McGovern tells the enthralling story of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages and the cultures that created them. Humans invented heady concoctions, experimenting with fruits, honey, cereals, tree resins, botanicals, and more. These “liquid time capsules” carried social, medicinal, and religious significance with far-reaching consequences for our species. McGovern describes nine extreme fermented beverages of our ancestors, including the Midas Touch from Turkey and the 9000-year-old Chateau Jiahu from Neolithic China, the earliest chemically identified alcoholic drink yet discovered. For the adventuresome, homebrew interpretations of the ancient drinks are provided, with matching meal recipes.

    Along the way though I developed my own style. I boiled down what I learned and moved it indoors. I've developed designs that can be used right in the comfort of you own kitchen or out back in the woods! The truth is that Moonshining, aka "Home Distilling" is a folk art that helped build this country. Together we can make it live again, and have a little fun in the process! "But isn't this dangerous" you ask. Cooking up spirits isn't any harder then properly roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. In fact it's so easy that a redneck like me can do it. And folks if I can do it, then imagine what you might be able to create! Imagine the holidays when you pull out your own special label. Think of the drinks and dishes you can concoct. Open up a whole new world of creativity and step into the hobby that is truly one of the founding traditions of our country. There are dozens of reasons why people look into home distilling. Maybe you are looking for a new culinary branch to explore, maybe you just like the idea of knowing how to do things for yourself, perhaps you just like to keep the old ways alive or maybe you are just tired of our government telling us what we can and can not do! In this book I will show you how easy and safe this hobby really is. This book is designed for the beginner distiller and I take the time to introduce you to all the concepts of distilling that you need to get started. One of the great thing about distilling is that you can keep it simple or as get as complicated as you could possible want. This journey is all about where you want to take it. Please be advised that this is for informational purposes only. After you read this you will understand just how easy it is to make your own Moonshine, Whiskey, Vodka, Rum or even alternative fuels. Then once you understand how easy this is, how safe and how stupid the laws that restrict this are, then you can contact your congressman and/or senator and tell them to repeal the laws that are only in place to protect big businesses. Believe it or not there are Moonshiners everywhere, we have a grand tradition that goes back to the first settlers. Many historians will even tell you that it was moonshine that built this country! It's time to take back our heritage. Thank you for your support! Jeff King Moonshiners Unite!

    From choosing the right apples through reaping the liquid rewards of a successful pressing, this classic guide has you covered. With detailed drawings of cider-making equipment, methods, and set-up, even a novice juicer will enjoy sweet and spicy gallons in no time. Annie Proulx and Lew Nichols provide insightful, time-tested advice enlivened by a smattering of historical anecdotes. Whether you like your cider sweet or hard, you’re sure to find a recipe that satisfies.

    Through experiments, lab tests, discussions with researchers, and interviews with renowned and award-winning commercial brewers, the NEW IPA will get you to think differently about brewing processes and ingredient selection that define today's hop-forward beers. It's a must-have book for those that love to brew hoppy hazy beer and a scientific guide for those who want to push the limits of hop flavor and aroma!

    In the Middle Ages, yeast was called ‘godisgoode’ because no one had any idea what fermentation was. Malting barley, too, has for centuries seemed genuinely wondrous: it’s only in the last 200 years that science has identified and understood how man and yeast work together to gently (or not so gently) persuade this humble grain to give up its sugary stash for fermentation into beer.From the birth of brewing (and civilization) in the Middle East, through an exploration of water’s unmurky depths and the surreal madness of drink-sodden hop-blessings in the Czech Republic, to the stunning recreation of the first ever modern beer – Miracle Brew is an extraordinary journey through the nature and science of brewing.Along the way, we’ll meet and drink with a cast of characters who reveal the magic of beer and celebrate the joy of drinking it. And, almost without noticing, we’ll learn the naked truth about the world’s greatest beverage.

    Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when a Dutch physician added oil of juniper to a clear spirit, believing that juniper berries would cure kidney disorders. "The Drunken Botanist" uncovers the enlightening botanical history and the fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even one fungus).Some of the most extraordinary and obscure plants have been fermented and distilled, and they each represent a unique cultural contribution to our global drinking traditions and our history. Molasses was an essential ingredient in American independence: when the British forced the colonies to buy British (not French) molasses for their New World rum-making, the settlers outrage kindled the American Revolution. Rye, which turns up in countless spirits, is vulnerable to ergot, which contains a precursor to LSD, and some historians have speculated that the Salem witch trials occurred because girls poisoned by ergot had seizures that made townspeople think they d been bewitched. Then there's the tale of the thirty-year court battle that took place over the trademarking of Angostura bitters, which may or may not actually contain bark from the Angostura tree.With a delightful two-color vintage-style interior, over fifty drink recipes, growing tips for gardeners, and advice that carries Stewart's trademark wit, this is the perfect gift for gardeners and cocktail aficionados alike.

