This is the first book I've bought on home brewing. It's excellent! Within about a week I bought my kit and brewed my first batch of beer. I can't tell you how it tastes as it is still aging. This book is very well put together and easy to read. When I went to my local Home Brew Supply Store I was well prepared. I would definatelty recommend it to another first-time brewer. It's a great starter book.

This book is great. The authors easy to follow instructions make homebrewing simple and easy, anyone can do it.

I found this book an inspiration to me when I was a first time brewer, and I still use it and refer to it from time to time many years later.

This book is amazing. I got it with a set of equipment to brew my first batch. The book answers many, many questions for beginners, theoretical and practical. Not only is there information for the brewer just about to brew their first batch, but there is also rich information for people just starting to brew mash-extract and all-grain beers. Because of this book, I went from brewing my first batch from a pre-set kit (malt extract, hops and dried yeast) to my fourth batch, where I formulated and brewed my own ALL-GRAIN recipe!! The book also contains many useful tables for reference, and is a fun read, with Papazian's witty style. I highly recommend this book if you're just starting out!

My wife bought this and a True Brew kit for my birthday (I know, you're thinking, "she rocks!"). Anyway, I've just started reading the book and I love it. There is a ton of GREAT information in the book and I would encourage anyone interested in brewing to buy this book.

This book is THE ONE to have for home brewers. The information will take you from brewing in the simplest of forms to all grain and everything in beteween. It was written in an easy to understand style that skips throught the nonsense and gets you to the point. Full of recipes, anecdotes, suggestions and resources, it should be required reading for all homebrewers.

I bought this book as a gift. I have the same book, only the third edition. If its like the third edition its got all the answers, and is easy to read.

I got this book on recommendation from my friend Aaron when we were brewing at his house this weekend. We brewed a variation of the "Goat Scrotum Porter" on page 200.

The book is however much more than a recipe book for beer. It is divided into three major sections:

Pgs 1-39 give a basic outline of brewing history and the knowledge you need to brew a beer from a basic kit.

Pgs 40-240 are the meat of the book. This intermediate brewing section goes over every aspect of brewing from yeasts to sanitizing your equipment. It also includes many recipes for ales and lagers as well as ideas on how you might adapt any recipe for your own tastes.

Pgs 241-388 really get into the science and math behind brewing. I have only skimmed this section, but it seems to be a fantastic reference guide for the advanced brewer.


What sets this book apart is the well written and funny style that Papazian brings to everything from water mineral content to the human migrations that transport Viennese lagers to Mexico. Most appreciated is his constant reminder that if you are feeling stressed about the minutia of brewing "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew." This seems to be both his philosophy and the first step of all of his recipes.

If you've ever even THOUGHT about brewing your own ales, lagers, stouts or porters, this is the book for you. Papazian is extremely knowledgable and has a writing style that makes the process fun and easy to follow. It is essentially the "bible" for home brewers.

My 3 cents (wasn't it worth more then 2?)

I like this book and it is a good guide to know what to purchase and how to brew. I'd recommend it to any beginner. The book also seems advanced enough for the experienced brewer. It contains many recipes and advanced techniques such as lagering and double brewing. I think this is a great book and acts as a handbook in almost any brewing situation.

There are probably three books that are genuinely helpful for the beginning homebrewer. Which one is right for you depends on how you approach techniques of dealing with things in the physical world.
If the idea of doing anything physical scares the bejabbers out of you, you have to begin withThe Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition (Harperresource Book).
This is a very simple, slow and reassuring book. The author sounds like the friendliest, least intimidating guy in the world. The style is very chummy in a post-frathouse kind of way that some people find very difficult to read and that others find relaxing. In this book you may see the ancestor of the Complete Dummies series. I believe that Papazian, who has made a carreer of coaching homebrewers, has been published on the topic for thirty years or so.
If you're the sort of person who likes the idea of baking his own bread or wiring her own lamp, then probably The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing is right for you. The information is straightforward and well-organized and he allows for the fact that sometimes you want to make it fast and simple and other times you may want to linger over the details. There's a separate book of recipes ordered by beer style and also by degree of difficulty.
If you love worrying, then How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time is the book for you. There are dozens of complications lurking in Palmer's world of brewing and a host of precautions and gadgets gadgets for avoiding them. Palmer is also the book for those who are curious about fundamentals: the hard science of brewing is to be found here.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine and bang BANG

