If I had a Santa like allowance, I’d get lots and lots of books to feed my brain….

Maureen Ogle, Historian and Writer of Ambitious Brew

Here are a few of my favorite beer oriented books, all coincidentally by people I know and like and respect. A great gift this season indeed!

• Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer, Maureen Ogle
• Brewing Up A Business, Sam Calagione
• Tasting Beer, Randy Mosher
• The Best of American Food & Beer, Lucy Saunders

The books the Brewers Association puts out are all good - chock full of helpful information and insight. Michael Jackson’s books are also useful and well done too.

Let us know what your favorite beer oriented book is. You can pick more than one too.And we’d love to hear from consumers and professionals alike – fun to share who reads what and we’ll post the responses we get.

Some of the books I showed the crowd at the recent men’s beer and food pairing included:

1. Randy Mosher’s Tasting Beer

2. Garrett Oliver’s The Brewmaster’s Table

3. Anything by Michael Jackson – in this case one of his pocket guides

4. I would have highlighted Lucy Saunders’ The Best of American Beer & Food had it not been on loan

5. An older (1995) selection by Stephen Beaumont

6. Charlie’s Complete Joy of Homebrewing

We need more women to chime in – in book form – on the beer with food.

Any takers?