GSN Alert: Q Mixers to the ResQ

This summer, Q Mixers is challenging people to not let the fear of the dreaded hosting hangover stop them from throwing their epic summer party. @QMixers is here to the “ResQ” by hooking lucky winners up with home cleaning services from Handy (total value of ~$429) and re-stocking their home bar with Q’s very best selection of summer mixers. All you have to do is post your party pic tagging #HostingResQ or simply enter at: www.qmixers.com! (Sweepstakes runs between 5/30 at 7am CST and 7/10 at 11:59 CST. Some terms and conditions apply, public profile, must be 21 and over, legal resident of the US)

Summer Cocktail Recipes from QMixers

Rum

Summer Hibiscus Cooler

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Rum, Passionfruit Rum, or Coconut Rum

½ oz Lime Juice

½ oz Simple Syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)

1 Can Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER

1 Lime Wheel

METHOD

Shake all ingredients, except the Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEERand strain into a highball glass filled with ice then top with the Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER and garnish with a lime wheel.

Dark and Stormy

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz Goslings Dark Rum

5 oz Q GINGER BEER

½ oz Lime Juice

METHOD

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the Q GINGER BEER and squeeze in the lime. Top with the rum so it floats on the top, looking like a dark storm cloud that will force you to stay at the bar all afternoon. For a lighter but still delicious version, try our Q LIGHT GINGER BEER

Vodka

Spectacular Bloody Mary

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Premium Vodka

6 oz Q SPECTACULAR BLOODY MARY MIX

Garnish of your choice – we love it with a wedge of lemon & a crisp celery stalk

METHOD

Fill a glass with ice and add your favorite vodka. Pour in the Q SPECTACULAR BLOODY MARY MIX, gently stir and add your choice of garnish.

Q-Cumber Mule

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz Vodka

½ oz Lime Juice

4 Basil Leaves

4 ¼ inch Cucumber Slices

5 oz Q GINGER BEER

METHOD

Shake all ingredients except the Q GINGER BEER and strain into a mule mug filled with ice. Top with Q GINGER BEER and garnish with a cucumber slice.

For a lighter but still delicious version, try our Q LIGHT GINGER BEER

Sparkling Greyhound

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz your favorite vodka

5 oz Q SPARKLING GRAPEFRUIT

1 Lime Wedge

Grapefruit Peel

METHOD

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the vodka and squeeze in the lime, leaving the lime wedge in the glass. Then pour in the Q SPARKLING GRAPEFRUIT, garnish with the grapefruit peel and gently stir.

Whiskey

Summer Night Sipper

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Rye Whiskey

0.5 oz Aperol

5 oz Q SPARKLING GRAPEFRUIT

1 Lemon Wheel

METHOD

Build in highball glass filled with ice and top with Q SPARKLING GRAPEFRUIT. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Blackberry Fizz

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Rye Whiskey

1 oz Lemon Juice

4 tsp Honey

4 Blackberries

5 oz Q ELDERFLOWER TONIC

METHOD

Muddle blackberries in the bottom of mixing glass. Add all other ingredients and shake. Strain into a large champagne coupe or martini glass. Top with Q ELDERFLOWER TONIC.

Triple B Mary

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Bourbon

2 tsp BBQ Sauce

½ oz Lemon Juice

8 oz Q SPECTACULAR BLOODY MARY MIX

1 Bacon Slice Garnish

METHOD

Mix all ingredients in a highball glass and stir until the ingredients are incorporated. Garnish and serve.

Gin 

Easy Beesy

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Gin

0.5 oz Lemon Juice

0.5 oz Honey

4 oz Q GINGER BEER

1 Lavender or Thyme Sprig Garnish

METHOD

Dissolve the honey in the lemon juice, add the gin and shake. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice and top with Q GINGER BEER.

Over Thyme

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz Gin

1 oz Fresh Red Grapefruit Juice

½ oz Honey

4 oz Q SPECTACULAR TONIC WATER

Thyme Sprig

METHOD

Dissolve honey in grapefruit add gin and shake. Strain into a highball glass and top with Q SPECTACULAR TONIC WATER, garnish with thyme sprig.

Southside Royale

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz Premium Gin

¾ oz Lime Juice

¾ oz Simple Syrup

8 Mint Leaves

4 oz Q GINGER ALE

METHOD

Lightly muddle mint, lime juice and sugar syrup in bottom of a large highball glass. Add gin and ice then stir vigorously with long handled spoon. Top with Q GINGER ALE and garnish with a fresh mint sprig. 

Tequila/Mezcal

Smoke and Spice Margarita

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Mezcal

½ oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur

5 oz Q SPECTACULAR MARGARITA MIX

¼ Lime Juice

1 Fresh Jalapeno Slice

METHOD

Pour ingredients in the above order into an ice filled glass. Stir gently.

5 O’Clock Fizz

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz Blanco Tequila

¾ oz Campari

¾ oz Lime Juice

5 oz Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER

METHOD

Shake all ingredients except the ginger beer and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER and garnish with an orange peel.

Ranch Water

INGREDIENTS

1 oz Your favorite tequila

1 can Q CLUB SODA

1 Lime Wedge

METHOD

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in tequila and squeeze in a lime. Top with Q CLUB SODA and gently stir.

GSN Review: Top Note Tonics

In 2014, co-founder Mary Pellettieri discovered the historic origin of bitter and botanical tinctures that have evolved into the carbonated mixers we know and love today. Starting with their Bitter Orange Syrup sold in a local farmer’s market, they quickly expanded their business and flavor portfolio in 2017. Soon after, they received the SoFi award for their Indian Tonic Water which put them on the map as a successful business in the cocktail world. 

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founders Mary Pellettieri and Noah Swanson set out to start a company that changed the way people think about – and enjoy – drink mixers. […] Today, Top Note continues to look forward to adding to the world of mixers with more innovative and high-quality products. With their craft brewer’s mentality, Mary and Noah put a twist on tradition for mixers set to wow the world.”

We at GSN were able to sample each of their offerings: Grapefruit Soda, Club No. 1, Ginger Beer, Indian Tonic Water, Classic Tonic Water, and Bitter Lemon. Each product had a familiar yet distinct flavor profile which allowed them to be enjoyed independently or mixed into a classic cocktail. The standout flavor for us is their award winning Indian Tonic Water. It’s no wonder why this business boomed and expanded as quickly as they have. 

Grapefruit Sparkling Mixer: Mild citrus, light, sweet, and no bitter notes from grapefruit pith. An easy grapefruit flavored soda to enjoy chilled in the summer, or mixed into a Paloma. A-

Indian Tonic Water: Very well balanced between floral, citrus and the aromatics. This is one of my favorite Indian tonic waters that I have reviewed: enjoyable with or without my favorite gin. A+

Classic Tonic Water: High notes of both citrus and lime. The aftertaste left a slightly bitter taste which made this tonic water a better mixer than soda. B

Club No. 1: A lovely light and refreshing option for a club soda with a quite distinctive mineral flavor. A good option for a carbonated beverage, alcoholic or not. A-

Bitter Lemon: A quite bitter and almost salty lemon soda. Although it’s refreshing, it does have a rather unique flavor profile that lends well to a mixed drink rather than a soda. B+

Ginger Beer: The ginger has a nice bite, but the date sugar is what sets this soda apart. The combination of ginger, cane sugar and date sugar really is award-winning. This is a great option for those who prefer a sweeter ginger beer rather than a spicy or bitter one. A

For more information go to: Top Note Tonics

#TopNote #TopNoteTonic

GSN Review: Double Dutch Premium Mixers

Double Dutch Premium Mixers is a woman-owned business, founded by identical twins Raissa and Joyce de Haas. Their childhood in the Netherlands helped launch their vibrant and creative business that prides itself on fun flavors. “Our range is the result of a flavour-led approach that twins molecular gastronomy with the best ingredients, pairing surprising flavours for a unique taste that opens up a world of possibilities – one glass at a time.” They offer twenty different products ranging from a classic Indian Tonic Water to the more unique Cucumber Margarita with Chilli Soda.