    And with the growing interest in locally grown and artisanal foods, many new cideries are springing up all over North America, often started up by passionate amateurs who want to take their cider to the next level as small-scale craft producers.To make the very best cider--whether for yourself, your family, and friends or for market--you first need a deep understanding of the processes involved, and the art and science behind them. Fortunately, The New Cider Maker's Handbook is here to help. Author Claude Jolicoeur is an internationally known, award-winning cider maker with an inquiring, scientific mind. His book combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today's cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders.The New Cider Maker's Handbook is divided into five parts containing:An accessible overview of the cider making process for beginners;Recommendations for selecting and growing cider-appropriate apples;Information on juice-extraction equipment and directions on how to build your own grater mill and cider press;A discussion of the most important components of apple juice and how these may influence the quality of the cider;An examination of the fermentation process and a description of methods used to produce either dry or naturally sweet cider, still or sparkling cider, and even ice cider.This book will appeal to both serious amateurs and professional cider makers who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to orchardists who want to grow cider apples for local or regional producers. Novices will appreciate the overview of the cider-making process, and, as they develop skills and confidence, the more in-depth technical information will serve as an invaluable reference that will be consulted again and again. This book is sure to become the definitive modern work on cider making.A mechanical engineer by profession, Claude Jolicoeur first developed his passion for apples and cider after acquiring a piece of land on which there were four rows of old abandoned apple trees. He started making cider in 1988 using a "no-compromise" approach, stubbornly searching for the highest possible quality. Since then, his ciders have earned many awards and medals at competitions, including a Best of Show at the prestigious Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP).Claude actively participates in discussions on forums like the Cider Digest, and is regularly invited as a guest speaker to events such as the annual Cider Days festival in western Massachusetts. He lives in Quebec City.

    Eaten alone, as a salad, or added to soups, entrees, sandwiches, burgers, or anything else, these tiny greens of nutrition will enhance everyday food and life!Only a small amount of space is needed to grow microgreens—a porch, patio, deck, or balcony, indoors or outdoors, will do. This allows anyone to easily incorporate microgreens into their daily meals, and the greens' nutritional potency make them a must-eat in a healthy diet, any time of the year!

    Now this drink is finding its way back into markets and onto menus as an alternative to handcrafted beer.

    Whatever the truth, brewers have brought this beverage into the twenty-first century, and you can rest assured that The Complete Guide to Making Mead is a thoroughly up-to-date, modern, and authoritative guide to homemade mead. Best of all, it has something for everyone, from the stone-cold beginner to the seasoned veteran. Award-winning mead-maker Steve Piatz begins with a brief history of the fermented beverage; a rundown of the various types of mead; and a discussion of the many types of honey that are available, their characteristics, and where to source them. Readers will be treated to discussions of yeast and special ingredients, as well as what equipment is necessary and reccomended and an illustrated and detailed look at the basic process. Readers will also discover advanced techniques, such as oaking, clarifying, aging, spicing, and blending. There are even sections on developing recipes and troubleshooting problems with the brewing process.With more than 100 color photos, The Complete Guide to Making Mead includes dozens of recipes for basic meads (honey only), melomels (honey and fruit), metheglins (honey and spices), and braggots (honey and malt).

    In a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Adam Rogers takes us from bourbon country to the world’s top gene-sequencing labs, introducing us to the bars, barflies, and evolving science at the heart of boozy technology. He chases the physics, biology, chemistry, and metallurgy that produce alcohol, and the psychology and neurobiology that make us want it. If you’ve ever wondered how your drink arrived in your glass, or what it will do to you, Proof makes an unparalleled drinking companion.

    This account of beer's imact on people and events that shaped the birth of a nation begins with the pre-colonial era and ends with America's emergence as an industrial power.

    All about beers

    This complete guide, from the proprietors of Kombucha Kamp, shows you how to do it from start to finish, with illustrated step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips. The book also includes information on the many health benefits of kombucha, fascinating details of the drink’s history, and recipes for delicious foods and drinks you can make with kombucha (including some irresistible cocktails!). “This is the one go-to resource for all things kombucha.” — Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award–winning author and host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods

    Yet it's really the most complex and subtle. Taste is a whole-body experience, and breakthroughs in genetics and microbiology are casting light not just on the experience of french fries and foie gras, but the mysterious interplay of body and brain.With reporting from kitchens, supermarkets, farms, restaurants, huge food corporations, and science labs, Tasty tells the story of the still-emerging concept of flavor and how our sense of taste will evolve in the coming decades. Tasty explains the scientific research taking place on multiple fronts: how genes shape our tastes; how hidden taste perceptions weave their way into every organ and system in the body; how the mind assembles flavors from the five senses and signals from body's metabolic systems; the quest to understand why sweetness tastes good and its dangerous addictive properties; why something disgusts one person and delights another; and what today's obsessions with extreme tastes tell us about the brain.Brilliantly synthesizing science, ancient myth, philosophy, and literature, Tasty offers a delicious smorgasbord of where taste originated and where it's going—and why it changes by the day.