Save The Wines of France: The Essential Guide for Savvy Shoppers

Excellent guide, but the biggest problem is that you can't carry it around all the time stopping by a local wine shop and going to a restaurant , a kindle version which I can pull out from my iphone anytime anywhere is what all wine buying guide should be. Shame on Amazon not making it available. Get more detail about The Wines of France: The Essential Guide for Savvy Shoppers.

Discount Continental Pilsener (Classic Beer Style)

{Review written March 2005}

(WARNING: if you're not a homebrewer, you might want to skip reading this review ... it's pretty dry stuff for non-brewers)

It's been almost 10 years since I read this book, but one thing I remember most about it is that the author is a total, and by total I mean TOTAL, anal-retentive all-grain brewing geek.

Back when I was still a young and highly impressionable novice all-grain homebrewer, I read miller's book, saw the extraction rates he was getting (32-34 points of gravity, per pound of grain, per gallon of water ... numbers that are unattainable by normal homebrewing mortal schmoes like moi), and drove myself almost to distraction trying every technique imaginable in an effort to duplicate his yeilds.

Here's an old excerpt from my brewing journal at the time, from early on in my time in the hobby ... I'd only made the leap from extract to all grain a few batches before, and you can see how pathetically fixated I was at the time. Re-reading it just now, I had to shake my head at how crazy I was at the time. Kinda sad, actually. The bit about the blown-out tire is kinda cute though ...

Quote:
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(snip, from 20-Apr-1996)

Igloo Comments [Edit: this refers to a 5 gal cooler that I converted for use as a grain mash-tun] : Limit appears to be 13-14 lb. of grain (infusion). When overfilling the igloo, it's easier to hit knock-out temp by running off 1+ gal, boiling & recirculating it, than to do a decoction & stir it back in. Also surprised that it lost 15 degrees during the 8 hour mash (see below).

The Mash: I decided to save time by skipping the protein rest & mashed in w/3.5 gal of 165F water (and a little boiling water) to hit 157F strike. I came up a little low, and after stirred vigorously 5 min. to get temperature even the temp had dropped further (to 154), so I added boiling water & stirred some more until I got 157F again. The pH was 5.4, and needed no adjustment (I started to add calc carb by mistake, caught myself & switched to gypsum - I hit 5.3). I kept 2 frosted tumbler glasses in the freezer, to quick-cool my pH samples - a good gimmick.

The Bad Day: (1) I went for a 1 hr bike ride during the mash, and had a blowout when I hit a pothole, and had to walk home. (2) I was ready to mash out & was trying to adjust the pH of my sparge water with gypsum (per D.Miller's advice), and found that not only was my pH was going up (not down), but was getting way too cloudy with calcium. After a quick book search & a phone call, I found that NYHB had just that very day started carrying LACTIC ACID - I hopped in my car, got my flat fixed @ the bike shop, and got to NYHB for some emergency supplies. After an impromptu tasting of Batch 17 and someone else's Bock & Dopplebock, I grabbed dinner and drove home. (3) When I got home, I discovered that a bottle of 13B had spontaneously exploded inside my brewing closet, and it took 3 hours to clean everything up. My mash had been stretched to 8 hours.

Mash out: I tried adding 1 tsp. of the lactic acid concentrate to my 4 gal of sparge water, and was stunned to see the pH of the entire vat drop all the way to below 3 ! From now on, I'll use 1/3 tsp. diluted in 3 cups of water, and add the dilution a little at a time, until I hit the right pH. After a 2nd try, I got the pH to 6.0. Next, I had trouble hitting my 168F mash out temp - a 1 gal decoction only got me up to about 155, so I ran off a gallon (no grain), decocted that, and finally hit mash out. I recirculated, but the runnings only partially cleared. I got a stuck runoff, and had to use the paddle to break a hole in the grain bed. I recirculated some more, and collected my 1st runnings (note - all the recirculation resulted in a rapid cooling of the wort. I sparged, and recirculated a few quarts to re-tighten the grain bed, and collected 2nd runnings - ran very clear, and got some good sugar extraction - I could have gotten more extraction, but I ran out of sparge water, and it was already getting late (sparge more next time). I tasted the wort, and the lower sparge pH really helped keep the tannin extraction down - there was less of the slightly harsh `grain husk' aftertaste apparent in batches 22 & 24.

