The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering The Pleasures Of Real Beer With Real Food by Garrett Oliver

The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering The Pleasures Of Real Beer With Real Food by Garrett Oliver

Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Award for Best Cookbook in the Wine, Beer or Spirits category.

Garrett Oliver, award-winning Brewmaster and Vice President of Production of the Brooklyn Brewery, recognized by Gourmet Magazine as a passionate epicure and talented alchemist, reveals the full spectrum of flavors contained in the more than 50 distinct styles of beer from around the world.

Most importantly, he shows how beer, which is far more versatile than wine, intensifies flavors when it's appropriately paired with foods to create a dining experience most people have never imagined. Garrett, along with photographer Denton Tillman, traveled throughout Europe visiting fellow brewmasters to trace the beers of the world to their sources. Back in the States, he met with the star chefs he has advised about beer. The resulting book is a motherload of information, lushly illustrated with Tillman's gorgeous photographs of the world's best beers and the breweries that produce them. Above all, THE BREWMASTER'S TABLE is a new way of thinking about beer - one that will bring this under-appreciated brew to the status it deserves.

Whether it's a Belgian wheat beer with a simple salad, a Brooklyn Pilsner to wash down spicy tacos, a pale ale alongside a porcini risotto with foie gras, or even a Framboise to accompany a dark chocolate brownie, beer is the perfect complement to any dining experience, at home in front of the TV or in a four-star restaurant.

He explains how beer is made, shows you its fascinating history, and then leads you through the amazing range of flavors displayed by the dozens of distinct styles of beer from around the world. Finally, he suggests beer pairings that will please your tastebuds and blow your mind. Whether you're a beer aficionado, a passionate cook, or just someone who loves a great dinner, this book will indeed be a revelation.

Garrett Oliver, author of The Brewmaster's Table: Exploring the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, compares his job as Brewmaster of New York City's award-winning Brooklyn Brewery to that of a chef: The Brewmaster is essentially the brewery's chef. He was hailed as a skilled alchemist and a devoted epicure by Gourmet magazine. Oliver's beer knowledge is as fascinating and authoritative as his culinary advice in his new book, particularly in the countless tasty beer and food pairings he proposes. Garrett Oliver's passionate hobbies are the result of his upbringing. In 1993, he was promoted to Brewmaster.

He quickly gained a reputation as a savory interpreter of ancient brewing methods as well as an enthusiastic and entertaining presenter and writer on the subject of excellent beer, both in the United States and overseas. Garrett has held hundreds of beer tastings and dinners, contributes to beer and food-related publications on a regular basis, and is a world-renowned authority on traditional beer styles and their pairings with good cuisine. Oliver became a partner and brewmaster at The Brooklyn Brewery in 1994. Some of his beers have received national and international recognition.

He has also judged the Great American Beer Festival's Professional Panel Blind Tasting for eleven years, the coveted Great British Beer Festival competition five times, and the Beverage Industry International Awards twice. Oliver has presented tastings and discussions for the Smithsonian, MassMOCA, and The Jewish Museum, among others. Garrett has appeared on NPR, CNN, ABC, PBS, MSNBC, The History Channel, Food Network's Emeril Live, and CBS' Martha Stewart Living as a spokeswoman for craft brewing in the United States, including parts on NPR, CNN, ABC, PBS, MSNBC, The History Channel, Food Network's Emeril Live, and CBS' Martha Stewart Living. Garrett has organized beer tastings and meals at a number of prestigious restaurants, cooking schools, and food events, including dinners at James Beard House, Oceana, The Waldorf-Astoria, the Slow Food Cheese Festival and Salone del Gusto in Piemonte, Italy, The Association of Westchester Country Club Chefs, The American Institute of Wine and Food, The Culinary Institute of America, and the Sommelier Society of America.

Garrett is a member of the Slow Food USA Board of Directors. His first book, The Fine Beer Book, was co-written with Timothy Harper and published in 1997. Oliver has a bachelor's degree in Broadcasting and Film from Boston University. The Institute for Brewing Studies awarded him the Russell Schehrer Prize for Innovation and Achievement in Brewing in 1998. It is the highest honor bestowed on the brewing industry in the United States.