Written for the serious homebrewer, or those with a love of chemistry, Brew Chem 101 explores the areas of biochemistry and organic chemistry which apply to the brewing of beer. After covering the basic chemistry of beer, Janson explores each step of the process, including yeast, fermentation, mashing and sparging. Janson provides an engaging mix of nontechnical, readable language with diagrams of molecules and chemical reactions. Homebrewers are guaranteed to return again and again to the chapter on "Understanding and Avoiding Off Flavors". The final chapter on "Evaluating Beer" is sure to give a new, more scientific perspective on the standard evaluation checklist. This slim book packs a lot of punch! ( )