We at GSN sampled four of their different mixers: Indian Tonic Water, Club Soda, Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale. These traditional and classic mixers should be a staple in any home bar, so we were excited to review them. We crafted a few easy summer cocktails such as the classic Gin and Tonic and a Mexican Mule. For those that love a classic G&T, their Indian tonic water is a great option. And for those that love Moscow mules and the bite it brings, their ginger beer is quite spicy and aromatic.

Indian Tonic Water: It’s interesting to note how different tonic waters can vary from one brand to another, especially when mixing them with a preferred gin. Double Dutch’s Indian tonic water is a standard recipe that allows the spirit you choose to blend it with to really shine. We used a dry gin and a bit of lime; the flavors were familiar and mellow. GSN Rating: B

Club Soda: We here at GSN don’t often try club soda independently, but we were surprised how quickly we finished the bottle. A perfect mixer allows the drinker to highlight any flavors they add, and Double Dutch’s club soda is the perfect base for any cocktail or beverage. GSN Rating: B

Ginger Beer: Again, for those who love ginger this is a ginger beer that brings a bite with it. We crafted a Mexican Mule with their ginger beer, tequila and lime – a fun twist on the classic Moscow mule. The ginger was a bit overpowering and made it feel unbalanced as a whole. The ginger beer alone is spicy and fun, but as a mixer it doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room for additional flavors. GSN Rating: B-

Ginger Ale: This is not your average ginger beer. Both of Double Dutch’s ginger flavored mixers have a powerful heat to them that leaves a spicy warmth in your mouth. A whiskey and ginger is a great option as a cocktail, however the ginger really overpowered the mellow smokey notes of the whiskey. Double Dutch offers a few recipes online for their mixers, so if you would like a sweeter option they offer the Floradora. GSN Rating: B-

GSN Remarks: Double Dutch is a great option for those who wish to stock their home bar with classic mixers, and we are excited to try some of their more unique flavors in the future!

For more information go to: Double Dutch Drinks

#DoubleDutchDrinks

Review by Auutumn Ellen Rose for Good Spirits News

GSN Review: East Imperial Mixers

East Imperial is a New Zealand based company that provides unique twists on the classic tonic recipe from 1903. With ingredients sustainably sourced from Africa and Asia, East Imperial honors the birthplaces of  classic tonic water. They offer a wide variety of flavors, pairings and recipes so that anyone can enjoy their products. 

East Imperial’s portfolio includes a tasting case of ten of their most popular flavors, a menu with recommended pairings, and a unique Spotify playlist to enjoy while drinking. The tasting case includes tonic water, yuzu tonic, old world tonic, grapefruit tonic, grapefruit soda, mombasa ginger beer, thai dry ginger ale, soda water, yuzu lemonade, and kimi kola. In addition to their pairing menu, East Imperial offers a cocktail library with over 80 different recipes online. The highlight of their packaging are the unique bottle colors for each flavor and the recommended playlist of global groove and polyrhythmic afro-beats. 

We were lucky enough to receive the entire tasting case. In addition to tasting each flavor individually, we mixed them with their recommended spirits to enjoy as a cocktail. The 5oz bottles were the perfect size to enjoy a quick and easy G&T, Rum and Coke, or Moscow Mule. 

GSN Remarks: The difference in flavor options was a nice surprise to the traditional tonic water or soda water. Our favorites include the Yuzu lemonade, the Old World Tonic and the Kimi-Kola. 

Yuzu Lemonade: A very light and fresh taste, with notes of citrus and ginger, although the beverage itself was overly carbonated. We paired this with a Blanco tequila which made a refreshing cocktail for the summer, sadly the tasting notes became diluted when mixed. A

Old World Tonic: As East Imperial claims, this truly is the Champagne of the tonic world. A natural and delicious low-calorie option for those looking for something light, we highly recommend this tonic that offers the taste of a traditional tonic. We paired this with a dry gin which highlighted the natural botanical notes. A+ 

Kimi-Kola: There is a flavor in India that is like no other, Kalakatta gola. This kimi-kola replicates that taste, tasting sweet and syrupy without becoming overwhelming. We paired this with a Puerto Rican rum which didn’t dilute any of the natural kola flavor. A great variation on the classic Rum and Coke. B+

For more information go to: East Imperial

#EastImperial

GSN Review: DrinkMate Premium Italian Syrups

DrinkMate has a wide variety of Premium Italian Syrups that come in many different flavors including Pomegranate, Sorrento Lemonade, and Ginger & Lemon. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, DrinkMate is a leading at-home carbonated drink machine brand. Whether you are drinking flavored seltzers, carbonated juice or adding your spirit of choice, these syrups are the perfect way to welcome sunnier weather. Good Spirits News was lucky enough to sample the Italian Blood Orange syrup. After experimenting with a few different recipes, it became clear why DrinkMate is so successful, they clearly know what they are doing!

Each bottle contains enough syrup to make almost thirty drinks. And, better yet they are low calorie and use real cane sugar, making them the perfect alternative to high-sugar sodas or energy drinks. DrinkMate offers eight different flavors at just $14.99 per bottle, and their company offers a C02 exchange program for any empty cylinders and will offer a discount in return.

GSN’s Remarks: This syrup is so versatile that it makes it difficult to review ironically. We followed the instructions on the bottle and added roughly 2 oz of the syrup to 26 oz of water and used the machine to add carbonation. The refreshing flavor is perfect for drinking throughout the day, and we found ourselves going back for another glass often. We also experimented by adding other juices to the mix which brought out other notes from the syrup. Additionally, we added an artisanal rum which made a refreshing and easy cocktail. The syrups themselves seem to do well by adding other ingredients as they can taste one-note. We recommend experimenting with other juices or spirits to enhance your drinks of choice. Overall, the syrups available are an excellent alternative to traditional sodas and make summer cocktails easier! GSN Rating: A-

For more information go to: i-Drink Products

#DrinkMate #ItalianSyrup

Review by Autumn Ellen Rose for Good Spirits News

GSN Alert: Cocktail, Spirits, Wine & Beer Guide Preview – Summer 2023

GSN Presents: Our annual summer roundup of literary publications including all things liquid. This collection includes books on coffee, tea, spirits, cocktails, champagne, ice and even a mixology word search puzzle book. Cheers!

The New Art of Coffee: From Morning Cup to Caffeine Cocktail by Ryan Castelaz (Author), Kevin Miyazaki (Photographer) Universe (April 4, 2023) While the popularity of craft cocktails and home bartending have helped people create their own drink-driven memories, the possibilities for coffee have remained rather tame. Much more than a guide to beans or brewing, The New Art of Coffee shares how to create inspiring concoctions and flavor profiles from comforting and rejuvenating to celebratory and adventurous. Nearly fifty recipes paired with beautiful photography will inspire and offer something for every taste and time of day—hot, iced, carbonated, post-workout, decaffeinated, alcoholic, and deconstructed. Organized by mood, the recipes range in complexity from a quick quaff to a showstopping slow build, allowing readers to match the drink with the moment. Enjoy a Moonwater with breakfast, a Throw Em’ A Haymaker after a hard workout, or an Amuse as a happy-hour delight. The Don is the ideal after-dinner companion, and there’s nothing quite like powering down with a Windmill Cookie Steamer after a long day.

