Review of The Wine Maker's Answer Book (Answer Book (Storey)) (Paperback)

Alison Crowe dedicates this book to her two grandmothers and all those who "taught her that a woman's place is doing whatever she sets her mind to".This reviewer found that sentiment to be typically Californian, conjuring up many images of what one might call the golden state's "social terroir".Regional mentalities notwithstanding, WAB is just a great book about wine, and packed full of useful information that will appeal to anyone interested in making great wine.Particularly appealing is the format and page layout which begs to be picked up, flipped through, and read anywhere and at anytime.A durable cover is also appreciated, as is the size of the book and the font's ease on the eyes.

In the first part of the book one finds a simple, straightforward timeline of winemaking (for both red and white wines) that serves as an excellent "skeleton" of knowledge that, when assimilated, makes absorbing further information in the book easier- brilliant!Why aren't more books like this?She goes on to answer hundreds of questions from there!

Alison's talent as a writer comes through in clear and concise language, giving explanations that even a layman can understand with a little study.She does not overwhelm the reader with needless inundations of chemical jargon, but writes masterfully about the chemistry in simple terms.

All in all, a fantastic book!





Product Description
Home winemaking is an appealing hobby for a new generation of wine lovers lured by the promise of a great payoff - small batches of handmade wine. It's the perfect opportunity to experiment with flavors, have fun playing with chemistry, and share a few tasty bottles with friends and family. But safely fermenting, bottling, and aging wine is a demanding process requiring special equipment, impeccable sanitation, an understanding of chemical reactions, and the patience to see the aging process through to the end. No matter how experienced the home winemaker, unforeseen questions develop with every batch of new wine.

When a winemaker has problems with leaky corks or finds an oily film on top of his fermenting wine, what's the simplest, quickest way to get an answer? The Wine Maker's Answer Book is a 24/7 helpline with advice on hundreds of winemaking dilemmas. From the basic curiosity of the novice (What equipment will I need to get started?) to the finer points of fermentation (What is the impact of malolactic fermentation on acidity?), every step of the process is covered in detail.

Author Alison Crowe uses a friendly question-and-answer format to explain the mysteries of turning grape juice into wine, whether the reader is beginning with fresh grapes or a home winemaking kit. To the straightforward requests for information, she offers detailed descriptions of procedures and equipment. For stickier real-life problems, she first carefully assesses the possible causes and then gives expert advice on fixing the trouble.

Covering the entire range of situations a winemaker is likely to face, this handy, at-a-glance reference will make every batch of wine taste better.



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