beer booksPairing your favorite beer with an inventive homemade meal is easy with The American Craft Beer Cookbook by John Holl. Penned by the editor of All About Beer Magazine, the book contains more than 150 recipes from breweries and brewpubs around the country covering everything from breakfast to dessert.  $19.95

Italy: Beer Country, The Story of Italian Craft Beer by Bryan Jansing and Paul Vismara. There is a big interest in the Italian beer scene these days, and to appreciate where it is today, it’s important to know the history. Relying heavily on the pioneers of the modern beer movement, this entertaining book gives insight into just what makes the Italian beer culture so vibrant. A must-read before traveling to the country to experience the beers firsthand. $19.99

California BrewMasters: Portraits and Profiles of the Golden State’s Brewing Icons by Nicholas Gingold, is a coffee table book with stunning, museum gallery-worthy images. More than 40 brewers are featured, including veterans like Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Ken Grossman and Russian River Brewing Co.’s Vinnie Cilurzo, as well as portraits of newcomers like Tyler King of The Bruery and Julian Shrago of Beachwood BBQ and Brewing. Gingold interviewed each brewer, starting with the requisite, “How’d you get into beer?” before diving into conversations about specific beers and philosophies on brewing. Beer geeks from any state will enjoy reading the unfiltered responses. $34.95

In Beer Trails: The Brewery in the Bohemian Forest, Evan Rail goes deep into a once forgotten and then revived brewery in a Czech forest town. Part mystery mixed with history, the story also helps Rail answer two questions he is most frequently asked: What’s the best Czech brewery? And what’s Anthony Bourdain really like? $2.99

Michael Tonsmeire author of American Sour Beers: Innovative Techniques for Mixed Fermentations presents an exhaustive yet lively guide to all things sour beer. A Well-researched, clearly written look into an often misunderstood category that deserves to be devoured by all who hold it. $19.95

Vintage Beer by Patrick Dawson wrote the manual for serious beer lovers who want to take their beer to the next level, and properly collect and age ales. $14.95

In the The Craft Beer Revolution Steve Hindy tackles the issues of advertising, distribution, in-fighting, failures and fears. He also offers hope for the future, often in a defiant tone when talking about larger breweries and other obstacles, and, in the process, can sound like a general rallying troops. $25

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