Champagne Magnum Opus by Richard Juhlin Rizzoli (April 11, 2023) ichard Juhlin, the world’s foremost champagne expert, takes readers on a journey through the history of the beverage, the leading winemakers of Champagne, and the art of tasting. Superbly photographed by Pål Allan, this book depicts breathtaking landscapes in Champagne, historic photographs from the most prestigious and long-standing caveau, as well as other images capturing the champagne lifestyle. Ten exclusive recipes by distinguished Swedish chef Tommy Myllymäki that are perfect for pairing with a glass of champagne are included in this unique publication. The volume includes important champagne statistics, telephone numbers and addresses of thousands of champagne producers, and a glossary. It also includes detailed descriptions and score ratings of 13,900 champagnes assessed to date by the author.

Buzzworthy: Cocktails Inspired by Female Literary Greats by Jennifer Croll (Author), Rachelle Baker (Illustrator) Prestel (April 11, 2023) The fifty recipes in this volume are as unconventional, imaginative, and refreshing as the authors that inspired them. Each double-page spread includes an illustration of one important woman writer along with fascinating background about her œuvre, personality, and points of literary distinction. And, of course, each profile is paired with a delicious recipe for a fitting cocktail. Pulling from every category—literary and genre fiction, poetry, graphic novels, essays and nonfiction— this book offers some surprising twists as well as old favorites. While each subject could provide hours of cocktail chatter, the recipes themselves are also a unique conversation starter: the Virginia Woolf—a peach-and-mint creation with a modernist flair; the Octavia Butler—an uncompromising blend featuring bourbon and port; the Jia Tolentino—a purple sparkler that puts a cerebral twist on pop culture; and the Mary Shelley—an unexpected combination of the Manhattan and the Margarita.

Tequila Cocktails: Over 40 tequila and mezcal-based drinks from around the world by Jesse Estes Ryland Peters & Small (April 11, 2023) Even the world’s most fun drink has a serious side. Look beyond that naughty reputation and become an agave-based beverage connoisseur with this book that delivers over 40 delicious, cheeky and surprisingly sophisticated cocktail recipes. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a Mexican meal full of spicy flavors and the ideal fuel for dancing the night away. Made from the fermented juice of the agave plant, this spirit, along with its trendy cousin mezcal, has a complex yet light flavor, which is perfect in cocktails. Premium quality versions are becoming readily available, especially for the discerning cocktail drinker—the simple rule is the higher the percentage of agave, the better. Learn about the proud heritage of agave-based spirits from expert Jesse Estes. Start with a margarita, such as a Pink Pomegranate or a Greener Pastures, and then try something longer such as a Hibiscus Highball. If you prefer something a little more moody, try a Fallen Angel or brace yourself for a Tequila Smash. Finally, unleash your wild side with an Under the Volcano!

The Absinthe Frappé (Iconic New Orleans Cocktails) by Marielle Songy LSU Press (April 19, 2023) The Absinthe Frappé examines the history of absinthe, its origins, and its influences, culminating in the story of the iconic New Orleans cocktail. Marielle Songy reveals how bartender Cayetano Ferrér invented the concoction and delves into the early days of the drink and its first home, the Old Absinthe House in the Crescent City. She explores the ban on absinthe in the United States and Europe and the misguided reasoning behind it, all in the context of New Orleans’s response to national Prohibition more broadly. Finally, Songy discusses the lifting of the restrictions on absinthe in 2007, a move largely spearheaded by New Orleans scientist and master distiller Theodore Breaux, who dispelled long-held notions that the Green Fairy invariably drove its connoisseurs to madness.

Saved by the Bellini: & Other 90s-Inspired Cocktails – A Cocktail Book by John deBary (Author), Tiffani Thiessen (Foreword) Union Square & Co. (April 25, 2023) Get ready to stir up memories—and some hella delicious drinks. This cocktail book has 65+ awesome recipes that celebrate the decade’s greatest pop culture moments, from cassette tape tunes and video game consoles to after-school snacks and OMG-it’s-back-again fashion. Sip on the Gusher Crusher, down the Away Message, serve up the Heart of the Ocean, and finish it all with the Waterfall Chaser. Only in this ’90s book does TGIF stand for Thank God It’s Fizzy! Throwbacks to Pogs, the slap bracelet, Reebok Pumps, and even the ubiquitous “Got Milk?” ads are accompanied by spunky, funky pop-art illustrations that are so sick, you might want to tear out the pages to hang next to your Tiger Beat JTT posters.

Whisky Rising: The Second Edition: The Definitive Guide to the Finest Japanese Whiskies and Distillers by Stefan Van Eycken (Author), Jim Meehan (Author) Cider Mill Press; Second edition (May 2, 2023) This fully updated guide by whisky authority and Japanese whisky expert Stefan Van Eycken takes you on a tour of some of the most coveted whiskies in the world. Japanese whiskies have become some of the most highly valued whiskies, and have bested traditional producers in major international competitions. Blending proven Scotch and American methods with new ideas, these whiskies are imbued with exotic flavors from local Japanese woods to make a unique and signature product that rings true to Japanese terroir. This revised edition features new craft distilleries, putting a spotlight on their stories, their distillery set ups, and philosophies. Shedding light on Japan’s most famous blends, its unique whisky culture, and history, Eycken takes you to the heart of Japanese whisky making. Find out why, when it comes to whisky, all eyes are on Japan with Whisky Rising: The Second Edition.

Backcountry Cocktails: Civilized Drinks for Wild Places by Steven Grasse (Author), Adam Erace (Author), Lee Noble Running Press Adult (May 9, 2023) What could possibly enhance the natural beauty of a crystal clear lake, snow-capped mountain, or backyard fire pit? A craft cocktail, of course! So cozy up by the campfire, pack your cooler for a picnic out at the lake, or rent a mountainside cabin with your friends—it’s time to head for the woods for some good times and good spirits courtesy of Backcountry Cocktails. Inspired by the singular natural beauty of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, this book is a true celebration of entertaining in the outdoors—with dozens of seasonally-inspired and organized recipes to enjoy outside, whether you’re on an early spring hike or a mid-winter retreat. Each recipe from authors Steven Grasse and Adam Erace, of The Cocktail Workshop, captures the energy of hitting the trails in an elevated yet approachable ode to craft cocktails and the beauty of the natural world. No matter your cocktailing style, there’s something for everyone, from spiked cocoa to frozen fizzes (perfect for packing as a treat after an afternoon of hiking), and even foraged creations that will tie your experience to the land around you. All recipes are designed to use relatively few ingredients (for easy packability), and to be both portable and batachable—so you can enjoy them no matter what kind of adventure you have planned for the day. Each seasonal chapter also includes a handful of recipes for entertaining, like Crispy Cast-Iron Trout with Wild Greens, “field guide” how-tos on local experts covering topics from medicinal plants to preserving fruit, and DIYs (like fermenting your own vegetables or foraging for mushrooms).

The Scottish Gin Bible: 100 Great Gins from Scotland by Sean Murphy Black & White Publishing (May 9, 2023) From the Borders to Barra, as new craft distilleries emerge, they are making some serious waves in the global gin market. Thanks to the relatively simple method of gin production, craft distilleries have been creating imaginative products, reinvigorating the market while innovating in this corner of the world and beyond. With tasting notes and tips from master distillers, entrepreneurs and producers of Scottish gin, this guide is for every type of gin enthusiast, whether you are looking for fascinating distillery tours, or a new botanical for your tastebuds to explore. Accompanied by cocktail recipes to turn any fan into a fully-fledged mixologist, The Scottish Gin Bible is the ultimate guide to a gin lover’s favorite tipple.

