"An ingeniously designed guide to homebrewed beer, focusing on small, manageable batches and gastronomic experimentation. Homebrewing, like bread baking and pickling, is surging in popularity, especially among the young foodie set. Beer Craft is the ultimate resource, covering everything aspiring homebrewers need to know, including: - anatomy of beer: water, hops, malted grain, and yeast (the big four)--what they do and how to choose the right kinds - equipment: what's needed, what to buy, and where to buy it - basic steps: mashing the grains, boiling the wort, hopping, pitching the yeast, fermenting, then bottling (and drinking!) - advanced tips for the enthusiast: customizing labels, caps, and six-pack carriers for one's homebrew With suggestions for brewers on a budget (you don't really need that wort chiller) and a focus on small batches that don't require 20 pounds of grain, Beer Craft supplements more than a dozen basic recipes with guidelines for inventing your own beers. Way more than a recipe book or an instruction manual, it's a tool kit to empower newbies and veteran brewers alike"--Provided by publisher.