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Babs
Harrison, author of the BEER DECK
The
Beer Deck: 50 Ways to Sip and Savor
Text by Babs Harrison Photographs by Alison Miksch
3-3/8 x 4-3/4 x 1-1/8 in; 50 pp; 50 color photographs
$13.95 ISBN 0811835863
Just
in time for graduation & Father's Day comes the handy BEER DECK,
one in a series of card tomes from Chronicle Books. With capsule profiles
of popular beerstyles, and assorted tips on pairing beer with food,
the BEER DECK makes a fun gift.
Babs
Harrison, the writer behind the BEER DECK, relied on experts such
as Michael Jackson and online sources such as the Association of Brewers
website, for information. 
"What
was most fun was tasting a wide variety of beer, from flights at Eske's
Brewpub in Taos, New Mexico, to pubs in Galway," Harrison says.
She adds that a benefit of visiting brewpubs, versus other taverns,
is the chance to meet the brewer and learn from the authority about
the brewing process.
Still,
her favorite food pairing with beer involves no cooking at all, merely
access to the freshest possible bivalves. "The biggest surprise
was how delicious raw oysters on the half shell taste with a pint
of Guinness," she enthuses. "WOW!"
I can
envision shuffling the BEER DECK as a bar-top conversation starter
at many brewpubs across North America....debating the particulars
of styles such as brown porter:
"A
brown porter is considered to be the traditional English porter: dark,
toasty and bitter. Ranging from brown to dark brown, it is similar
to dry stout, but the toasty flavor comes from roasting the malt rather
than the barley as is common with stouts."
However,
the food suggestions are minimal - such as "brown porter paired
with a porterhouse steak" or robust porter with "a handful
of chocolate-covered espresso beans." For more recipes, check
out the beercook recipe archives....
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