need to get you shaking, stirring and ordering like a pro. They even have you covered in the low-to-no alcohol space and garnish their lessons with bar slang and fun toasts.

Crushed: How a Changing Climate Is Altering the Way We Drink (Brian Freedman)

If you don’t quite understand what climate change has in common with your favorite libation, be sure to read Brian Freedman’s first book. Freedman, who you may know as a contributor for Forbes, Travel + Leisure and a plethora of prestigious wine publications, pours himself into this narrative on how a variety of wine and spirits come to be, the people behind the process, and how a changing climate also changes the beverage world … and not for the better.

Drink Like A Local: New York (Amanda Schuster with Foreword by David Wondrich)

Whether you’re a New York local or just want to drink like one, native New Yorker, certified sommelier and longtime drinks journalist Amanda Schuster teaches you how to do it. With profiles of 75 bars ranging from the classic to the obscure, you’ll be able to follow Schuster to her favorite watering holes without looking like – horror – a tourist.

Drink the Northeast: The Ultimate Guide to Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries in the Northeast (Carlo DeVito)

With more than 20 books to his name, Hudson Valley winery owner, wine/beer/whiskey writer and event producer Carlo DeVito certainly knows the nooks and crannies of the Northeast’s best beverage stops. Broken into geographically themed chapters that steer readers from New York to Maine, this travel guide meanders on what may be endless roadtrips’ worth of breweries, distilleries, and wineries.