Brewing: I may have screwed up the hop schedule - I was watching B5 & forgot whether I set the timer for T-45 for T-60. We'll see how this batch tastes - from now on, always use a 60 min. backup timer (or write down the time), to avoid problems like this. After force cooling, I only wound up with 4 gal, and had to top off. OG for the resulting 5.1 gal (minus 1 qt trub) was only 1.053, which is no better than batch 24 (PPG = [(OG - 1)*1000*Gal Wort]/(lbs grain) = 20.8 PPG estraction). I think it's due to the fact that I under sparged again, and forgot to account for the 3/4 gal of water absorbed by the grain. Anyway, there was much less trub than ever before, and both the hot and cold breaks were much better than anything previous. Also, since I got a lower than expected utilization & only filled the fermenter to 5.1, I overshot my estimated IBUs a little (I'd wanted 25). I lightened my SRM estimate fm 18 to 16 (low PPG).

(snip)
--------------

That, my friends, is an example of pure Dave Milleresque inspired brewing insanity ... a 2 hour round trip drive to the brewing store, unnecessary ph corrections, hours of self-inflicted mathematical torment, in total an 8 hour brewing day, and for what ... to save a stuck runoff and then try to squeeze a few extra points of yeild out of 5 gallon tub of grain that only cost like $12 ? Come on !

Nowadays I'd have dumped it, saved the hops and yeast, and tried again the next time I was in the vicinity of the brew store. I'm so much more laid back these days.

Anyway, if you're a brewing geek, this is the book for you. Just be advised that Dave Miller's extraction rates are indeed impossible for homebrewers to achieve ... the only way to get the numbers he claims are to oversparge like mad, then boil it all back down to hit your target volume, and even you'll be lucky to hit the numbers he claims - and the result of the oversparging will be a beer that tastes too much of husk tannin (a flaw). Back when I was still brewing regularly, I was pretty content to hit 28-30 PPG (with or without decoction) ... 32-34 is (IMHO) just not viable for typical homebrewers.

My advise for average homebrewers is to take the author's grain recipes, increase the amount of grain by 10-15%, and resist the urge to oversparge ... you'll be happier for it, and the beer will taste better, and you'll save time.
Get more detail about Continental Pilsener (Classic Beer Style).

Cheapest The Ultimate Guide to Pitcher Drinks: Cool Cocktails for a Crowd

The perfect remedy for a hot, humid day, when all you can hear is the corn growing. Full of great information and tons of recipes, it truly is the "Ultimate".Get more detail about The Ultimate Guide to Pitcher Drinks: Cool Cocktails for a Crowd.

Cheap Dr. Jensen's Juicing Therapy : Nature's Way to Better Health and a Longer Life

This book contains absolutely NO juicing recipes, just ones for blending. Because of that, I was thoroughly disappointed in this book. Although, to be fair, the "blending" recipes were a plenty, varied largely in flavor and type and were very interesting.

The title led me to believe that it would contain ways in which to heal myself through juicing. While Dr. Jensen did go into extensive detail about the therapeutic effects juicing can have and mentioned some combinations for certain ailments, it spanned only a couple of pages and was formatted in chart form. (AND the chart is also available in, at least, one other book by him.) It definitely was not the in-depth how-to guide I was looking for.

Dr. Jensen also goes into great detail about ALL of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements the body needs and where one can find them in food items.

He does provide a chart which lists all the food items he considers beneficial to juice, which chemicals are predominate, and for what ailment they can be useful for. Again, though, this chart is in at least one other of his books.

