I wish I could take a beer course by Randy Mosher. This book makes the subject so understandable and was a great read. It covers some history, some chemistry, some politics, some biology, some botany, some culinary arts - who knew that the "simple" beverage of beer had so many connections.

The author explains why beer tastes the way it does, how to pair it with foods, what goes into judging beer, and a whole lot more. He talks about the effect that the shape of the beer glass will have on the ultimate beer tasting experience. He explains the different ingredients in beer and how not only each ingredient affects the flavour, but also how even the different ways the ingredients are prepared will affect the end product. He also discusses what makes a lager different from an ale, why some beers are dark and others pale, what light beer really is and why there is such a range in alcohol content. He tells us how beer gets that chocolate or coffee flavour, how to pour a beer to get the best and longest lasting head, how long a beer will keep (and why) and even tells us why brown beer bottles are superior to green ones which are better than clear ones (blue light interacts with a chemical in the hops to make your beer go skunky - and brown glass is the best filter for blue light).

All in all, this is the best beer book I've ever come across and anyone who wants to know more about this wonderful beverage should own a copy.