Have you ever wondered about the difference between a lager and an ale? Or marvelled at how, with only four basic ingredients, there can be around 150 different styles of beer in existence? Raise a glass with Jane Peyton as she distils practical advice from the rich history of the nation's favourite beverage. This fascinating insight spans the earliest evidence of beer 13, 000 years ago, through its central role in monasteries and aboard naval ships, to its enduring popularity today. Illustrated with beautiful engravings and posters from the British Library collections, this book will quench your thirst for knowledge, with everything you need to know to become a mastermind in beer."--Back cover