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THE BEER KITCHEN: The Art &
Science of Cooking, & Pairing,
with Beer
Melissa Cole
Hardback £20.00
Over the years there have been a
number of beer cookery books, many
are recipe books using specific beers.
Cole’s approach is different, she starts by
exploring how beer is made and assessing
the taste aspects of beer. One of the best
parts of the book is Cole’s list of do’s and
don’ts and a couple of pages which is
categorised as ‘random advice’.
The book has over 70 recipes, some
are quick and easy, others are more
challenging. There are many vegetarian
and vegan options. Beautifully illustrated
throughout, with full-page photographs
of each recipe, or enthusiastic cooks, the
book has the ‘wow’ factor to whet the
appetite. With each recipe, there is a list
of possible beers to use and beers to drink
with the dish.
This is possibly the best beer cookery
book that I have seen. Cooks experienced
in using beer in recipes will love it, cooks
new to cooking with beer will also love it.
Practical and inspiring.
THE BEER BUCKET LIST: Over 150 Beer
Experiences from Around the World
Mark Dredge
Hardback £16.99
Mark Dredge has previously won the Beer and
Travel Writer of the Year by the British Guild of Beer
Writers. As the title clearly states, the book covers
150 beer experiences around the world, most of
those experiences are in the English speaking
world, but also includes places not normally on
the beer tourists bucket list, for example, North
Korea. I don’t think I am going to be checking
flight costs to North Korea, but I enjoyed reading
Dredge’s entertainment insight into North Korea’s
beer scene. The middle east is briefly covered, with
more respect, misses out the United Arab Emirates
– a destination probably best avoided.
The ‘United Kingdom and Ireland’ section could
be considered to be disproportionally large by some,
my view is that as a British reader it makes the book
more relevant. However, I do think London and the
south-east has been given too much dominance.
I was surprised to see in the list of ‘Notable British
Pub Bucket List Ticks’ of the 10 pubs highlighted,
The Marsden Grotto at South Shields is included. I
wonder when Dredge visited, perhaps on a beautiful
summers day, or perhaps not at all.
Whilst clearly Dredge has spent many hours in
drinking establishments, festivals and other events, he
has also spent a lot of time researching this book sat
at a desk. However, this doesn’t mean that I didn’t
find the book interesting, I did. Would I be happy if I
was given the book as Christmas present, I would.
Issue 246 • Winter 2018
21