Where should you go if you want to learn about how to really take beer seriously? Well, aside from your local beer bar, that is, there are two books that I highly recommend: Garrett Oliver's Beer Travelogue The Brewmaster's Table and Randy Mosher's Tasting Beer.
Head Brewmaster at New York's Brooklyn Brewery, Garrett Oliver has compiled several years worth of travels around Europe to put together what has to be one of the definitive style guides for Beer. More than that, it's a guide to pairing good food with good beer. This man is definitely an authority on Beer - Food pairings, staging many beer dinners throughout the year around the country. Want to know what type of flavors to expect from a Belgian Geuze, and what foods could pair nicely with it? Look no further.
Mosher's work, on the other hand, reads like a training manual, which is exactly what it is. I tell you what, this is the kind of textbook I wish I had back in high school - in addition to providing descriptions, characteristics, and definitions of the commonly accepted tasting flavors, he also provides all the information that is necessary to judge beer. Also, it gives a rundown on glassware detailing everything down to exactly why certain glasses are used for certain beers. It's user-friendly, has lots of pictures, and can be picked up, put down, or used for reference at any time. It even has guidelines for arranging tastings! Neither of these books are to be missed.
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