Martyn Cornell's "Amber, Gold & Black: The Story of Britain's Great Beers"

[Ian Robinson]

In just a few years, we've moved from London to Ohio, Ohio to San Diego, San Diego to Charlotte, North Carolina, then last Christmas, we moved back to San Diego. Several reasons prompted these sojourns (mainly work related - I work in healthcare), but we've always made it an obsession to embrace the beer scene of wherever we've lived. And that has been a total joy!

The problem with moving is that things get packed away in boxes, often remaining unpacked as the next move appraches, then the boxes gets pushed away somewhere else.

While rearranging the garage the other day, I came across a box that said "Ian's Beer Books". I eagerly looked inside and Martyn Cornell's book stared up at me. I'd completely forgotten about this one. It wasn't a book from a store - On a long forgotten beer website, I paid for it online, then printed off the pages. I believe I was allowed three attempts to print it.

This was during our time in Ohio - I remember we had a colour laser printer, thus I printed the book in full technicolor, with back-to-back pages. I then took it to a stationary store, punched holes on the sides and bought a binder for it. Then it got put away for future reference.

And now "Amber, Gold & Black..." has made a triumphant comeback! Subtitled "Porter to Bitter, Mild to Stout, including IPA, Brown Ale, Burton Ale, Old Ale, Barley Wine, Stingo, Golden Ale, Gale Ale, Honey Ale, White Ale, Heather Ale and Mum", this abundance of information, lavishly accomplished with illustrations is my new "Go To" book, especially as some of the beer styles go way beyond my beer drinking days in the U.K.

So, on Sunday mornings, at our favourite coffee shop, when my wife is armed with both the San Diego Tribune and The Sunday New York Times (and with the various crossword puzzles that come with them), I have a new distraction - one I am truly grateful for!

 

[Dan Vyvyan]

Martyn Cornell aka zythophile is a very diverting beer writer/blogger as well as sometime patron, like me, of a fondly remembered pub in London (since turned into a “nu-wave [sic] taqueria and tequila bar”).

He is also an exceptionally erudite beer historian. If you’re interested in, say, the development of mild ale between the wars or the genealogy of experimental Oregon hop varieties, he’s your man.

 

[Ian Robinson]

Thanks Dan - It's a fabulous read of beer styles that I'd either forgotten about or didn't know existed.

I also found a cutting inside the book of an article written by K. Florian Klemp called "Belgian Quadruple and Stong Dark". No shortage of beer history here!