For centuries smoke-flavored beers, also known as rauchbier, survived modernization in a small enclave centered around Bamberg, Germany. Today new examples are being made by brewers throughout the U.S. Enjoy the history, culture, and brewing of these wonderful beers with this informative volume. Geoff Larson, founder of Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau, Alaska, has been working with smoke to create Alaskan Smoked Porter since 1988. It continues to be one of the classic American examples o...

Alaska's fermented legacy retains the fiercely independent spirit that propelled the state's beer drinkers through the gold rush and sustained them through Prohibition. Today, craft brewers produce outstanding suds in some of the harshest and most remote locations on the planet. And while the beer scene in Alaska has roots that trace back to days when spirits had to have "medicinal, mechanical, and scientific purposes," the contemporary crop of breweries can thank industry pioneers like th...