Rum Made Me Do It: 60 Tantalizingly Tropical Cocktails by Lance Mayhew (Author), Ruby Taylor (Illustrator) Andrews McMeel Publishing (May 9, 2023) This beautifully illustrated cocktail book celebrates tropical vacation in a glass: 60 delicious rum recipes, from legendary classics to fresh new creations. Sweet, bright, and flavorful, rum has been the life of the party among spirits for centuries. Celebrating this legacy and fresh new takes on this tropical treat, Rum Made Me Do It is jam-packed with innovative and crowd-pleasing cocktail recipes and gorgeous illustrations from beloved cocktail illustrator Ruby Taylor. This beautiful book will be your guide to the many classic cocktails that fuel rum’s popularity while showcasing its versatility beyond those beloved mojitos and pina coladas. Author Lance Mayhew, award-winning mixologist and Certified Specialist of Spirits, explains everything you need to know: how to choose among rum’s many varieties, craft the perfect punch, and build upon rum’s delicious base. From tried-and-true favorites to beautiful new creations, Rum Made Me Do It’s recipes will delight party guests and send you on vacation without leaving the comforts of home.

Martini: More than 30 classic and modern recipes for the iconic cocktail by David T. Smith (Author), Keli Rivers (Author) Ryland Peters & Small (May 9, 2023) There is nothing more satisfying than that first sip of a crisp, cold martini. In this book, David T. Smith and Keli Rivers guide you on an exhilarating journey through all things “martini,” showcasing all the exciting places that the iconic cocktail can take you. You’ll find everything from classics like the Dirty Martini and Vesper, to more avant garde combinations that demonstrate sensational possibilities, alongside seasonal treats. Contemporary recipes include the Appletini and Espresso Martini, while more experimental creations make the most of less typical spirits and flavors, allowing you to indulge in the Rum Martini and the Mezcal Martini. The recipes provide opportunities for everyone so whether you prefer yours shaken or stirred, grab your finest spirits and let the experts show you the very best of the martini!

Southern Cocktails: Storied Sips, Snacks, and Barkeep Tips by The Editors of Southern Living IPG Publishing & Licensing (May 9, 2023) Southern Cocktails raises a glass to the South page after page in Southern Living’s homage to quenching craft cocktails and quintessential quaffs born of the crusty characters, storied places, and the historic watering holes of the country’s most spirited region. From the Sazerac and Mint Julep to the Bushwacker and Yellowhammer, readers can mix up the best from the South’s taverns, taprooms, cantinas, and cocktail lounges, be they elegant establishments, rowdy dives, eclectic watering holes, or bustling urban drinking destinations. With incredible flip factor, this book features scenic snapshots of regional bars, iconic Southern locales, and thirst-quenching cocktails that beg for five o’clock to come sooner. Learn the origin and key ingredients of a host of famous bar standards like New Orleans’ Ramos Gin Fizz, Vieux Carre, and Brandy Milk Punch, Louisville’s Seelbach, or Savannah’s Chatham Artillery Punch, along with recipes for the many spirited mixes of today’s burgeoning craft cocktail movement.

The Art and Craft of Tea: An Enthusiast’s Guide to Selecting, Brewing, and Serving Exquisite Tea by Joseph Wesley Uhl Quarry Books (May 9, 2023) As one of the most consumed beverages in the world, a cup of tea is a common shared experience across cultures and traditions. Companies and consumers alike are reawakening to the benefits of high-quality, unprocessed, natural beverages, and tea is a perfect obsession for anyone interested in artisan food and healthy eating. In The Art and Craft of Tea, entrepreneur and enthusiast Joseph Wesley Uhl brings to the story of tea its due reverence, making its history, traditions, and possibilities accessible to all. If you want to go beyond reading and enter your kitchen, Joseph offers “recipes” for creating your own tea blends using natural ingredients. Inside you’ll find a detailed overview of tea’s history and origins, thoughtful descriptions of global brewing methods and innovative ideas for iced tea, tea cocktails, and DIY blends.

Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes by Garret Richard (Author), Ben Schaffer (Author), Dave Arnold (Foreword) Countryman Press (May 16, 2023) Weaving together lessons from the craft cocktail revival, history of the tropical canon, and today’s cutting-edge bar techniques, master mixologist Garret Richard and award-winning cocktail writer Ben Schaffer provide a unique handbook for the tropical cocktail’s next wave. Crucial techniques are clearly detailed, including how to balance syrups, flash blend, handle carbonation, tackle tinctures, cordialize citrus, and power up juice with acid adjusting. Over the course of 84 recipes, vintage cocktails like the Rum Barrel, Mai Tai, and Ray’s Mistake are reimagined just as future classics are revealed, including the Beachcomber Negroni, Winter in L.A., and Field of Mars. These drinks honor founding legends such as Donn Beach, Trader Vic, and Harry Yee as well as modern icons, including Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, and Dave Arnold. By equipping both home bartenders and professionals with the skills to forge their own paths to cocktail creativity, this groundbreaking compendium sets a new tropical standard.

Agave Spirits: The Past, Present, and Future of Mezcals by Gary Paul Nabhan Ph.D. (Author), David Suro Piñera (Author) W. W. Norton & Company (May 16, 2023) All tequilas are mezcals; all mezcals are made from agaves; and every bottle of mezcal is the remarkable result of collaborations among agave entrepreneurs, botanists, distillers, beverage distributors, bartenders, and more. How these groups come together in this “spirits world” is the subject of this fascinating new book by the acclaimed ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan and the pioneering restauranteur David Suro Pinera. Join them as they delight in the diversity of the distillate agave spirits, as they endeavor to track down the more distant kin in the family of agaves, and as, along the way, they reveal the stunning innovations that have been transforming the industry around tequilas and mezcals in recent decades. The result of the authors’ fieldwork and on-the-ground interviews with mezcaleros in eight Mexican states, Agave Spirits shows how traditional methods of mezcal production are inspiring a new generation of individuals, including women, both in and beyond the industry. And as they reach back into a rich, centuries-long history, Nabhan and Suro Pinera make clear that understanding the story behind a bottle of mezcal, more than any other drink, will not only reveal what lies ahead for the tradition―including its ability to adapt in the face of the climate crisis―but will also enrich the drinking experience for readers.

Trap Kitchen: The Art of Street Cocktails by Malachi Jenkins (Author), Roberto Smith (Author), Roddy Ricch (Foreword) Kingston Imperial (May 16, 2023) It’s been four years since chefs Malachi “Spank” Jenkins and Roberto “News” Smith transformed their pop-up franchise Trap Kitchen into a book series. 2018’s Trap Kitchen: Bangin’ Recipes From Compton became a culinary favorite with 2022’s Trap Kitchen: Mac’N All Over The World proving equally as impactful. The gang members turned infamous culinary duo have had a steady rise in the cooking world and are now geared to take over mixology. Trap Kitchen: The Art of Street Cocktails takes the time-honored culture of street cocktails and brings a Trap Kitchen twist, using favored libations and regional vernacular to create a one-of-a-kind experience. The pandemic has only heightened the desire for drinks on the go, so The Art of Street Cocktails provides flavorful drinks that can be mixed, matched, and bottled, bringing the party everywhere you go. The Art of Street Cocktails includes creative mixes like the minty, rum cocktail Hulk Smash to a pineapple coconut flavored Trap Kitchen Cocktail, a nod to Trap Kitchen’s most famous pineapple chicken dish Trap Kitchen: The Art of Street Cocktails is more than just a drink guide for mobile mixology. It’s sending a strong nod to a social, urban, and regional tradition of making new mixes for the casual cocktail fan while keeping the innovation of Trap Kitchen alive with every sip.

