'Homemade, Beer, Cider and Stout' (Tiger Books, 1993)

[bitter_dave]

I bought this book from a charity shop a while ago, and if you are a new brewer and you see this book in a shop or online,

DO NOT BUY IT

It has bad instructions which which will result in oxidised and possibly infected beer, even more misleading photos, and crazy recipes which will at best produce weak, thin and badly balanced beers.

For example: 'Pale Ale' (p. 34)

22.5 litres

2.7kg Pale malt
1 kg soft brown sugar
125g Crystal
90g Goldings

Instead of mashing it says to BOIL the ingredients in 2.5 litres of water and simmer for 20 mins, then sparge, then make up to the final amount with cold water; primed with 125 grams of sugar.

Am I missing something, but isn't this crazy talk???

I could probably flog it on ebay but I think I'll destroy it so it can't possibly get into anyone elses hands.

[Jim]

That's certainly sounds a dodgy book, BD! How old is it?


Edit: Is this the one?

[bitter_dave]

That's certainly sounds a dodgy book, BD! How old is it?

1993

[bitter_dave]

Edit: Is this the one?

that's the one

edit: perhaps I'll review it on Amazon

[Frothy]

lol - I found it hilarious that on one River Cottage Episode Heugh makes his own beer with wild hops & malt he blagged from a small malt house. He uses the watering can lauter method and then boils it up in an old galvanised washing boiler..... you never find out how it went & I can guess why.

we should hunt down these books for the good of our hobby & burn them!!!
Frothy

[SteveD]

lol - I found it hilarious that on one River Cottage Episode Heugh makes his own beer with wild hops & malt he blagged from a small malt house. He uses the watering can lauter method and then boils it up in an old galvanised washing boiler..... you never find out how it went & I can guess why.

we should hunt down these books for the good of our hobby & burn them!!!
Frothy

I had some 'River Cottage' ale about 18 months ago at a party given by someone who works with them - it was brewed for RC by Wadworths, hehehe

[SteveD]

I was given a similar type of cheap photo-book on beer and wine making which advocated, amongst other crimes, striking at 77c, then mashing for 2 hours in an oven set to 100c. (smash martians laughing) It was good for a laugh, and nothing else.

[Frothy]

I think poor Heugh had rather underestimated the complexity of beer making.

Frothy

[SteveD]

Wadworth or Hall-Woodhouse?

Good point. Hazy Memory. It was one of the two and I thought it was Wadworths but it could easily have been H&W. It was Nettle beer. Normal lightish ale, with nettles. Why? Ale alone would have been fine!

[SteveD]

Edit: Is this the one?

that's the one

edit: perhaps I'll review it on Amazon

I just did - wether they publish it is another matter

[maxashton]

We should write a new book.

"Jim and Co's Book Of Beer"

We need some cover work indicating no pillows required.

[PieOPah]

Is that the one that has nettles in it?

I was planning on making a beer with nettles instead of hops but it was too late in the season when I decided (you need young nettles as the old ones have too much of a nasty bitterness)

[SteveD]

Is that the one that has nettles in it?

I was planning on making a beer with nettles instead of hops but it was too late in the season when I decided (you need young nettles as the old ones have too much of a nasty bitterness)

Oh god...he's off again!

I think it's hopped ale flavoured with nettles. I think the nettles are in addition to the hops rather than instead of. It had a faint scythed weeds flavour. Not really worth it in my opinion.

[SteveD]

It had a faint scythed weeds flavour

or was that just male labrador p*ss

I quite liked it myself but it was given to me for free, I wouldn't pay a premium for it being organic though.

Could have been. Probably organic piss too.