There are probably three books that are genuinely helpful for the beginning homebrewer. Which one is right for you depends on how you approach techniques of dealing with things in the physical world.
If the idea of doing anything physical scares the bejabbers out of you, The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Third Edition (Harperresource Book).
This is a very simple, slow and reassuring book. The author sounds like the friendliest, least intimidating guy in the world. The style is very chummy in a post-frathouse kind of way that some people find very difficult to read and that others find relaxing. In this book you may see the ancestor of the Complete Dummies series. I believe that Papazian, who has made a carreer of coaching homebrewers, has been published on the topic for thirty years or so.
If you're the sort of person who likes the idea of baking his own bread or wiring her own lamp, then probably The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing is right for you. The information is straightforward and well-organized and he allows for the fact that sometimes you want to make it fast and simple and other times you may want to linger over the details. There's a separate book of recipes ordered by beer style and also by degree of difficulty.
If you love worrying, then How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time is the book for you. There are dozens of complications lurking in Palmer's world of brewing and a host of precautions and gadgets gadgets for avoiding them. Palmer is also the book for those who are curious about fundamentals: the hard science of brewing is to be found here.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine and bang BANG

I first thumbed through The Complete Joy of Homebrewing while standing in the bookstore and passed it off as too much of a beginner's book. I later borrowed my friend's copy and now have to say this is where I should've started to begin with. It is likely the best beginner's homebrewing book available (which is why you'll see it bundled with beginner's kits in homebrew supply stores) but also really good for intermediate homebrewers like myself. Papazian does a great job of keeping things simple and relaxed, but also packs in the info. I've learned a lot from this title that I should have a long time ago.

The best way to learn about homebrewing is directly from a homebrewer, but if you don't have the fortune of knowing someone who brews, this book is a great start.

This is a great step into brewing. Papazian goes through the home brewing process in a step by step process that is easy to follow. This book really lives up to its best seller status. Even many of the advanced brewers that I know still refer back to this book for its charts and information. Well worth any amount in order to have the information.

This is simply the best book for beginners which I have ever come across. I started brewing with it in 1991 and still use it! The humour is corny and some of the recipes are a bit dodgy, but Papazian has an easy to understand style AND remains simple.
Of course, once you get past the intermediate stage of brewing, it is best to complete your collection with more advanced writings.
RELAX, HAVE A HOMEBREW!

When I first went to my local homebrew shop and asked what book would be the best one to start homebrewing with, this was the one that was recommended. Charlie Papazian does an outstanding job of making homebrewing simple and approchable for someone new to the hobby. He goes into a good description of all of the ingredients and how they contribute to the flavor of beer. There are pages of good guides to hops which I have found very useful in making hops substitutions. This is becoming important as many popular hops become harder to find. My only comment is that I think his initial brew chapter has a little more equipment than you really need to start. There are many other good brew books that I have found good for my library, but this is a good one. Every homebrewer should have this book out of respect for what Charlie has done to make homebrewing a nationally accessible hobby.

Every homebrewer should own this book. I recently repurchased after my old copy became hopelessly lost, and I felt I couldn't live without it. The third edition seems to be even more technically detailed than the previous ones.

this book when combined with How to Brew is just about the best and most comforting thing you could imagine when starting out. Broken out into beginner, intermediate, and advanced...or maybe even impatient, curious, plotting, the author uses progressive disclosure to get you up to speed. it is a must buy.

How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time
The information contained in both these books is the same, it is in the organization that "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" falters. I do not know John Palmer. I have Brewed over 20 batches of beer this year and am well versed in brewing procedure. I believe that "How to Brew" is the definitive book for beginning home brewers. Also, the first addition of "How to Brew" is available free online at www.howtobrew.com. I suggest that you do not buy this book.