Seasons of Cognac by Laurence BenaÏm (Author), Aurore De La Morinerie (Illustrator) Flammarion (May 16, 2023) This connoisseurs’ tribute to the ultimate French brandy celebrates the Cognac region and the centuries-old techniques that Hennessy uses to craft its celebrated liqueur. Cognac hails from a unique terroir in the Charentes region of France, where the elixir’s blend of tradition and voluptuousness has been rhythmed by the seasons for centuries. This handsome volume with ribbon page marker invites aficionados of fine spirits on a yearlong journey into Hennessy’s realm, guided by lifestyle journalist Laurence Benaïm’s impressions on the singularity of the landscape, the temperament of its vineyards, the transformations that take place within its cellars, and the exceptional know-how at the origin of this amber treasure. The transportive text is illustrated by a dozen evocative watercolors; together they create a keepsake homage to the style and taste that intrinsically define Hennessy cognac.

The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts by Camper English Red Lightning Books (May 23, 2023) In The Ice Book, internationally renowned cocktail icepert Camper English details how to use directional freezing to make perfectly pure ice in a home freezer, carve it up into giant diamonds and other shapes, and embed it with garnishes, including edible orchids and olives. You’ll learn how to create a frozen bowl for Negroni punch, serve a Manhattan inside an ice sphere, and infuse cubes with colors and flavors to create cranberry cobblers, a color-changing Gin and Tonic, and other awesome drinks. Featuring striking color photos throughout, this handy guide―and great gift―offers easy directions for dozens of ice projects and suggestions for further freezer fun. Both instructional and inspirational, The Ice Book will help you take your nonalcoholic and boozy beverages to the next level.

The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails (Ruhlman’s Ratios) by Michael Ruhlman (Author), Marcella Kriebel (Illustrator) Scribner (May 23, 2023) Did you know that a Gimlet, a Daiquiri, and a Bee’s Knees are the same cocktail? As are a Cosmopolitan, a Margarita, and a Sidecar. When hosting a party wouldn’t you enjoy saying to your guests, “Would you care for a Boulevardier, perhaps, or a Negroni?” These, too, are the same cocktail, substituting one ingredient for another. Or if you’d like to be able to shake up a batch of whiskey sours for a party of eight in fewer than two minutes, then read on. As Michael Ruhlman explains, our most popular cocktails are really ratios—proportions of one ingredient relative to the others. Organized around five of our best-known, beloved, classic families of cocktails, each category follows a simple ratio from which myriad variations can be built: The Manhattan, The Gimlet, The Margarita, The Negroni, and the most debated cocktail ever, The Martini. A practical reference of cocktail classics, a source of inspiration for putting a new spin on the usual gin and tonic, and an affable tribute to the pleasures of the cocktail hour, The Book of Cocktail Ratios shows you how to serve up delectable drinks in no time. Cheers!

Eddie Muller’s Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir (Turner Classic Movies) by Eddie Muller Running Press Adult (May 23, 2023) Eddie Muller—host of TCM’s Noir Alley, one of the world’s leading authorities on film noir, and cocktail connoisseur—takes film buffs and drinks enthusiasts alike on a spirited tour through the “dark city” of film noir in this stylish book packed with equal parts great cocktail recipes and noir lore. Eddie Muller’s Noir Bar pairs carefully curated classic cocktails and modern noir-inspired libations with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights on 50 film noir favorites. Some of the cocktails are drawn directly from the films: If you’ve seen In a Lonely Place and wondered what’s in a “Horse’s Neck”—now you’ll know. If you’re watching Pickup on South Street you’ll find out what its director, Sam Fuller, actually drank off-screen. Didn’t know that Nightmare Alley’s Joan Blondell inspired a cocktail? It may become a new favorite. Meanwhile, Rita Hayworth is toasted with a “Sailor Beware,” an original concoction which, like the film that inspired it (The Lady From Shanghai), is unique, complex, and packs a wallop. ​Featuring dozens of movie stills, poster art, behind-the-scenes imagery, and stunning cocktail photography, Noir Bar is both a stylish and exciting excursion through classic cinema’s most popular genre.

Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last by Wright Thompson Penguin Books (May 30, 2023) The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family’s heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply. As a journalist said of Pappy Van Winkle, “You could call it bourbon, or you could call it a $5,000 bottle of liquified, barrel-aged unobtanium.” Julian Van Winkle, the third-generation head of his family’s business, is now thought of as something like the Buddha of Bourbon – Booze Yoda, as Wright Thompson calls him. He is swarmed wherever he goes, and people stand in long lines to get him to sign their bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, the whiskey he created to honor his grandfather, the founder of the family concern. A bottle of the 23-year-old Pappy starts at $3000 on the internet. As Julian is the first to say, things have gone completely nuts.

I’ll Drink to That!: Broadway’s Legendary Stars, Classic Shows, and the Cocktails They Inspired by Laurence Maslon (Author), Joan Marcus (Photographer) Weldon Owen (May 30, 2023) I’ll Drink to That! expertly mixes clever cocktails that pay homage to unforgettable Broadway shows–such as the Rainbow High from Evita and the Sidecar Named Desire–with authentic recipes for drinks that played supporting roles in beloved shows–like the legendary Vodka Stinger from Company–and shakes it up with a history of the cocktail on Broadway, detailed by one of the leading musical theater historians, Laurence Maslon.Featured throughout are fantastic images—from intoxicating images of classic shows to portraits of effervescent stage celebrities to vintage liquor ads featuring Broadway stars. Of course, the drinks themselves get their own spotlight, photographed by the legendary Broadway photographer Joan Marcus at the iconic Sardi’s restaurant, home to hundreds of opening nights over the past century. With drinks ranging from the South Pacific-inspired Bali Ha’i Ma’i Ta’i to Mame’s Cornhusker mint julep to the Hamilton My Shot, and illustrated with a wide range of rare drawings, posters, and advertisements,, I’ll Drink to That! is the perfect gift for anyone who loves the theater, enjoys an elegant bend of the elbow, and wants to be part of a long and bubbly theatrical history.

Art of Mixology Intoxicating Word Search Puzzles: More Than 350 Puzzles! Parragon Books (June 6, 2023) Cheers to these word search puzzles! Play the word searches and learn cocktail recipes, and fun facts about wine, beer, cocktails, and the world of spirits. Cocktails of the 80s, what to drink in Spain, grape varietals of South America, Scottish whiskey distilleries, and beer styles around the world are just a few of the topics you’ll find in these intoxicating pages. Adults will enjoy hours of relaxation while stimulating the brain. More than 350 puzzles for men and women –seniors especially love word searches.

Tennessee Whiskey: How the Volunteer State Became the Center of the Whiskey Renaissance by Carlo DeVito Cider Mill Press (June 6, 2023) There is no questioning that Tennessee has a rich whiskey history. With a whiskey tradition surviving both the Civil War and prohibition, Tennessee proved early on that it would be a major player in the industry. But how did the Volunteer State become the center of the whiskey renaissance? In Tennessee Whiskey, spirits expert Carlo DeVito investigates the innovative and legendary whiskey pioneers who passed down distilling traditions from generation to generation. With a wealth of distilleries to traverse on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, DeVito honors the quality ingredients, fine craftsmanship, commitment, and character that make these whiskeys a world-class standard. From Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel to newer craft distilleries that are still aging their first barrels, this book is your comprehensive guide to the state’s renowned distilleries. Explore the origins and evolution of this craft and learn Tennessee’s spirited history with Tennessee Whiskey.

New England Tiki (American Palate) by Kevin Quigley The History Press (June 12, 2023) New Englanders are as far away from the South Pacific as any American can be, yet when tiki fever gripped the country in the mid-twentieth century, even they were not immune. Tropical-themed restaurants and bars sprang up in the unlikeliest of places, from coastal cities to far-flung suburbs. Places like the Hu Ke Lau, the Aku-Aku and the Kowloon were packed every night. Decades after the fever ended, it re-emerged as a new century dawned, and New Englanders took up the mantles of Polynesian pop to escape to places of tropical leisure in their own backyard. Local author Kevin Quigley dives deep into the region’s unusual history with tiki culture.

