Book Report: American Whiskey Master Class by Lew Bryson

Do you know of Lew Bryson? If you enjoy whiskey or beer, he's a prolific writer on those two subjects. He was an editor at Whisky Advocate for two decades, he writes for various publications and websites, and he's penned his share of books.

 

Full disclosure time. I know Lew. We live in different states; we've met, and I consider him a friend. But the reason I know Lew at all is that we're both whiskey writers, we've followed each other for several years, and our paths finally crossed at Distill America in 2019.

 

Lew asked me if I’d be interested in reviewing his newest book, American Whiskey Master Class. I agreed, and he sent me a copy. Lew is aware of my no-strings-attached, honest review policy and understands that if I don’t like it, I’ll still publish my findings.

 

His newest book is called American Whiskey Master Class, which follows his previous Whiskey Master Class.

 

 

While Whiskey Master Class dealt with whiskeys from around the world, American Whiskey Master Class takes a magnifying glass to what happens here in the good old USA.

 

First and foremost, don’t be scared by the name of this book. Yes, it is an educational tome; no, it is not written for elitists using overly technical terms, nor is it a classroom textbook.

 

Whereas Whiskey Master Class looked utilitarian, American Whiskey Master Class is a coffee table book. The cover had the color and feel of suede. It is published in a square, 9” x 9” format, making it easy to hold and something that you’ll want to display, whether just for yourself or for guests.

 

Lew has a writing style that's similar to my own. He writes in a conversational tone. In my opinion, it eases reading comprehension because it is closer to how most minds process (and retain) information versus simply memorizing facts and figures.

 

Lew and I also share the same whiskey philosophy. He says:

 

“If you want to find the best whiskey it’s simple: Taste widely and decide what your favorite is. There’s no other way. […] Don’t make up your mind too early, you’ll only limit yourself, and that’s never good.” – page 274

 

I’ve narrowed that down with my hashtag #DrinkCurious.

 

American Whiskey Master Class begins with a foreword from Fred Minnick. Lew essentially gave Fred his start for a significant publication, and that was after rejecting him many, many times.

 

Beyond that, Lew outlines everything you’d ever want to know about American whiskeys and then some. He dedicates time to American distilling history, including the contributions of enslaved black Americans, before moving on to how whiskey is made. From there, he discusses the various types of American whiskeys, from Moonshine to the major and minor categories many of us know and love.

 

Do you want to know what a Master Distiller really is? Or, why are some rickhouses climate-controlled while others aren’t? How about the differences between heads, hearts, and tails? Never fear, Lew has you covered.

 

There are little snippets throughout the book, generally at the end of each subchapter, that are what I’d call “micro-reviews” of a random American whiskey in one or two sentences total.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: As I stated earlier, American Whiskey Master Class is a coffee table book. Thanks to some stellar photographers who are credited on the final page, you don’t even need to read the book to enjoy it. You can just look at the pictures and get sucked in.

 

Whether you are new to the whiskey scene or if you believe you’re a whiskey know-it-all, by the time you close the back cover, you’re going to walk away with something you didn’t know (pot shot intended). It is an easy-to-digest book that you’ll be proud to own.  

 

Published by Harvard Common Press, American Whiskey Master Class has a suggested price of $40.00 and can be purchased from Quarto.com. On my rating scale, it is an absolute Bottle. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.