Changing perceptions about real beer

l Author Adrian Tierney-Jones pictured (left) with Cornwall CAMRA chairman Rod Davis at last year's St Austell Beer Festival

November 7, 2005: Westcountry writer Adrian Tierney-Jones tells the story of beer in a refreshing an accessible new book, published by CAMRA.

The Big Book of Beer, subtitled Everything you Need to Know About the World’s Greatest Drink!, takes the reader on a journey from humble beginnings in a sun-drenched field of barley, through the brewing process, to reaching the glass in various forms and styles - satisfyingly aromatic and lightly sparkling.

“I hope the book goes some way towards changing people‘s perceptions about real beer,” said Adrian. “People are often pleasantly shocked when they give it a go and there’s no better place to see drinker’s reactions than at a beer tasting.”

At a recent corporate tasting that he hosted, two-thirds of the females liked English bitter, from a selection of six contrasting beer styles, which flies in the face of orthodox brewing wisdom that the female palate enjoys a sweeter beer. Interestingly, none of the drinkers would have considered drinking bitter before tasting it.

“This is obviously a small sample from one corporate event, but it does demonstrate that an English bitter is one of the great drinks of the beer world, full of flavour and complexity, thirst-quenching and moreish.

"It’s a shame that people seem to have a problem with the word 'bitter' when applied to beer, thinking it old-fashioned and redolent of flat caps and whippets!

“'Bitter' to many drinkers is a negative word. Yet the same people are happy to drink a double espresso or add Angostura bitters to their slinky cocktails; hardly easy and smooth flavours. If you look beyond the name, you’ll discover a world of flavour.”

In the same tasting, 43 per centof those taking part said they prefer to be offered a glass which is specific for the beer they are drinking.

Adrian added: “Again, this idea is nothing new, and something that the industry has talked about for some time - it’s all about changing people’s perceptions, as beer is usually served in a standard pint glass.

"That’s why I decided to include a section on ‘Beer Curiosities’ in the The Big Book of Beer. In order to attract different types of drinkers to this wonderful drink we have to accept that, for some people, the presentation of the beer is almost as important as the taste.”

l The Big Book of Beer (ISBN 1852492120) is available to buy from book shops, priced £14.99, direct from CAMRA 01727 867201, or online at www.camra.org.uk/books