Los Angeles Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Angels (City Cocktails) by Joseph D. Solis Cider Mill Press (June 13, 2023) These signature drink recipes from L.A. hotspots pay homage to this dynamic city. With over 100 recipes and dozens of profiles of bartenders, you can drink like a local whether you’re just visiting or entertaining at home. From iconic landmarks to old Hollywood classics and hidden gems, locals and tourists alike will discover new watering holes that are sure to satisfy all tastes. With the best signature creations by prominent mixologists in the area, this book offers a detailed rundown of the best locations L.A. has to offer. These innovative and refreshing drinks honor and reinvent classics, make the most of local ingredients, and take full advantage of the city’s colorful cocktail scene. Take a stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame and drink your way through Los Angeles.

Drink Like a Local: Miami: A Field Guide to Miami’s Best Bars by Gabriel Urrutia (Author), Amber Love Bond (Author) Cider Mill Press; Not for Online edition (June 27, 2023) While anyone can find a high-profile bar in Miami, it takes an expert to discover the hidden drinking gems in the city. Featuring 50 bar profiles highlighting bartenders, memorabilia, and slice-of-life history about the Miami bar scene, you’ll find yourself right at home with Drink Like a Local Miami. With recipes from timeless locations and profiles on some of the best bartenders you’ve never heard of, you’ll never find yourself at a loss for your next drink with this book at your side. Beautifully illustrated pages showcase the heart of each location. You’ll feel like you’re really there long before you order your first drink. This is the definitive gift for Miami natives and lovers alike.

GSN Review: Le Portteus Wine Decanter

Le Portteus is a luxury glassware company founded by skilled artisans who were passionate about creating high-class, beautifully designed glassware. The traditional technique of mouth-blown glass is at the heart of the brand, and each piece is created with care and attention to ensure that it is truly one-of-a-kind. Over the years, Le Portteus has continued to evolve and grow, staying true to its roots while also embracing new technologies and techniques. Today, the company has expanded with manufacturing factories worldwide.

Despite its success, Le Portteus remains a family-run business, with the same commitment to quality and excellence that has always been at the heart of the brand. Whether it’s a simple tumbler or an intricate, hand-crafted decanter, every piece is a testament to the passion and skill of the company’s founders and their descendants.

Their wine decanter increases the oxygen exposure to wines, thereby releasing its natural aromas and deep flavors. As a result, it improves the taste by softening the astringent tannins and letting the fruit and floral aromas come out. The lead-free crystal wine decanter is handcrafted with highly durable crystal, with the capacity of a full 750 ml wine bottle. The decanter set also includes a fine cork ball stopper. The slanted spout and wide bottom eliminates the frustration of wine drips and stains. Lastly, the included cleaning beads are uniquely designed to be gentle on decanters removing any buildup without leaving a scratch. The high-grade steel pellets are an easy cleaning solution that you can reuse repeatedly.

GSN’s Remarks: This piece certainly makes an elegant statement at home or on your backbar. It’s a great conversation piece and is perfect for an evening’s entertainment with its 750ml capacity. We recommend filling it with Port which will benefit greatly by the gentle oxidation provided by the bottle shape. We especially like the price point of less than $50 for the decanter kit, which makes it a great gift idea for the oenophile. GSN Rating: A

To order go to: Le Portteus 1948

#LePortteus

GSN Learning: How To Enjoy Scotch Whisky

6 Ways to Enjoy Scotch Whisky

Scotch whisky is a unique experience, made from malted barley, yeast and water. It is then aged in oak barrels for at least three years before it can be called Scotch. The best Scotch whisky brands are a mix of science and art, with flavor profiles that are distinctive and complex.

Here are some tips to help you explore this exquisite spirit:

Start with a Smoky Scotch

If you’re just starting out, it is best to begin your journey with a smoky Scotch. These whiskies come from places like the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where peat has been used for centuries to roast barley during distillation. Scotch whiskies with smoky notes will have a distinctive flavour and aroma, giving you an introduction to the complex world of Scotch whisky.

Pair Your Scotch with Food

Like wine, pairing your Scotch with food can enhance its flavours. Seafood, such as oysters and salmon, are both excellent companions for smoky varieties. Rich dishes like steak, lamb, and venison are also great matches for peaty whiskies. You can even pair Scotch whisky with desserts like caramel and chocolate to bring out the sweetness in both.

Try Different Casks and Bottles

Scotch whisky is aged in different types of oak barrels, which imparts its own unique flavours into the spirit. From ex-Bourbon casks to sherry butts, each type has its own set of characteristics and notes. Experimenting with different cask types and bottling strengths can help you find your favourite Scotch whisky.

Sip Slowly and Neat

Although it’s perfectly acceptable (and often encouraged) to have your Scotch whisky on the rocks or with a splash of water, it’s best to start by sipping it neat. This will allow you to taste the spirit’s full flavour and character without any dilution or additional notes. Take your time and savour every sip!

Visit Distilleries

Visiting Scotland is a great way to learn more about Scotch whisky. There are many world-renowned distilleries, such as The Macallan, that offer tours and tasting experiences for curious visitors. You’ll be able to learn about the unique production process and sample some of their best whiskies at the same time. It’s an unforgettable experience!

Join a Tasting Club

If you’re looking to deepen your appreciation of Scotch whisky, joining a tasting club is an excellent way to do just that. You’ll be able to try different whiskies from around the world and learn about their unique production method and flavour profiles. It can be an incredible learning experience for any whisky enthusiast.

What Are the Different Ways of Preparing Scotch Whisky?

Scotch whisky can be enjoyed in many ways. It can be sipped neat, over ice, or with a splash of water to bring out its full flavour and aroma. You can also enjoy it with mixers such as soda water or ginger ale. Cocktails like the Rob Roy and the Rusty Nail are popular Scotch-based drinks, and whisky can also be used in cooking to add unique flavour profiles to dishes. There are endless possibilities for how you can enjoy Scotch whisky!

No matter your personal preference, the best way to truly enjoy Scotch whisky is to explore different varieties and find what works for you. With patience and an open mind, you can find a whisky that suits your unique tastes. Don’t be afraid to experiment and create your own unique whisky experience!

What Makes Scotch Whisky Unique?

Scotch whisky has a unique flavour and aroma that makes it special. It is distilled in Scotland, which has its own set of laws and regulations on the production process. Scotch whisky must be aged for at least three years in oak barrels, which adds to its distinctive flavour profile. The use of peat in some varieties also adds a smoky note that is often associated with Scotch whisky. All of these elements combine to create a unique and complex spirit that can be enjoyed neat or as part of a cocktail.

Bottom Line

The world of Scotch whisky is rich and varied, and exploring it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. With its history, terroir, and unique flavour profile, Scotch whisky is a truly unique spirit that can be enjoyed in many ways. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced connoisseur, there’s plenty to discover about this beloved spirit!

GSN Alert: Cocktail, Spirits, Wine & Beer Guide Preview – Spring 2023

Be on the lookout for these beverage related publications coming out this January-March. 

Pouring with Heart: The Essential Magic Behind the Bartenders We Love by Cedd Moses Ewings Publishing LLC (January 1, 2023) Everyone thought Cedd Moses had lost his mind when he used his life savings to open ten bars in struggling Downtown Los Angeles. Not only would those venues help lift communities around them-they’d go on to set a new standard for bars in LA, setting the stage for one of the greatest bar success stories in American history. In this love letter to the bar world, Moses shares the secrets of what it truly means to be of service, pulling back the curtain on the magic a guest feels when in the presence of a bartender they love.

