Beverage Basics: Understanding and Appreciating Wine, Beer, and Spirits

As people develop more sophisticated tastes, a basicunderstanding of wine, beer, and distilled spirits is moreimportant than ever for chefs, servers, bartenders, and restaurantmanagers. And for anyone who simply wants to get more out ofenjoying wine, beer, and spirits, developing an appreciation forthe history, production methods, and techniques for evaluatingalcoholic beverages is an essential first step. For professionalsand amateurs alike, Beverage Basics provides a thorough andaccessible education in the fundamentals.

Beverage Basics covers the art and science of winemakingfrom the vineyard to the table, takes a comprehensive look at theproduction methods, styles, and ideal food pairings for beer andspirits, and even covers the often-overlooked issues of health andthe law. Written by wine and spirits expert and educator Robert W.Small, the book offers expansive coverage of everything you need toknow about virtually all of the world's common alcoholicdrinks.

• Offers a uniquely user-friendly approach to the subject ofwine, organizing coverage by varietal rather than appellation
• Written by Robert W. Small, former dean and emeritus professorof The Collins College of Hospitality Management at CaliforniaState Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Chairman of the LosAngeles International Wine competition
• Heavily illustrated with gorgeous full-color photographs, maps,and sample beverage labels

Covering everything from ancient origins to modern drinkinghabits, Beverage Basics is the perfect all-in-one guide forfood and beverage professionals, students, and wine and drinklovers.