The Beer Companion [antikvár]

I N D U C T I O N \Vliy is a book like this necessary? Beer, after aU, is commonplace in our society and most people, whether or not they drink beer, feel fairly confident that they know all there is to know about it. Furtliennorc, to most Americans, "beer" is equated with a pale, inexpensive beverage of ignoble reputation. Quite simply, all of that has changed. The newfound appreciation for quality beer is part of the movement away from the mass production and artificial ingredients of our modem world. Beer has been rediscovered and now enjoys status as a relaxing and restoring libation and an accompaniment to fine dining. The "Craft Beer Renaissance" as it is often called, is in its third decade, with the rate of change vrithin the industry moving at an astounding pace. The connoisseur or would-be connoisseur of beer is faced with a dizzying array of choices of handcrafted beers from around the world. Today, the terms microbrewery, brewpub, regional brewery, and contract brewery have come into wide usage and tend to cause confusion among those learning about craft beer A microbrewery is technicallv defined as a small independent brewer)' producing no more than 20,64.^ hectoliters annually. Hou c\ er, the succe.ss and subsequent grow til of many such breweries has rendered the term "microbrcuery" increasingly ob.solete. In this book, we ofien use the term "cralt brewery" as it refers to a brcuer of high quality beers v\ithoul regard to the annual output or age. These make up the majority of the entries in the Beer Directory. A brev\pub is an establishment that brews its own beers for consumption on its premises. Contract breueries are breweries that do not actually brew, but hire another brcwciy to breu their beer "under contract" for them; in most cases, a well-established regional brewery. We have included contract breweries only if their award-winning beers have made a notable contribution to the craft brewing world. In our efibrts to educate and entertain, the purpose of this book is not to list every good beer in the worid. Indeed, there are number of fine breweries not listed, and we regret that not everyone could be included. To offer the connoisseur a deeper knowledge, we have included a representative sampling of the world's best breweries and profiles of a few less well-known ones. A solid, working knowledge of the world's artisanal beers is the best tool to avoid disappointment and to assure the lifelong enjoyment ol' quality beer. If champagne is to be served in commemoration of lile's great moments births, graduations, weddings, and successes then let beer's place be to celebrate the day-to-da\' joy of lix ing. Stephen Snyder Perkinsville, Vermont, 1996