Good Brewing,
Bjorn

How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time
The information contained in both these books is the same, it is in the organization that "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" falters. I do not know John Palmer. I have Brewed over 20 batches of beer this year and am well versed in brewing procedure. I believe that "How to Brew" is the definitive book for beginning home brewers. Also, the first addition of "How to Brew" is available free online at www.howtobrew.com. I suggest that you do not buy this book.

Good Brewing,
Bjorn

It takes less that the time that amazon tell you, the books are in perfect conditions, and just that, is good to buy stuffs by amazon.

If you are a homebrewer, you probably already have this book and know the great information that the author gives. If you are about to start up the homebrewing hobby, this is a great way to read up on the techniques and tons of other info regarding homebrewing. It is presented clearly and methodically. Check it out, you will keep coming back to it for more info as you become more experienced in brewing!

I bought this book as a stepping stone into the world of creating beer. Not only does this humorous and insightful tome offer advice on the essential equipment needed to brew beer, but does so in a way that is wonderfully organized and succinct. Mr. Papazian's book covers every aspect of beginning homebrewing and better homebrewing, as well as offering a glimpse of the more advanced world of creating your own wort from grain. The three main sections of this book are divided into skill and experience level, are very well organized and leave you with the feeling that anyone can make good beer. If you want to start brewing your own beer at home, buy this book and "How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time" by John Palmer. You won't be sorry you purchased these books.

This book was at my side when I started homebrewing and I strongly recommend it for beginners. I found that getting over the hurdle of brewing the first batch was the most intimidating thing, and brewing becomes much easier starting with you second batch. This book is excellent at walking a total newbie like I was through the process of the first batch. Plenty of detail, descriptions and steps laid out. The book also has a good catalog of different beer types from around the world, a handy guide to their ingredients, and then a long list of straitforward recipes that help you brew them. Pretty good hops list too. I've recommended this book to anyone I know who's getting started.

This book is excellent in every regard. I have not been brewing long, but it has thus far been both a good introduction and a huge reference for all kinds of products and processes in brewing.

This was a wonderful purchase filled with lots of good information. I am a new homebrewer and really enjoyed learning more about it

I've been homebrewing for a year now, and I have used this book extensively during that time. In fact, I still use this book. It is full of all sorts of helpful information and techniques. Also, it provides good background information. This can be used as a sort of manual for homebrewing but it can also simply be read; some of the stuff in the book is fascinating even if you're not ready to start brewing yet. This book can easily get you through your first couple years of homebrewing without the need for additional sources. For those of you who are jsut starting, best of luck!

I bought this along with The Homebrewer's Companion, also by Papazian. I think both books are a must-have for any homebrewer. _Companion_ is more of a reference text, while _Joy_ is more introductory. Both books have indispensable information about the basic ingredients and processes of brewing.

When formulating a recipe, I refer back and forth to both books. Each has a variety of recipes in myriad styles that provide a good jumping-off point. For customizing the recipes, I refer to the table in _Companion_ that summarizes the various malts and their contribution to specific gravity, then I go to the table in _Joy_ that catalogs the different varieties of hops and their contribution to bitterness and flavor.

This book is essential for any individual considering persuing the art of homebrewing beer.

As a new brewer, I found Charles Papazian's attitude concerning the entire process to be extremely helpful. His step by step lead through the process is general enough to apply to all types of brewing. Each chapter stands alone, if need be, and can be re-read as one would a reference book. I have found myself going back to certain parts concerning formulas and what things mean. There are a great many tables in the book that I know that I will be refering to once I gain more experience with hydrometers, gravity, bitterness, etc.

An excellent first book!!

I love my Beer Bible. It is simple, instructive, practical, and fun.

I love my Beer Bible. It is simple, instructive, practical, and fun.

Overrated. It's confusing organized; things seem interspersed randomly (hydrometers, for example, are discussed fully in two separate places).

It has much useful information, but some things seem obviously wrong. Its basic beer recipe and procedure include no aromatic hops. Those hops are very easy to use (throw then in the brewing kettle at or near the end of the boil), and they're a big part of successful brewing the way it's done today. (For lots of us it's hard to make beer too hoppy.) Related point: it's not up to date, even though the third edition is from 2003; current equipment and ingredients are ignored or noted in random places.

