This book classifies, reviews, and rates 250 widely available (in the USA) beers. On a rating scale of 1-10, all of the beers in this group of 250 fall in the range 3-9. So none of them are deemed virtually undrinkable (1-2). 21 are judged to be exceptional beers, worth taking the time to appreciate (9-10). The chapters in Part 1 describe the brewing processes, the various families and styles of beer, and the flavorings and ingredients.

Studies are cited which concluded that American beer drinkers can't tell the difference between various brands of pale lagers, the most popular style of beer. On the other hand, college students in Bavaria are much more tuned into the subtleties of taste of the major brands of Munich helles lager, perhaps due to their greater exposure to their local beers from their early teens. The authors take this to be an argument for the repeal of "America's preposterously Puritanical and irresponsibly counterproductive minimum drinking age of 21."

Part 2 of the book is a catalog of the 250 beers, one per page, with a short history, a description of flavors and aromas, a comment on the bottle design, essential statistics, and a rating. I wish the book were longer and that more beers had been rated. ( )