Lager – it's both the world's most loved and most maligned of beers, enjoyed by billions the world over but often sneered at by beer aficionados.

But lager is much more than just generic brands. The history of styles of lager around the world is a fascinating one, full of urban myth and legend.

Did you know pilsner's forebears were spawned by industrial espionage (involving syringes in umbrellas to steal yeast samples)? Or that the world-famous Louis Pasteur played a huge role in ensuring the improvement of brewing standards, especially in lager, just too annoy his German neighbours? Or that the best-selling lager in the world is 'yellow Snow'?

In The Little Book of Lager, award-winning beer writer, Melissa Cole, takes you through a fun and informative romp around the world of lager and the surprising array of different styles. The book covers over 100 different lagers and takes you from the fun and frivolities of Oktoberfest to the recent rise in craft lager. Full of nuggets of trivia, fun facts, what to eat with each type and where to find them (or something that you'll enjoy equally), it's designed to reignite people's passion for an underrated beer style.