Do you know why Kind William IV appears more frequently on Britain's pub signs than any other monarch, why the German beer purity laws were introduced, or how a beer can widget works? This book answers these questions and innumerable others about beer and brewing. Much more complex than wine, beer is often a better accompaniement to food, and there are more than two thousand-year history, and explains how different styles emerged through the use of different ingredients and processing methods. The story is brought up to date with an insider's exposé of the modern brewing process, and an account of which additives are employed and why.