It's also unattractive--amateurish photographs and silly cartoons--and annoyingly written. For example, it CONSTANTLY tells you to drink homebrewed beer while brewing. Since brewing involves boiling large amounts of liquids for extended periods and then transferring them among containers, that seems to me like a recipe for third degree burns. Being told over and over to "Relax, Have A Homebrew" is not that helpful. Straightforward, up to date information: that's what helps me relax and enjoy my successful homebrews.

And that's what I find in John Palmer's far better book, How to Brew. Well organized, clear explanations, good photographs and not unattractive. And the latest version is very up to date.

Overrated. It's confusing organized; things seem interspersed randomly (hydrometers, for example, are discussed fully in two separate places).

It has much useful information, but it says some things that seem obviously wrong. Its basic beer recipe and procedure include no aromatic and flavor hops. It's not up to date, even though the third edition is from 2003; current equipment and ingredients are ignored or noted in random places.

It's also unattractive--amateurish photographs and silly cartoons--and annoyingly written. For example, it CONSTANTLY tells you to drink homebrewed beer while brewing. Since brewing involves boiling large amounts of liquids for extended periods and then transferring them among containers, that seems to me like a recipe for third degree burns.

I prefer John Palmer's How to Brew, which is available in hard copy and, and an earlier version, for FREE online. Free and better means more money for better brewing supplies, so you can buy them, brew some beer, and then (and only then) drink it!

Overrated. It's confusing organized; things seem interspersed randomly (hydrometers, for example, are discussed fully in two separate places).

It has much useful information, but it says some things that seem obviously wrong. Its basic beer recipe and procedure include no aromatic and flavor hops. It's not up to date, even though the third edition is from 2003; current equipment and ingredients are ignored or noted in random places.

It's also unattractive--amateurish photographs and silly cartoons--and annoyingly written. For example, it CONSTANTLY tells you to drink homebrewed beer while brewing. Since brewing involves boiling large amounts of liquids for extended periods and then transferring them among containers, that seems to me like a recipe for third degree burns.

I prefer John Palmer's How to Brew, which is available in hard copy and for FREE online. Free and better means more money for brewing supplies, so you can buy them, brew some beer, and then (and only then) drink it!

Recomended reading for the serious newbe home brewer.

Though I have not yet read the entire book, this is a highly entertaining read that is also full of interesting and useful information. For anyone interested in starting to homebrew, I highly recommend this book. As others have stated; this truly is the bible of homebrewing.

This is really an excellent read for all no matter what your skill level in brewing. There is really an abundance of good reference material.

I am doing the history of the breweries of southwest Wisconsin, Dubuque, Iowa and Galena, Illinois and the book took a lot of the puzzle out of the subject.

Great job - 5 stars.

John F. Dutcher,
American Breweriana Association Historian

Very complete step-by-step instructions for brewing beer. The book is logically organized, beginning with very basic all-extract brewing, then moving on to more complicated methods. It includes instructions on how to use the equipment as well, vital for the complete novice. You can read only what you need to know, or read more in-depth explanations of how yeast works, what enzymes the grains produce at what temperatures for converting starches to sugars (for mashing), the chemistry side of brewing; really technical stuff.

The phrase he keeps repeating, "Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew," doesn't annoy me in the least. In fact, I look forward to coming across it when reading the book. Every time I see that phrase, I pop a top. Makes reading and brewing so much more rewarding!! It's supposed to be fun so have fun with it.

I've been brewing for 13 years. I started with "New Complete Joy of Homebrewing (2nd Ed)" back then. I passed my old copy on to someone else and replaced it with the 3rd edition when it came out. With reasonable care, the book will (obviously) last you many years, and it only costs $10 on Amazon. What a deal for the wealth of information in here.

The all-extract brew is very easy to do. Basic instructions are given for taking temperature (hint: use bottled water, and refrigerate it; then you don't need a wort chiller), using the hydrometer to assure complete fermentation before bottling (necessary if you ever enter a competition; and, do you want to bottle it if it's not done yet??), sanitizing, step-by-step what you need to know to brew your first batch of beer. After 13 years, I still keep the book out when brewing just to keep on track.

