OK, this is not so much a book review as an announcement of a book to be reviewed. I received an email today from Martyn Cornell of both the blog Zythophile as well as the excellent book Beer: The Story of the Pint, one of my first beery book reviews almost five years ago now. He has published an e-book on the beer styles of Britain called Amber, Black and Gold. It is actually not quite called that but the ampersand you can see to the right causes one of the best RSS services to go wonky so I am going to use "and" in the title.
In his email he says that his new work concentrates entirely on the development of all Britain’s different styles, rather than, as BTSOTP did, the growth of the country’s brewing industry. It’s downloadable at thecornerpub.co.uk for £5 which, frankly, makes it the least expensive new book you can buy on beer right now. In large part that is because - like all things green and sustainable such healthy snacks, herbal tea and opposition political party energy policies - there is no actual tangible substance being transfered. For that fiver you get just the thoughts of Martyn which, in all my experience, have always been at least worth the price of a pint and a packet of crisps, as they say. Being the leading edge of of the beer e-book (I still need that hyphen) boom may be a bit of an act of faith so that also in itself is worth supporting.
Martyn has more information here but this is what I see on a first look. Amber, Black and Gold consists of 16 chapters, each on a style. Some are familiar like India Pale Ale and stout but there is also much attention paid to the more obscure like honey ales and heather beers as well as the first one I rushed to look up, Cornish White Ale as described in the section on wheat beer. It is generously illustrated with labels, adverts, price lists and sketches which means (as we are reading in the zoomable .pdf format) those who, you know, buy their reading glasses at the drug store, can get all the detail. And where else are you going to get 44 pages of detailed discussion between just stout and porter?
I am going to read through this book and make further comment as I go along. Needless to say, I think each of you really ought to get your own copy, too, and read along with me.
