Handmade Lambic Cradle by Eric Smith
$125, etsy.com/shop/Esmithwoodworks
Lambic baskets communicate a certain ritual pride in beer service, a contagious aspect of the Belgian experience. Yet these wooden cradles from St. Louis woodworker Eric Smith capture the form and drama of the traditional basket, updating the aesthetic with contemporary geometry. Still, the connections are deep—Smith builds some cradles with cut-off oak pieces sourced from Foeder Crafters. Construction is gorgeous, with contrasting dovetails and dowels securing the sides and handle. The overall design manages to be contemporary without being too precious.
A History of Brussels Beer in 50 Objects
by Eoghan Walsh, Brussels Beer City
The best history lessons entertain as well as educate, and here Walsh pulls together the series from his Brussels Beer City blog into one unifed tome—a collection of 50 “objects” that spark curiosity and allow various points of departure into the bigger history, unburdened by the necessity of long-form narrative. The scope is vast, covering history both ancient and recent, but the jazz-like rhythm and bounce between ideas and themes means it never gets routine. (In full transparency, object #37 was co-written by our own managing editor Joe Stange. He had no role in this review.)
Brewing with Hemp
by Ross Koenigs, Brewers Publications
Anyone who’s paid attention to our content on the subject of brewing with cannabis over the years knows we hold both Koenigs and Keith Villa—author of Brewing with Cannabis (reviewed in issue 46)— in high regard; listen to Craft Beer & Brewing podcast episodes with each for more background on the topic. However, the beauty in each book is the slightly different way they cover an overlapping subject. For homebrewers, Koenigs probes more deeply on varieties and techniques for cannabis additions. Villa dives deeper into regulatory issues, marketing, packaging, and concerns of professional brewers. While certain chapters overlap between both, together they offer a depth that hasn’t been available in brewing texts until now. Any brewer aspiring to make beer with cannabis should give both a read—they’re essentials.