Book Review – The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.
Here’s a bottom line review from The Full Pint on The Craft of Stone Brewing by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner with Randy Clemens, which is on sale September 26, 2011. Follow links below the review to get your copy today. Cheers!
The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. – The Review
This book is broken up into three main parts. The first part is the story behind Stone Brewing Co. and the key players who made the magic possible. The second part is the history of the beer and the third part of the book is Team Stone dropping serious knowledge on enjoying craft beer, enjoying making home brew and intersecting Stone’s craft beer with culinary. It was a breeze to read, very well laid out, and I believe it appealed to many different audiences. There is a guy like me that knows where hops come from and how I should be pouring my beer into a glass, but I’ll be darned if I knew how Greg and Steve started up. There are plenty of people who have just been introduced to Stone, and are still weening off of bottles of MGD and need all this well put knowledge. It really is a book for all types of Stone fans new and old.
I know Randy has been working hard at this for a year now, and it was great to check out the final product. I went into this book with not one, but several assumptions on what my experience with the book might be like. I am a big Stone Brewing fan boy, but with that comes HIGH expectations. I thought this book would be an extension of one of Greg’s novel-esque beer labels, or something that only a Stone noobie could sink their teeth into. As a Randy Clemens fan boy (not fun boy), I also was a bit worried the narrative would sound like his Sriracha Cook Book, full of enthusiasm and words like EPIC and UBER-DELICIOUSNESS weaved in and out of each page. Anyway, it’s more of cynical Dan being cynical Dan than anything. I’d be this cynical if you handed me a treasure chest full of gold. Needless to say, my cynicism was quickly washed away by page two of this book. If you are wondering if this book is nothing more than another stage to market beer on, you don’t have to worry about that. The book is legit, and isn’t arrogant or bitter in the least bit.
Random Things To Be Excited About with This Book
– The Journey – Did you know the journey Steve and Greg took in order for you to be able to buy Stone Brewing Co. beer? Now you will.
– The Trip Down Arrogant Lane – You can find out the history of the beer you might not be worthy enough to drink, and the other Bastard offshoots.
– Beers That I Might Never Get To Taste – Unless you are an SD OG, you have likely not had Heat Seekin’ Wheat, Lee’s Mild, or Stone Session Ale. (We’ll be touching more on this in another piece.
– Homebrew Recipe for Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout – Easily one of the best beers Stone has ever made can be made from the comfort of your own home brewery. If anyone out there makes it, I’ll gladly taste it to see how close you got.
– Arrogant Bastard Ale Onion Rings Recipe – This is no joke. Stone only makes these a few times a year, so now is your chance to carry the torch of yummy greatness, in the comfort of your own kitchen.
In closing, if you are a Stone fan, or a fan of some of the cool things Stone has done over the years, or want to prove your friends wrong in a game of Stone trivia, this book is for you. Even if you aren’t a fan, but need inspiration in starting up your new business or brewery, this will be a good read. This book could have been easily been broken out into three separate books, so hopefully everyone else likes this enough so that more of these can be created.
Follow this link for more info: http://www.stonebrew.com/book
###
About The Authors
GREG KOCH and STEVE WAGNER are mad passionate about great beer. As the co-founders of Stone Brewing Co., they’ve become recognized leaders in the craft brewing industry. Greg is also co-author of the recently published The Brewer’s Apprentice: An Insider’s Guide to the Art and Craft of Beer Brewing, Taught by the Masters. He is frequently called on to speak on topics ranging from craft beer to business to food to marketing, bringing a bold, entertaining, and often humorous approach along with his philosophy. Steve is the President of the California Small Brewers Association, and is currently writing an in-depth book on IPAs with Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele that will be published in 2012.
A graduate of the California School of Culinary Arts and a BJCP Recognized Beer Judge, RANDY CLEMENS has written for Gourmet, Saveur, BeerAdvocate, Draft, Imbibe, Los Angeles, and Wine Enthusiast. He is also the author of The Sriracha Cookbook and is the Public Relations Coordinator at Stone Brewing Co.
Buy The Book
Amazon
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Indie Bound
Warwicks
