My third (!) book with Knopf was the documentation of a hobby, that of home-brewing. While, writing Working Together,  I brought a few bottles of my home-brew to our Knopf editor, Ash Green, and gushed about its goodness and the nascent home-brewing and craft brewing movements around the country. 

"What about a how-to book on the subject?" asked Ash, "provided you really do show how it's done?" 

 

"Of course," I said immediately. And off I went to explore both home brewing and the beginnings of the craft beer renaissance in America. When I finished, the editors at Knopf found  a suitably cautionary sub-title for the book  MAKING BEER: How to produce excellent home brewed lagers, ales and stouts with notes and comments on the pleasures and pitfalls of this delightful craft.  And how to avoid the temptation of starting your own brewery. "  

 

When I wrote the first edition in 1984, there were fewer than ten micro-breweries in the country.   Ten years later, when the second edition came out, over 600 breweries were up and running. I was proud to have been present at the creation of this new industry.  

 
And I was grateful for the charming illustrations by my cartoonist friend, Jeff Danziger.

Of the book, Charles Papazian, president of the wrote: "Making Beer reveals the heart and soul of the American brewing renaissance. A must-read for anyone who enjoys the spirit of beer and brewing."  

And Michael Jackson (not the singer) a world expert on beer added:  "Why does beer mean so much to so many of us?  Why is it so fundamental to hospitality and sociability?  This journey to Vermont and beyond with William Mares - a gentle and charming guide - has helped me understand."