Readings

This has been my go-to cookbook for the last few years. The recipes are thoughtful, exciting, and the definition of comfort food. Every Thanksgiving, we make the porter mushroom, chestnut, and lentil shepherd’s pie. The rich depth of flavour of the mushrooms creates a dish bursting with umami, drawing out more of that savoury character from the porter. In turn, the porter adds a nutty, toasted richness that complements the chestnuts and stewed onions making it unforgettable.

One day, I’d love to intentionally work my way through every recipe in this book, but some of my other favourites include the seitan chick’n, mac and cheese, and soft pretzels.

This isn’t just a cookbook, either. In the introduction, Mark Dredge explores how to pair vegetarian food with beer and provides thoughtful pairing recommendations across a wide range of beer styles. Out of all the pairing books I’ve read, this is the one I’ve connected with most deeply. Partly because, as someone who doesn’t eat animal products, these are pairings I can genuinely get excited about. But also because I find plant-based cooking endlessly inspiring; the diversity of flavours, textures, and techniques possible with plants feels almost limitless. Vegan food has always fascinated me scientifically, but this book helped me appreciate it through another lens as well: as a lover of beer.

I’ve never really been interested in comic books, but give me one about beer and I’m immediately invested. The illustrations in this comic were captivating, and I really enjoyed unravelling the story of beer through a historical lens. I was surprised by how much I learned, particularly the historical details that made me even more appreciative and proud to advocate for this civilisation-building drink.

What I appreciated most was how the story connected beer to the advancement of civilization itself, from the domestication of grain to the discovery of yeast. It also highlights a few key styles that have had significant influences on progress in brewing and consumer tastes like the porter, pilsner, and American light lager.

I highly recommend this comic to anyone with a slight interest in beer because it is an easy read and you will collect so many fun facts along the way making you want to continue your beer education.

This was a revolutionary book that accelerated my understanding of the evolution of beer styles. By approaching beer styles through the history and development of brewing itself, Natalya Watson makes it easy to understand how entirely new styles emerged over time.
The book is structured around the evolution of brewing ingredients and techniques, following the storylines of malt, hops, and yeast throughout history. Rather than reading like a technical manual, it unfolds almost like a storybook, untangling the connections between styles and showing how geography, innovation, and tradition shaped beer as we know it today. It was genuinely difficult to put down.
One of the most eye-opening parts of the book was understanding the global influence of the pilsner and how this crisp pale lager emerged through a combination of local brewing traditions and English industrial innovations. The book constantly reveals these unexpected connections between styles and cultures.
What I admired most was the way the book balances respect for brewing tradition with admiration for innovation. Tracing the timeline of beer styles gave me a much deeper appreciation for how brewers continuously adapted ingredients, techniques, and ideas to create entirely new expressions of beer.

Tasting Beer is a comprehensive guide to becoming an informed and curious beer taster. Randy begins by providing an overview of beer’s core ingredients and how they influence flavour and mouthfeel, along with a clear explanation of the brewing process. To truly taste beer—not just drink it—you also need an understanding of sensory science, so you can interpret what you’re experiencing once the beer passes your lips.

Flavour is a complex experience that combines aromas detected through retronasal and orthonasal olfaction, the tastes we perceive on the tongue (acid, sweetness, bitterness, umami, and saltiness), and physical sensations like carbonation and mouthfeel. To become a skilled taster, you must learn to dissect each of these components, articulate your analysis, and ultimately use that knowledge to form an informed opinion about the beer. Whether you’re participating in a blind tasting, judging a competition, or simply deciding what you enjoy, an analytical approach can deepen both understanding and appreciation of the craft.

What I found most interesting about this book is Randy’s approach to beer and food pairings. He encourages the reader to consider how our senses—aroma, taste, and texture—interact to create a completely unique experience. Beer is an incredibly diverse drink, unlike any other. It can range from straw-coloured to inky black, from tart and fruity to rich with roasted coffee notes. It can evoke flavours reminiscent of food, flowers, and even memories. What’s even more exciting is how this complexity can be elevated through thoughtful food pairings. Dishes can be balanced, and flavours enhanced, with the right beer.

Because I don’t eat animal products, many of Randy’s suggested pairings were harder for me to relate to—especially his strong emphasis on cheese. That said, I understand the flavours meat can bring to a dish, which helps make sense of traditional pairing logic. There are plenty of resources focused on animal-based pairings, but far fewer dedicated to plant-based options. For that reason, my next read will be Mark Dredge’s Beer and Veg cookbook for some inspiration.

I also really enjoyed the final chapter, where Randy explores beer cocktails. Beer feels underutilised both in the kitchen and behind the bar. It can add depth and complexity to food and drinks, so it’s surprising that more bartenders aren’t experimenting with it. Even simple ideas—like an imperial stout espresso martini or a tequila sour with a pineapple sour beer—could be incredibly interesting. This has inspired me to host a beer cocktail night with friends this summer.

Overall, this was an engaging and enjoyable read. I’ve always been fascinated by how we experience flavour and develop preferences for different beer styles. For me, an interest in new styles often begins with understanding them—once I know how a beer is made, I can better appreciate the flavours that define it. I also firmly believe that beer is a better companion to food than wine: it’s more diverse, more complex, and often more adaptable to a wide range of flavours. Randy’s perspective on pairing has inspired me to host a beer and food pairing party for friends this month—and I can’t wait.