I’ve also been lucky enough to interview people in the hop industry, go back-and-forth with many of the authors of the studies asking follow-up questions and to make sure I was understanding their work correctly. I’ve brewed multiple experiments to test some of the research, sent samples to different labs around the United States and even sent samples to a wine lab in France.

Although the book was given an early no from the Brewer’s Publications, I didn’t really see that as a roadblock after seeking the advice of others and determining that self-publishing would be the way to go. The downsides are obvious, I would have to pay out of pocket for all the expenses related to the book. I’d have to take the lead on things I know nothing about like editing, book formatting, and printing. But, on the plus side, I can now be in charge of all of the content and chase research that I find fascinating and exciting. Self-publishing also allows me to work and publish on my own time frame and potentially have easier access to updates if I want to try and keep up with the science! And to be honest, the potential for receiving a greater percentage of book sales from self-publishing is nice, which will be a nice supplement to my blog advertisement revenue over the years of $0.00.

As part of the self-publishing experience I’m navigating, I’m extremely excited that Bryan Roth of Good Beer Hunting and his own personal popular blog called This is Why I’m Drunk has agreed to be the editor for the book. In my opinion, Bryan is one of the hardest working and most talented writers (and podcasters) in the industry today. His talent for diving deep into issues and turning data into captivating stories is something I admire. I’m pumped to have somebody who understands beer and has technical writing skills needed to help make sense of my writing! Apparently, there are differences between words like there and their and it and it’s, but whatever, I’ll leave that to the professionals.

Bryan and I are about midway through the editing phase. For the most part, I’ve wrapped up all the research and writing, but still have a few ideas I’d like to try and get on paper. I’m still sharing portions of the text with individuals who lent their voice to ensure accuracy and make sure what’s shared is within their comfort zone. I have a few ideas for a book cover, but I’m looking for help with design if anybody has experience or recommendations! In that same area, if anybody has experience with general book formatting, please reach out if your willing!

Ultimately, I’d like to have my end of things wrapped up in August, which should mean in September I’ll be able to start selling pre-sales. With a brewery opening around the corner, I’m doing my best to get the book finished before I’m too busy to give it the time it deserves!

I’m happy how things are coming together, it’s definitely not going to be a book for every brewer as some people are normal and just don’t care when polyphenol pickup peaks during dry hopping. But, I’m hoping by sticking to topics and research that truly excited me, it will do the same for others. It’s not intended to be a book telling anyone the best way to brew or the only way to brew hoppy beers. But, diving deep into the literature can help us understand some of our results, inspire new ideas, and to ultimately appreciate the impressively complex nature of brewing hoppy beers!

Stay tuned with me on social media if you want to keep tabs on my progress! Below is a draft of where I’m at now for what to expect in the book (subject to many more changes, deletions, and additions). I hope you like studies!