The charts are invaluable and I use them to "design" my brews. I've moved on to using grains in my brews. Not sure I'll ever do all-grain brewing, but I know where to look if I ever want to try it!!

I've read other books on homebrewing, and even after brewing for years, I'd be confused and not know where to start after reading those books. They did not lay out step-by-step what to do like this one does.

If you're really serious about trying homebrewing, then you should get this book. It will be interesting to you if it's something you really want to get into, regardless of the style of writing or the paper it's printed on. If you have to be entertained with pretty pictures, insets, eye-catching layouts, glossy paper and expensive bindings in order to read a book, then don't get this book. It's a no-frills publication; buy it for the wealth of information it contains and the education you'll receive.

Your first batch should be "Linda's Lovely Light" on pg. 211. You'll be hooked on homebrew! Relax....

Amazon asked me for a review. For me, brand new to homebrewing, this book is disappointing. A major flaw is the poor quality of the paper, print style, organization, and just read-ability of the book. It is not very inviting. I was about to return it to Amazon, but would only get only get a few bucks back after the return postage; therefore, I will donate it to my local library. I am still looking for a good homebrew starter book for Extract brewing, which may lead me to All-grain.

This book helped me in a lot of ways. Not just the know how to brew a great beer, but also the know how on ways to update, upgrade, and the inspiration to create new things on my homebrewing setup. A must have for the brewer of all ages and also all levels of skill.

There is a wealth of information in this book...as there was in the 2nd Edition. Some of the recipes, ingredients and beer style information are updated. But I just cannot get past a feeling that Charlie isn't *really* up on the homebrewing gear that's out there and in common use.

One prime example: the standard immersion wort chiller. The book's discussion on wort chillers is amazingly devoid of this particular device that probably 75% of homebrewers either use now or have used in the past. He uses a copper coil chiller to run the *wort* through (surrounded by an ice bath), rather than running cold water through the chiller that is immersed in wort. Sure, people can use them that way, and doing so is no doubt effedtive. But it is a distinctly uncommon use, and extremely odd that there isn't any mention of how most people use them.

And wort-handling. All commonly-accepted information suggests that aerating hot wort is the prime cause of oxidation and off-flavors. Yet, Charlie has novice brewers dumping their hot wort through a strainer and into a fermenting bucket, with no discussion of chilling the wort first. This is in the introductory "newbie" section of the book.

The new charts, and information on cleaners and sanitizers is good and was long overdue. But for a 3rd Edition, there isn't much here that experienced brewers won't already get out of the 2nd Ed. As for novice brewers, go ahead and buy it realizing that this isn't the "bible" that sooo many people used to say about the 2nd Edition.

I haven't made homebrew in several years, so I wanted a book to bring me up to speed and cover modern developments. Charlie Papazian did all that, and more, in The Complete Joy of Home Brewing - 3rd Edition. I do agree with a pervious review that comments on the over use of the phrase "Relax. Don't worry. "Have a homebrew". However, considering the amount of well written and useful information, that becomes merely a minor irritant.

I am still on my first batch of brew, but after paging through several of these books this one seems to be the best starting point.

This, as well as the companion book, answer every question you may have regarding steps, ingredients, beer styles, and the most important thing to remember when brewing. Relax.

These books are well worth your time and money.

There's no question but that this book has been the Bible for many homebrewers. However, beginners should know that the instructions for extract brewing can quite adequately be set out in about 2 or 3 pages. Extract brewing is barely more difficult than baking a cake, so producing a whole book on the topic requires somewhat the same type of padding as occurs in diet books. The short instruction sheets my homebrew store supplied were plenty adequate to teach the topic. Some of the instructions Mr. Papazian gives are simply more complicated than they need to be. For instance, he gives detailed instructions on taking hydrometer readings to determine when secondary fermentation is complete. A much easier method, which I've used reliably in many dozens of homebrew batches, is simply to watch the bubbles in your airlock and bottle when they are occurring at one minute intervals. The detailed discussions of biochemistry may be of interest to some, but are certainly not needed for basic brewing. Only a few recipes are included, so this book really doesn't suffice as a recipe guide.