101 Whiskies to try Before you Die,: 5th Edition by Ian Buxton Mobius; 5th edition (January 3, 2023) 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die is a whisky guide with a difference. It is not an awards list. It is not a list of the 101 ‘best’ whiskies in the world in the opinion of a self-appointed whisky guru. It is simply a guide to the 101 whiskies that enthusiasts must seek out and try in order to complete their whisky education. Avoiding the deliberately obscure, the ridiculously limited and the absurdly expensive, whisky expert Ian Buxton recommends an eclectic selection of old favourites, stellar newcomers and mystifyingly unknown drams that simply have to be drunk. The book decodes the marketing hype and gets straight to the point; whether from Canada, India, America, Sweden, Ireland, Japan or the hills, glens and islands of Scotland, here are the 101 whiskies that you really want. Try them before you die – Slainte!

A Dark History of Gin by Mike Rendell Pen and Sword History (January 5, 2023) A Dark History of Gin looks at the origins and development of a drink which seems to have a universal and timeless appeal. Historian Mike Rendell explores the origins of distilling in the ancient world and considers the how, when, where and why of the ‘happy marriage’ between distilled spirits and berries from the juniper bush. The book traces the link between gin and the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) and looks at how the drink was brought across to England when the Dutch-born William of Orange became king. From the tragic era of the gin craze in eighteenth-century London, through to the emergence of ‘the cocktail’, the book follows the story of gin across the Atlantic to America and the emergence of the mixologist. It also follows the growth of the Temperance Movement and the origins of the Prohibition, before looking at the period between the First and Second World Wars – the cocktail age. From there the book looks at the emergence in the twentieth century of craft gins across the globe, enabling the drink to enjoy a massive increase in popularity.

Drink Like a Local London: A Field Guide to London’s Best Bars by Felipe Schrieberg Cider Mill Press (January 10, 2023) Explore the most popular hotspots, tube stops, and drinks that London has to offer. From classy rooftop bars to eccentric, hidden watering holes, take a tour through London’s diverse cocktail scene with this guide. Discover the unique character of each location and the signature recipes from these venues. You will feel like you’re really there long before you order your first drink. Inside you’ll find: 50 bar profiles and bartender highlights, Beautifully illustrated pages that showcase the heart of each location, Background on the bustling history of the London bar scene. Never be without a drink with recipes from timeless locations and profiles on some of the best bartenders you’ve never heard of. Bring London’s charm to your home bar anywhere in the world. You’ll find yourself right at home with Drink Like a Local London.

Drinking with My Dog: The Canine Lover’s Cocktail Book by Natalie Bovis and Rae Ritchie (Illustrator) Running Press Adult (January 17, 2023) If there’s one thing we know, it’s that we can survive anything with a furry companion and a cocktail by our side. Enter Drinking with My Dog, which combines our devotion to dogs with celebratory drinks in this charming, pet-centric cocktail book from Natalie Bovis of The Liquid Muse. Inside you’ll find everything you need to know to set up your home bar and mix 60+ delicious cocktails organized into dog-themed chapters, featuring rescue dogs, famous furbabies, wild dogs, cocktails for pawlidays throughout the year, and more. Also included is canine history, whimsical illustrations, and toast-worthy quotes. Drinking with My Dog is the ideal companion for dog lovers and drink enthusiasts alike, and is the cocktail book we’ve always needed to help us raise a glass to wo/man’s best friend!

Whiskey Makers in Washington, D.C.: A Pre-Prohibition History by Troy Hughes The History Press (January 30, 2023) Before Prohibition, a number of liquor merchants operated in the District of Columbia. This was a time when intoxicating beverages were at the forefront of the national conversation and the District, being subject only to laws passed by Congress, served as a testing ground for regulation. Learn the stories of the Poison Squad, Lemonade Lucy, the Sons of Temperance, and the sad tale of Senators baseball star Ed Delahanty. On the political front, read a blow-by-blow account of the decade long whiskey war, which involved every branch of the federal government as it sought to answer the question, “What is whiskey?” Local author and whiskey producer Troy Hughes provides a glimpse into Washington whiskey culture and the businesses of producers at the turn of the twentieth century.

Wild Drinks: The New Old World of Small-Batch Brews, Ferments and Infusions by Sharon Flynn Hardie Grant (January 31, 2023) Wild Drinks is the definitive book on infusing, brewing and fermenting delicious and often nutritious things to drink, from mead to kombucha to cider to kvass. With the entertaining and assuring voice of fermentation expert Sharon Flynn, it is a perfect jumping off point for anyone who is curious to learn more about this magical and witchy world. Across six chapters, Wild Drinks features more than 60 recipes. Learn the basics of wild fermentation and read about the equipment you need to start your fermentation journey. Discover drinks made from grain, including doburoku (farmhouse sake), wild beer and kvass; explore recipes for wild apple cider, country wine and wild soda; try water kefir, kombucha, ginger beer and fruit vinegars, and come to understand the art of imparting flavor, from shrubs to flavored waters to syrups and liqueurs. And in the spirit of reducing waste, the final chapter shows how to use fermentation byproducts – ranging from crackers made from sake lees to kimchi pancakes, nettle risotto and Basque cider chicken. Recipes include fascinating historical context and quick tips, and Sharon considers the traditions associated with these ancient fermentation practices too.

The Flower-Infused Cocktail: Flowers, with a Twist by Alyson Brown founder of Wild Folk Flower Apothecary Globe Pequot (February 1, 2023) The Flower-Infused Cocktail: Flowers, with a Twist is the flower-lover’s favorite book, with a fresh take on traditional mixology, infusing the taste of over 60 different edible flowers with history and folklore. 63 cocktail and mocktail recipes, each with uniquely different edible flowers. Recipes for crafting unique drinks from your homemade edible flower pantry. Little notes of floral history and folklore and information about how to use them in a cocktail. Recipes to create Base Spirit Infusions, Cordials, Shrubs, Simple Syrups, Infused Salts, Bitters and more. Tips on building your home bar and sourcing edible flowers. Inspiration to celebrate flowers beyond the vase.

The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion: How to Select, Collect & Savor Agave Spirits – A Cocktail Book by Tess Rose Lampert Union Square & Co. (February 7, 2023) Packed with information, tips, resources, and 300 tasting notes and accompanying producer profiles, The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion is a crash course on the fastest growing spirits category in the United States. Lampert provides insights on the history and production of the spirits, plus guidance for how to stock your bar, organize a tasting with food pairings, and create infused syrups that will complement craft cocktails. Lampert includes more than 30 cocktail recipes that highlight the complexities and bold flavors of agave spirits. Plus, the book contains transportive photography throughout and a thorough reference section for readers who are thirsty for more.

Wild Turkey Musings: A Whiskey Writer’s Retrospective by David Jennings Mascot Books (February 7, 2023) Since the inception of the Rare Bird 101 blog in 2016, the name Rare Bird 101 has become synonymous with Wild Turkey bourbon. Wild Turkey Musings: A Whiskey Writer’s Retrospective is a celebration of the iconic brand and the passionate community that has grown out of the work of author, historian, and “superfan” David Jennings―a.k.a. Rare Bird. In commemoration of five years of dedication to all things Turkey, Jennings sifted through hundreds of blog posts from 2016 to 2021 and distilled them to only the most essential. What remains is a collection of unique works that not only showcases the best of Rare Bird 101 but offers previously unpublished insight and perspective―the who, what, how, or why behind each article―as well as new charts, graphs, and maps. From reviews and “best of ” lists to unknown facets and lore of Wild Turkey’s multi-layered history, Wild Turkey Musings is perfect for whiskey fans of any proficiency level, from novice to expert.

