Michael Jackson’s Beer Companion: The World’s Great Beer Styles, Gastronomy, and Traditions, Michael Jackson ($35.00, Running Press). One of the most enduring beer portfolio books.

Ultimate Encyclopedia of Beer: The Complete Guide to the World’s Great Brews, Roger Protz ($19.98, Smithmark Publishers). One of the best beer appreciation books available.

The Ale Trail: A Celebration of the Revival of the World’s Oldest Beer Style, Roger Protz ($22.95, Eric Dobby Publishing). The most in-depth look at ale around the globe.

Classic Beer Style Series (Brewers Publications). A landmark contribution to the study of the world’s major beer styles.

The Essentials of Beer Style: A Catalog of Classic Beer Styles for Brewers and Beer Enthusiasts, Fred Eckhardt ($14.95, Fred Eckhardt Communications). An indispensable reference book.

Good Beer Guide to New England, Andy Crouch ($14.95, University Press of New England). A new offering for beer trekking in New England.

The Great Canadian Beer Guide, 2nd Edition, Stephen Beaumont ($19.95, McArthur & Company). The title says it all, eh?

Michael Jackson’s Great Beers of Belgium, Michael Jackson ($24.95, Running Press). One of the most sought-after beer guides, for good reason.

Good Bottled Beer Guide, Jeff Evans (£9.99, CAMRA Books). A CAMRA classic.

The Good Beer Guide To Belgium and Holland, Tim Webb ($16.95, Storey Books/CAMRA). Particularly popular for its treatment of Belgian beers.

Ultimate Beer, Michael Jackson ($29.95, DK Publishing). Another classic Jackson book.

Travels with Barley: A Journey Through Beer Culture in America, Ken Wells ($24.00, Free Press). Take a journey with writer Ken Wells through the beer culture of America.

Three Sheets to the Wind: One Man’s Quest for the Meaning of Beer, Pete Brown ($26.50, Macmillan). All About Beer Magazine called it “a fantastic tableau of … beer culture and history.”

A History of Beer and Brewing, Ian S. Hornsey ($99.00, Royal Society of Chemistry). The Royal Society of Chemists’ 742-page volume on world beer history.

History of the Brewing Industry and Brewing Science in America, John P. Arnold, Frank Penman (NA, None). A look back at beer’s scientific development at the end of Prohibition.

The Brewing Industry in England, 1700-1830, Peter Mathias (NA, Cambridge University Press). The authoritative academic study of brewing in England.

The British Brewing Industry, 1830-1980, T.R. Gourvish, R.G. Wilson ($89.95, Cambridge University Press). Picks up where Mathias leaves off in 1830.

American Breweries II, Dale P. Van Wieren, Editor ($25.00, Eastern Coast Breweriana Association). Database of known U.S. breweries 1612-1995 with dates of operation.

The Pabst Brewing Company: History of an American Business, Thomas C. Cochran (NA, New York University Press). Likely the most detailed historical examination of a U.S. brewery.

Under The Influence: The Unauthorized Story of the Anheuser-Busch Dynasty, Peter Hernon and Terry Ganey (NA, Simon & Schuster). An intriguing exposé of the Busch family and brewery.

Barbarian’s Beverage: A History Of Beer In Ancient Europe, Max Nelson ($89.95, Routledge). A new and fresh look at ancient Europe’s contribution to the evolution of beer.

Man Walks Into A Pub: A Sociable History of Beer, Pete Brown ($11.95, Pan McMillan Ltd.). The history of British Beer, full of catastrophe, heroism, and, yes, hangovers.

The American Brewery: From Colonial Evolution to Microbrew Revolution, Bill Yenne ($29.95, Motorbooks International). A colorful and picturesque showcase of beer in America from colonial to craft brewing.

Beer: The Story of the Pint: The History Of Britain’s Most Popular Drink, Martyn Cornell ($14.00, Headline Book Publishing). From Neolithic farmers to mega-breweries, a look at Britain’s beermaking history.

A History of English Ale & Beer, H. A. Monckton (NA, The Bodley Head). An early study of the importance and lore of beer and ale in British life.

Redhook: Beer Pioneer, Peter Krebs ($22.00, Four Walls Eight Windows). A Seattle brewer’s success story.

The U.S. Brewing Industry: Data and Economic Analysis, Victor J. Tremblay and Carol Horton Tremblay ($40.00, MIT Press). An examination of the business and economic evolution of the U.S. brewing industry.

Citizen Coors: A Grand Family Saga of Business, Politics, and Beer, Dan Baum ($15.00, Perennial). Riveting examination of the Coors family and brewery.

The Ale Master: How I Pioneered America’s Craft Brewing Industry, Opened the First Brewpub, Bucked Trends, and Enjoyed Every Minute of It, Bert Grant, Robert Spector ($19.95, Sasquatch Books). Grant is called father of America’s microbrew industry.

Collectible Beer Trays, Gary Straub ($29.95, Schiffer Publishing). Excellent guide to beer tray collecting, with focus on East Coast breweries.

Vintage Anheuser-Busch: An Unofficial Collectors Guide, Donna S. Baker ($29.95, Schiffer Publishing). Incredibly colorful history of A-B told through its POS advertising.

United States Beer Cans: The Standard Reference of Flat Tops and Cone Tops, Terry Scullin ($65.00, Beer Can Collectors of America). The standard guide for all U.S. beer can collectors.

Beer Signs For The Collector, Scott Faragher ($29.95, Schiffer Publishing). Heavy focus on 1960s-1980s, most plastic beer signs.

New England Breweriana, Gary Cushman, Rus Hammer, et al ($29.95, Schiffer Publishing). A great example of the richness of good, high-quality breweriana.

Vintage Beer Tap Markers: Ball Knobs 1930s-1950s, George Baley ($39.95, Schiffer Publishing). Showcases one of the most popular segments of breweriana.

Beer Advertising Memorabilia, Herb and Helen Haydock ($27.50, Turner Publishing). The second showcasing of the Herb & Helen Haydock collection.

Back Bar Beer Figurines, George Baley ($29.95, Schiffer Publishing). Focus on mostly chalk statuettes for back bar advertising purposes.

Beer Memorabilia: Collecting The Best From Around The World, Martyn Cornell ($17.99, Chartwell Books). Beer writer Martyn Cornell’s look at breweriana around the globe.

Great American Beer Cookbook, Candy Schermerhorn ($24.95, Brewers Publications). Recipes include Potent Portered Beer Ribs and, for dessert, Chocolate Stout Cake.

Recipes from the Microbreweries of America, Leslie Mansfield ($14.95, Celestialarts). Take a peak in the kitchens of some of America’s most successful brewpubs.

Beer: Tap Into The Art and Science of Brewing, Charles Bamforth ($27.95, Oxford University Press). Brewing science authority gives an easy-to-read laymen’s education on brewing.

Principles of Brewing Science: A Study of Serious Brewing Issues, George Fix, Ph.D. ($29.95, Brewers Publications). Bridges the gap between professional brewing texts and standard scientific texts.

Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles, Ray Daniels ($24.95, Brewers Publications). Formulate your own beer recipes with the guidance of brewer Ray Daniels.

The Practical Brewer, Various (NA, Master Brewers Assoc. of America). A historic brewing manual and snapshot of the state of beermaking in the post-WWII era.