Rating: 
Summary: All you ever wanted to know about home brewing.
Review: I got interested in home brewing last fall ('03) and went to a shop that specializes in equipment and kits. From there, I wanted to get into learning more about the process and devining my own concoctions. This book is a recommended upgrade to their beginners kit and I purchased it later after brewing a kit or two. After reading this book, I am very confident that I know what to do to get the tastes out of the different breeds of hops and grain mixtures. This book actually goes a little further than I needed it to, as it goes into the chemical processes with the different ions in the water, and such as that. However, if you are a beginner brewer and want to delve into your own creations, this is where to go. It's a great work to set you on the right track. It has everything you WANT to know and some that you could probably care less about, but worth adding to the shelf if you enjoy the hobby.
Rating: 
Summary: A Beginner's Guide to Brewing Beer
Review: This was the first book that I purchased on the subject of homebrewing. I met Charlie Papazian at a local bookstore and he signed my book with his favorite phrase "Relax..Don't Worry..Have a Homebrew". This book is well organized and is wriiten in an entertaining style. It is the perfect book for the beginner. It details, step-by-step, the basic instructions for brewing your first batch of beer. It also has sperate sections for intermediate and advanced homebrewing. An individual can find an answer to practically any question that he/she might have on the subject of brewing beer somewhere in this book. Among all the the books that I have on the subject of homebrewing, this is the one that I turn to most frequently. Papazian's writing style keeps the subject of brewing interesting from start to finish.
Rating:
Summary: All you ever wanted to know about home brewing.
Review: I got interested in home brewing last fall ('03) and went to a shop that specializes in equipment and kits. From there, I wanted to get into learning more about the process and devining my own concoctions. This book is a recommended upgrade to their beginners kit and I purchased it later after brewing a kit or two. After reading this book, I am very confident that I know what to do to get the tastes out of the different breeds of hops and grain mixtures. This book actually goes a little further than I needed it to, as it goes into the chemical processes with the different ions in the water, and such as that. However, if you are a beginner brewer and want to delve into your own creations, this is where to go. It's a great work to set you on the right track. It has everything you WANT to know and some that you could probably care less about, but worth adding to the shelf if you enjoy the hobby.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have reference for new & intermediate brewers
Review: When you first feel the desire to brew beer, and start looking into the process, it can seem pretty formidable. Walking into the homebrew store or visiting its website, and seeing all the ingredients and equipment, can be intimidating for the newcomer. Turning to the web, magazines and books for enlightenment, the first-timer can be intimidated by the sheer volume of brewing information floating around. Rather than throwing your hands up in confusion and walking away, buy this book.Papazian's motto is "Relax, don't worry--have a homebrew!" Rather than getting bogged down in the details of making perfect, contest-winning beers, Papazian focuses on the basic steps a homebrewer has to follow to make good beer. You can make something tasty and enjoyable with minimal equipment, malt extract and part of a weekend afternoon, and Papazian holds the brewer's hand through the entire process. Once you've nailed the basics--and it's not hard--the last part of the book teaches you how to advance to intermediate brewing without much additional hassle. Experienced brewers may find this book too basic for their needs. Beginning and intermediate brewers will find it invaluable.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, NOT a bible!
Review: This is a good starter. Personally, I find the author's style overly bold and self-confident. The motto "have a homebrew" is a grammatical non-sense. If I were a beginner I would buy it. It is a good book but certainly not a "bible".
Rating: 
Summary: all of life's answers are in the fermentation bucket
Review: This book is written for those who don't really know if they want to get serious about homebrewing or not. It outlines the steps necessary to brew a decent beer without getting into the art and science (Zymurgy). It took me about 2 hours to read cover-to-cover and if the words "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew" were omitted from the book it would be shortened to about half. The book is somewhat dated and does not cover the major improvements in homebrewing equipment that is now available. There are some good recipes included. Those who are serious would be better served to study Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide.
Rating:
Summary: The classic, but there are better starter books now.
Review: More homebrewers have probably started with this book than any other, and Charlie is owed a great deal of thanks for helping to revive homebrewing in America. This book is fun to read, educational, and to its credit has all the information you need to start brewing. That said, it is also out of date and there are many other books more up to date on techniques, equipment, and ingredients that are just as friendly to the beginner.
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