Beer Books...
A Natural History of Beer By Rob Desalle & Ian Tattersall, Yale University Press
Equal parts cerebral dive into beer’s biological history and romp through the sociological history of brewing, A Natural History of Beer is a thoughtful read for those interested in everything from brewing yeast genomes to the neurological basis for taste and the Sumerian foundation for modern fermented malted-barley beverages. The science is accessible—both supported and well-explained—and the history provides an entertaining and enlightening context for the deeper dive into the biology of why humans continue to be attracted to beer after all these years. —JB
Viking Age Brew By Mika Laitinen, Chicago Review Press
A deep dive into the Finnish farmhouse brewing tradition of Sahti, Viking Age Brew is a rustic glance across the rugged landscape of Scandinavian and Baltic brewing, exploring commonalities but probing far into the peculiarities of individual practice. That look at how different brewers in the Sahti tradition make beers of the same name is as rich and nuanced as one might expect from an author steeped in the local brewing tradition, but the real value of the book is not just in the historical overview but in the practical application, as it’s also a pretty handy manual for those who might want to try their hand at these historical ales. —JB
Glass and Gavel By Nancy Maveety, Rowman & Littlefield
An exhaustive look at the history of America’s highest court and its relationship with alcohol, this scholarly and historical tome from Tulane political science professor Nancy Maveety dives headfirst into the intersection of personal consumption and legal judgement, exploring how individual justices’ views on alcohol have translated into their own jurisprudence. If you’ve ever pondered Antonin Scalia’s love of red wine or Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s predilection for Campari-based cocktails, then this is the book for you. The only drawback is that the timeline ends before Brett Kavanaugh joins the court, so we’ll have to wait for the next edition to explore his love of beer. —JB