The Little History of Scottish Brewing

Firstly, I have to say that I know John and he kindly provided a signed copy of this book in a swap for a signed copy of my book, The Home Brewer’s Recipe Database, so I did effectively buy my copy. John didn’t ask me to write this review, I am simply doing this because I think it is a great book, but I have declared my connection with the author to be open.The book’s title is an accurate description of its contents. It is an introduction to Scottish Brewing History. But this is not as “little” as the title suggests since there is a lot of interesting information in its pages. I’ve found that brewing history can be a contentious subject but John provides all theories, including his own, so effectively allows the reader to make their own decision on the shilling system, brewing liquor, ingredients etc. I found it to be an enjoyable read and I learned many new facts which I will use when planning my next historical Scottish home brews.The book does not contain any beer recipes and I understand that these were planned but omitted due to space limitations. This isn’t a huge concern because there a number of on-line resources for historical recipes, but John’s book provides a broader overview of changes over time. For example, Scotch Ale has changed in characteristics over time so this book provides context to any recipe. In the 1700s it was a thick, sweet brew flavoured with groot, By the 1830s it was a pale, lightly hopped beer which became a World-wide success but remains a popular style in Belgium even it has progressively been diluted in more ways than one through the 20th century in Scotland itself.I am sure that I will continue to refer to this book when planning my next historical Scottish brews!