So, while I was disappointed about the lack of juicing recipes, the book contained enough information and facts to allow me to overlook that. All in all, it was a worthy read, and one I would suggest to someone looking to really get a grasp on the physiological needs of the human body and how juicing can help someone attain them. Get more detail about Dr. Jensen's Juicing Therapy : Nature's Way to Better Health and a Longer Life.

Buying Wine Cellars: An Exploration of Stylish Storage

This book does not live up to expectations. Found that many of the photos are poor quality/amateur in nature. Some cellars displayed are spectacular but many are ho-hum. Nor does the book have any substantive material. Simple text descriptions accompany photos but only so much can be learned by looking at pictures. I agree with other reviews that this is a good coffee table or "idea" book. However, I expected more interesting photos with meaningful descriptions of the space, conditions, materials, lighting, etc... If you have to have it buy it used.

A much better book is: The Home Wine Cellar: A Complete Guide To Design And Construction by Perry Sims. While it doesn't have as many photos, those it does have are more inspiring and accompanied by good information on cellar design and construction.Get more detail about Wine Cellars: An Exploration of Stylish Storage.

Buy Tea Wisdom: Inspirational Quotes and Quips About the World's Most Celebrated Beverage

This 236 page book is such a delight to read; and one could read it over cover to cover many times over. I suspect that the second reading will likely commence only after a pot of tea has been boiled and ready by one's side. The editor has collected the wisest and most serene thoughts associated with tea into this book. The sayings come not only from Chinese and Japanese sages, but also western ones. Some are just a one-liner like, "A true warrior, like tea, shows his strength in hot water." Others are lengthier poetry. The book is also filled with numerous photographs and paintings of tea, tea parties, and utensils and crockery for the consumption of tea. The paintings are mainly Chinese and Japanese art. This is a small book and makes an excellent gift for any occasion. Get more detail about Tea Wisdom: Inspirational Quotes and Quips About the World's Most Celebrated Beverage.

Purchase Wine Microbiology: Practical Applications and Procedures

This is a really great book. Great introduction for professionals or amateurs. Contains alot of good general info., with a good list of references to move on from here. The bulk of the book is probably easy enough to understand for most readers, but also contains a good amount of technical info., especially on the isolation and culturing of different organisms Get more detail about Wine Microbiology: Practical Applications and Procedures.

Order Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales of a Big-City Bartender

I bought this book nearly three years ago because as a bartender and aspiring writer, I wanted someone else's take on what the lifestyle can be like. I loaned it to a fellow bartender after I finished it and in some ways I agree with his comments that he liked the book a bit, but didn't like the author at all. Her comment about bartending schools "...unless you're stupid enough to have gone to one." is insulting. Her being arrogant enough to name a drink and think that it deserves a place in bartending history, is just that - arrogant. The book is not all bad and it's a nice, light read - just don't take what she says as the gospel of what it's like for even most bartenders.Get more detail about Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales of a Big-City Bartender.

Where To Buy Cowboy Cocktails: Boot Scootin' Beverages and Tasty Vittles from the Wild West

The vittles in this book are outstanding. You won't be disappointed. I copied some of them from a friends book, then I decided I needed one of my own, so I ordered two. Now I have a extra for someone's gift. I love to buy books from Amazon. The prices are always the lowest. I have bought seven books this month for Christmas gifts.Get more detail about Cowboy Cocktails: Boot Scootin' Beverages and Tasty Vittles from the Wild West.

Shop For Whisk(e)y

This book is very informational. Because i read it, i am now a lover of fine single barrel bourbon. Love it and read it often. It's American and I love it. Have given this book as a gift at least 7 times.

Mark OatesGet more detail about Whisk(e)y.

Virgile's Vineyard: A Year in the Languedoc Wine Country Right now

I found this book a little tough going, and really not that funny. It was not nearly as good as "A year in Provence". The charachters are shallow and
predictable, and the book is monotonous.Get more detail about Virgile's Vineyard: A Year in the Languedoc Wine Country.

