As an enthusiastic supporter of the craft-beer movement, I’ve long liked the idea of trying brewing for myself. In fact, I think I would already have tried were it not that a ready supply of ale under the stairs combined with a total lack of self-control seems like a one-way ticket to rehab. But, if I develop an iron will, this very comprehensive ‘how-to’ book, by the founder of NSW’S Batch Brewing Co, will be the one I want to guide me through the various stages to becoming a brewmaster. It runs through different styles of beer, the stages of the brewing process, the ingredients you’ll use, the equipment you’ll need and, crucially, exactly what you need to do. Clear step-by-step instructions combine with photos to reassure the beginner that they’re doing it right. But the ethos is that brewing your own beer is fun, so the text is interspersed with little gems. “Carefully, so you don’t burn your face or hands, waft that beautiful-smelling steam toward your nose and breathe it in…pause and take a moment, because life doesn’t get much better than this.”

So, if you picture yourself impressing your mates by cracking the top off a home-brewed pale ale at your summer sessions, get this book and get brewing.