Oliver, Garrett

Garrett Oliver, author of The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering The Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, likens his role as Brewmaster at the award-winning Brooklyn Brewery in New York City to a chef: "The Brewmaster is essentially the chef of the brewery." Gourmet magazine described him as "a passionate epicure and talented alchemist."

In Oliver's new book, his expertise about beer is as entertaining and authoritative as his culinary tips, especially in the numerous savory beer and food matchups he recommends. How did Garrett Oliver come by these consuming passions?

After years of amateu...