Lowest Price The cultivation of the native grape, and manufacture of American wines

Set the way-back machine to shortly after the US civil war. Even though the publication date is listed as 2007, according to the copyright page this book was published in 1866. This book was written as an every man's guide to grape growing, propagation, grape breeding, and to describe how to make a vineyard and winemaking operation profitable.

I've read several other books on the subject of growing grapes, and this is very much in line with those other works. Or, I should say, they are very much in line with THIS book. It is not the most current work, but much of this information is still pertinent. It gives one a glimpse of the time before massive chemical use and heavy machinery. Interestingly, many organic and biodynamic vineyards today (2008) follow some of these same methods.

Husmann suggests that in the future, the general public will be able to distinguish between good and bad wines. The book has many statements about matching the varietals to the location (soil and climate) for best results and suggesting which varietals grows best where. Can you say "Terrior"? The author suggests experimentation, changing methods as necessary, and watching nature. These are all common in modern grape growing and winemaking.

This book also gives you a view into the author's thoughts about the civil war, what it (almost) did to this country, and slavery. "They still cling to the demon of slavery..." There are historical records such as mentions of rebels stealing wine and the year vines froze down to the ground. There are references to cheap whiskey and how to make the country more temperate by having inexpensive wines. One can see in hindsight that the seeds of prohibition were spreading and that some sought to prevent it through more reasonable measures.

If this had not been available on the Kindle, I would not have spent the $70 for the paper version of the book. The Kindle price of under $4 was well worth the read.Get more detail about The cultivation of the native grape, and manufacture of American wines.

Low Price A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table

This book came in perfect condition and very quickly.
I've read through pieces of the book and it sounds very interesting. I will be reading it for my book group.Get more detail about A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table.

Save The Wines of Bordeaux: Vintages and Tasting Notes 1952-2003

This is a comprehensive review of the Bordeaux region which will not disappoint the wine enthusiast!Get more detail about The Wines of Bordeaux: Vintages and Tasting Notes 1952-2003.

Discount Coffee: The World's Great Recipes, Stories and Histories

These cards are a quick, fun way to acquaint yourself with the rich history of much that is coffee! Beautifully photographed, these colorful coffee cards are sure to delight you and you friends.Get more detail about Coffee: The World's Great Recipes, Stories and Histories.

Cheapest Baking Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America

I just finished reading this book earlier this week and, like other reviewers, was pretty disappointed. I was hoping to learn a good deal more about the techniques and processes that the author learned and less about herself and her relationships with the other students. I was really surprised to read other reviews praising the writing style--I found the author to be amateurish and mostly annoying. Her fretting over using electric mixers, correction of food history, and critiquing of her classmates was just not what I was looking for when I picked out a book called "Baking Boot Camp." Get more detail about Baking Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America.

Cheap American Still Life: The Jim Beam Story and the Making of the World's #1 Bourbon

This is a great reference book on both early origins on distilling in America and the Beam family - who comprise a large branch of the founding families of Bourbon distilling and still have many members working at various distilleries throughout Kentucky. A entertaining read and great reference for anyone who is interested in bourbon.Get more detail about American Still Life: The Jim Beam Story and the Making of the World's #1 Bourbon.

Buying Corked: A Memoir

Sometimes someone writes a book which is horribly self-indulgent, and out of all that wallowing in their own "stuff", they manage to create something readable and interesting, something that illuminates some larger principle or idea or just tells a rollicking good tale.

This book is about as self-indulgent as they come, and horrible to the point of being unreadable. Consider the most annoying person you have ever met, badly behaved, and self-righteous. Now imagine that in addition to those features, this person has an absurd disregard for facts. And now imagine that you are forced to live inside that person's head while they give you a running commentary of their bad behavior, banal thoughts, and idiotic notions. Finally, imagine that it's all horribly badly written.

That's what this book is, and it's bad. Really really bad. I found no redeeming features other than the fact that it ended. Eventually.

I promised myself when I agreed to be part of the Vine program that I would read every word of every book they sent me. This book almost made me resign from the program so I didn't have to do that.

Give this one a pass. It's not worth any time you might spend reading it.Get more detail about Corked: A Memoir.