Mountain Brew: A High-Spirited Guide to Country-Style Beer Making - Softcover

"Set aside your dog-eared copy of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. Eight years earlier-and two before the legalization of homebrewing-a merry band of Vermont homebrewers published their recipes and anecdotes in a slim book call Mountain Brew. There's more than a touch of rebelliousness in the tone. The homebrewing instructions are a casual narrative, and the ingredients would make a BJCP judge blanch, but the book is a hoot for anyone who wants a glimpse of the cultural origins of this immensely popular hobby. These sound like great folks to have a beer with." -- All About Beer Magazine "A slim classic. . . . Even before celebrity craft brewers came along, the hills of Vermont held earnest homebrewers who tackled lagers and ales with vigor. The strangely enchanting little tome offers a glimpse into that world. . . . It might not be the definitive guide to homebrewing, but it's a sweet keepsake of another age." -- Seven Days "More like a beer party than a brewing session . . . Mountain Brew packs a variety of recipes for every palate and a potpourri of beer anecdotes. The information is all there." -- The Advocate "The homebrew revival has spawned its first new literature, a book that taps brewhouse knowledge and experience." -- New Hampshire Times

Long before Heady Topper or Hill Farmstead, Vermont was already at the forefront of the American beer revolution. In the 1970s, the big-name brews like Bud and Coors ruled the roost, and homebrewed beer was still as illegal as moonshine. But a small group of Vermonters-people like Tim Matson and Lee Anne Dorr-weren't the kind to let a little thing like the law stop them from enjoying their own brews. They shared their concoctions with friends and family and then went a step farther: publishing the first homebrewer's guide since Prohibition and selling it out of the back of their truck. Now, forty years later, that groundbreaking book is back. Featuring a brand-new introduction, Mountain Brew shows you how to produce homemade malt, grow your own hops, and keep away thirsty neighbors who want to steal your hooch. Through recipes and colorful stories from their day, let these Green Mountain boys (and girls) show you how to make better beer than you'd ever find at the local watering hole.