Homebrewers ready for all-grain brewing will of course need more information and instruction, for which Mr. Papazian's "Homebrewer's Companion" is a good start; it repeats enough from this first volume that my advice would be to buy "Companion" instead, when you're ready to go all-grain.

This truly is an excellent guide for starting the hobby. It certainly was my first brew book. Although my first homebrew store gave me simpler instructions with my first purchase, this book gave me the understanding of what those instructions meant.

The author is very laid back and is a knowledgeable guy that does not want you to quit the hobby because of petty details. Good brewing comes with time. After 11 years of brewing, I realize that this is a hobby, not a job. This is why the author repeats the phrase "Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew."

Being pretty savvy with both biology and chemistry, I was the typical case of a worry wort (no pun intended to all grain guys).

My first two brews, when I was too clueless to know what to worry about, came out better than the next 5!

Take this from a decent brewer: You will always want this book in your home. Although I normally use a bit more advanced guides (Designing Great Beers, and New Brewing Lager Beer), there is still some good stuff in this book. I would hardly call it only for beginners. I would say since almost every home brewer bought this book first, it is perceived to be a beginner's book. He has excellent all grain and whole hop data. He has excellent dilution data in case your wort is too concentrated. He hits on some topics that even the more advanced books don't.

This book is for beginning and experienced brewers. After all, after brewing for 11 years I picked up the third edition and found some new stuff I never saw before (hop growing and such)

You will like this book. Trust me, and relax don't worry.......


Hint: If you don't understand the terminology of your new hobby at first, use the glossary in the back of the book or an online site such as www,beertown,org or www,howtobrew,com

Many a homebrewer considers this book the BIBLE of Homebrewing.
Mr.Papazian Has sent many a curious soul down the road of the fascinating and wonderful hobby. In fact.. quite a few profesional brewer got thier start after reading this book and following it's advice.. Myself included!
If you wan't to know more about brewing your own beer at home.. you NEED this book!

I'm a beginning brewer. This book came highly recommended by several websites and brewing forums. So I picked this book up.
It's a thorough book and has been updated recently as the Introduction notes.
Overall it was a good book for a beginner but there are some problems.
First, the beginning chapters really barrel through the process so quickly that you're not sure what some of the terminology means. For instance, Pitching. Which is simply a brewer's word for dumping in the yeast. You'll hear the term used through several chapters before you even have a clue what it means. Another is sparging. Which is another brewer's term for straining the spent finishing hops and other stuff out of the beer.
As you can see I've read the entire book and I'm still uncertain of terms and when they are applied. He finally explains those two previously mentioned phrases and many more in the latter half of the book but by that time I was already confused and asking myself what the heck do those words mean? So much so that I don't really think the meanings set in completely for the last half of the book. This could just be my brain hiccupping (no pun intended) or maybe a flaw in the book. You'd have to decide for yourself. I finally noticed the Appendix in the back containing a glossary. *Sigh* oh well.
Second, this is probably the most annoying part of the book for me. He has a motto that he WAY overuses in the book. Every few paragraphs he spouts off this silly motto.... "Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew"
Doesn't seem like much but after reading it about 200 times in the book I was tempted to black that stupid phrase with a marker. For as many times as he had that in the book he could have put a quick glossary at the beginning to help us newbies to understand the terms he uses and doesn't explain until after he goes over the brewing process. Can you tell I despise that saying?
Now to the good points of the book.
The book is very thorough with some great recipes and knowledge about where beers come from and what kind is what as well as how they are made. And how to make every single one of these brews. It's an invaluable resource for recipes and little tips on homebrewing and some of the pitfalls. Giving many tips and tricks on how to avoid screwing up your first few batches.
He also gives great explanations on the types of Hops, yeast, grains, and sugars. There are so many your head will spin but he manages to keep you grounded with simple knowledge and easy explanations.
This is definitely a book you'll want in your brewing library. Just remember the first time he mentions Pitching or any term you don't understand. Flip to the glossary on pg.315 and educate yourself. Don't wait for him to explain it. And you'll be fine
Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew! *shiver*