The 6 Best Beer Books for Beer-Loving Bibliophiles

Books, books, books. Bibliophiles can’t get enough of them. The best ones whisk you away on a journey from the comfort of your home, whether through a story or through the information that inspires you to embark on an adventure of your own. There are millions of books to fill all kinds of shoes, and today we have some great suggestions for filling the shoes of beer-loving bookworms. If you’re a beer enthusiast looking to add to your book collection or your brain bank of beer knowledge, you’d better lace up.

We did the research and found some books worth reading or, at the very least, books worth adding to your bathroom’s reading shelf.

The Bucket List: Beer
1000 Adventures | Pubs | Breweries | Festivals
by Justin Kennedy

This book is a no-brainer for those seeking adventure, excitement, and good beer. Written by Author Justin Kennedy, The Bucket List: Beer has no shortage of inspiration and information within these pages. It contains 1000 beer adventures with highly illustrated photos, so if the words don’t instill a sense of excitement, perhaps the images will.

If you love beer and travel, don’t map out your road trip until you’ve gotten your hands on this book. This book covers any beerventure you could possibly imagine, including travel ideas for the best breweries in the U.S. and even reaching out to breweries worldwide. It dives deep into the important information that beer enthusiasts will appreciate, such as a beer’s history, traditions, and even the best food pairings. This is a great beer book that has the ability to brew up some inspiration and new knowledge.

The Brewer’s Association’s Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery
by Dick Cantwell

If you or a craft beer enthusiast friend are big dreamers, show some encouragement with this book! Breweries are businesses, and there is a lot more that goes into establishing a great local brewery other than just brewing great craft beer. It provides you with real-world questions and advice necessary to build a successful business.

What would you do to make your brewery stand out amongst competitors? How many staff should you have on hand, and what legal processes or licenses must you acquire to establish this type of business? Dick Cantwell writes from experience, saving you the trial by fire. He is the co-founder and was once the head brewer of Elysian Brewing Company which was founded in 1996 and was given the title of Large Brewpub of the Year three times.

Dick uses his business experience to provide a comprehensive guide on what you will encounter during the journey of opening your own brewery, paving a smooth roadway to potential success. If opening a brewery isn’t on your personal bucket list, at the very least this book will enlighten a deeper understanding of the work and effort it took for your favorite local brewery to open and provide some of your favorite local beers.

The Dogfish Head Book: 26 Years of Off-Centered Adventures 1st Edition
by Sam Calagione

Speaking of brewery success stories, this is a fantastic book on the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and the different adventures it has embarked on over its past 26 years. If you’re not familiar, Dogfish Head Brewery was founded by Sam Calagione, the author of this book, in 1995 in Milton, Delaware.

It has since become one of the fastest-growing breweries, with its delicious and unique craft beers reaching far and wide across the U.S. Most businesses don’t become a roaring success overnight; only the good ones stick around for a long time. This book shares some different insights and valuable lessons learned along the way. It’s an excellent book for Dogfish Head Brewery fans or those who appreciate reading up on a brewery’s rich history and the leaps it took to become the success story it is today.

The Brew Your Own Big Book of Homebrewing
by Brew Your Own

Has your home-brewed beer ever exploded during fermentation or lacked the flavors you hoped for? Or perhaps you’re not one to wing the brewing process and want to learn about home brewing before attempting it. Let Brew Your Own be your ultimate home brewing guide. It’s great for new and experienced home brewers alike that want to experiment with different brewing methods.

Home Brew was initially created in 1995 and is the most widely purchased magazine for craft beer enthusiasts looking to develop their own flavorful masterpieces. Brew Your Own produces eight annual issues, allowing you to create the home brewing collection your heart desires. The book listed is the most current version, containing 25 all-new step-by-step recipes and photos to make your favorite copycat beer. This edition expands on hoppy beers and includes many valuable tips and tricks from craft brewing experts.

Brewing Eclectic IPA: Pushing the Boundaries of India Pale Ale
by Dick Cantwell

IPA fanatics that are curious about the history of IPAs, the developments of IPA flavors over time, and the different ingredients used would appreciate the contents of this book. This is yet another beer book written by the BA Russell Schehrer award-winning brewer, Dick Cantwell.

He utilizes the personal experience that he has gained over several years of brewing to inform and educate those interested in the development and new flavor experimentation of IPAs. Brewing Eclectic IPA also includes 25 unique recipes written by some of America’s best brewers so you can try out your own home-brewed IPA.

Beer School: A Crash Course in Craft Beer
by Johnny Garrett

Are you an aspiring beer enthusiast that occasionally encounters the feeling of imposter syndrome when chatting with peers about craft beer? You’re not alone. A brewing process is an art form, a craft if you will. Like most crafts, there is a vast amount of knowledge to be gained, and the learning experience never ceases.

Shake that imposter syndrome and let author Johnny Garrett take you to beer school and teach you all you need to know about the beer world. In this book, you will find the history of beer, dating all the way back to 6000 years ago since man began experimenting with the different shades of this delicious, golden-brown nectar. You will also find fun information including different styles of beer, how to make your own beer, how different beer is created, and various beers around the world.

This is a great book for someone that is wanting to gain knowledge about beer in general since it covers a large variety of topics.