The Vieux Carré by John DeMers LSU Press (February 15, 2023) In this fascinating little book, John DeMers tells the story of the Vieux Carré cocktail against the evolving backdrop of the ever-rich cocktail culture of New Orleans. Mixologist Walter Bergeron created this distinctive drink in the 1930s at the Hotel Monteleone; it was later dubbed “the Cocktail that Spins” in honor of the slowly turning Carousel Bar at the hotel. It’s an iconic cocktail that, in recent years, was rarely ordered or prepared, though that is changing as a new generation of cocktail enthusiasts rediscover the old ways. The Vieux Carré draws on the local proto-cocktail, the Sazerac, as well as several booze-forward classics including the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, and, from Italy, the Negroni. DeMers tells all that is known of Walter Bergeron’s early life and also examines the ingredients in this cocktail and how each of them made its way to the Crescent City.

The World’s Best Whiskies: 750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo by Dominic Roskrow Chartwell Books (March 7, 2023) Take an illustrated tour through the widening world of whisky, featuring tasting notes for the world’s top 750 whiskies and tours of some of the world’s greatest distilleries. Iconic distilleries, such as Lagavulin, Highland Park, and Glenrothes in Scotland, are fully explored alongside the bourbon innovators of Kentucky, including Woodford Reserve and Maker’s Mark, and craft distillers around the world. Each whisky profile includes information on the distiller, tasting notes, symbols describing its style, and a photograph of the bottle. Since the publication of the first edition in 2010, many changes have occurred in the world of whisky, all of which are fully explored in this completely new edition. Over 200 of the 750 whiskies are updated, along with over 20 of the 38 features to reflect the “new world of whisky,” including the growing US single malt craft distillery movement (including Balcones in Texas), Japan (Yoichi),Taiwan (Kavalan), India (Paul John), Australia (Overeem), France (Warengem), and Sweden (Mackmyra, Spirit of Hven).

Tiki Cocktails: Over 50 Modern Tropical Cocktails by The Coastal Kitchen Cider Mill Press (March 7, 2023) Bursting with fruity, exotic flavors and beautiful garnishes, tiki cocktails are a home bartender’s fantasy—but they can be difficult to make. Tiki Cocktails simplifies the ingredient list and reduces the number of steps to give you delicious flavor with minimal effort. These refreshing drinks will win over cocktail aficionados and new mixologists alike. With easy-to-follow recipes, this book is your ticket to executing the perfect drink. Inside you’ll find: Over 50 classic and modern cocktails inspired by the tiki craze, Stunning photography of each drink, Style and music tips for hosting beach parties, barbecues, and more.

Cider: Understanding the world of natural, fine cider by Felix Nash Dog n Bone (March 14, 2023) Think you know about cider? Well, think again. It’s not about flavorless fizz, or the so-called “flavored ciders” that don’t actually contain any apples. The contemporary cider scene is an exciting place to spend some time, as passionate makers celebrate tradition and terroir while also embracing seasonality, innovation, and experimentation to produce characterful drinks that are quite remarkable. Cider is now a key player in the drinks industry, with a new breed of drink shops that take it just as seriously as wine. Cider looks at this modern cider movement, charting its beginnings and introducing some of the key players in fine-cider making, as well as guiding you through the characteristics of different apple varieties, the cider-producing regions around the world, the processes and techniques of cider production, how cider is an exceptional partner with food and, of course, recommending ciders you need to try.

American Feast: Cookbooks and Cocktails from the Library of Congress by Zach Klitzman and Susan Reyburn, Carla D. Hayden (Foreword) Library of Congress (March 14, 2023) American Feast: Cookbooks and Cocktails from the Library of Congress showcases some of the 40,000 books related to cookery in the nation’s library. From the earliest founding-era American household manuals to twenty-first century themed cookbooks and everything in between, this book traces the lip-smacking evolution of American recipes. And not just food recipes, but cocktail recipes too! For what goes better before, after, or with a delicious meal than the right liquid concoction? The word “cocktail” originated in America, and the Library houses a wide collection of cocktail-related materials as well. About the Series: Collection Close-Ups celebrate the diversity, breadth, and depth of Library of Congress collections by gathering about 100 items around a common theme or set of characteristics. These short, affordable, and accessible books bring Library collections to life through historical anecdotes, colorful images, descriptive captions, and sidebars.

Portland Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Roses (City Cocktails) by Nicole Schaefer Cider Mill Press (March 28, 2023) These signature drink recipes from Portland hotspots pay homage to this vibrant city. With over 100 recipes and dozens of bartender profiles, you can drink like a local whether you’re just visiting or entertaining at home. From vintage cocktail lounges to tropical themed bars and hidden gems, locals and tourists alike will discover new watering holes that are sure to satisfy all tastes. With the best signature creations by prominent mixologists in the area, this book offers a detailed rundown of the best locations Portland has to offer. Within the gorgeous, die-cut covers, you’ll find: More than 100 essential and exciting cocktail recipes, including recipes for bespoke ingredients and other serving suggestions, Interviews with the city’s trendsetting bartenders and mixologists, Bartending tips and techniques from the experts, Food and drink hotspots across the city, and much more!

The Good Spirits News 2022 Holiday Gift Guide – Barware and Supplies

Looking for some stocking stuffers or unique gift ideas for the mixologist in your life? Look no further! GSN has got you covered. Check out our recommendations for the 2022 holiday season!

OLDKNOW Bev Co. Verte Absinthe Seltzer Having had many absinthe cocktails over the years, this was delightfully refreshing and light. Perfectly balanced and uniquely carbonated, we would easily buy a case of these for summer drinking. The first of its kind, and a welcome addition in a very crowded market. GSN Rating: A+

Dignity Raw Coconut Oil This is a great oil to use in fat washing a spirit. Try it in rum, tequila, bourbon or even Calvados for a unique flavor twist. We especially love the idea of supporting a company who is ethical and is making a positive change in the lives of people. Makes a great stocking stuffer for the mixologist or home chef. We also recommend picking up a copy of Dave Arnold’s Liquid Intelligence to learn about the various techniques used in fat washing. GSN Rating: A+

Fresh Victor Cold-Pressed Pineapple & Ginger Root Juice Mixer – This is excellent! Our personal favorite of the Fresh Victor line. This works exceptionally well with tequila, rum, vodka and brandy. Hits the spot with a great balance of fruit and heat. GSN Rating: A+

Cocktail & Sons Fassionola Syrup – The strawberry character comes through loud and clear. The hibiscus has a softer touch, but is still noticeable. The other fruits don’t carry so much in terms of flavor, but add a tropical tartness to the affair. We really enjoyed this recreation of a lost syrup. Definitely try it in a Hurricane. You will never go back to pre-mixes or powders. We especially appreciate the support that the company shows to local farmers. Be sure to check out some of their many other syrups. They even have a few sample packs, along with seasonal releases like King Cake syrup and Watermelon & Thai Basil. GSN Rating: A

Pink House Alchemy’s Bee’s Knees Cocktail Kit – This really is a great little kit, with several bespoke ingredients that you’d be hard pressed to make yourself. We especially like the lavendar syrup which is becoming quite trendy in the cocktail world this year. Also of particular note is the bee pollen lavendar rimming sugar. It really ties the whole drink together with a floral and bee-centric focus. We prefer to use gin in our Bee’s Knees, but vodka will also work as well. We also highly recommend the other products that Pink House Alchemy crafts. Great stuff! GSN Rating: A

RASĀSVĀDA Zero-proof Ruby Artemisia Spirit Restorative – A modern take on an ancient restorative – A play of floral citrus, herbaceous bitterness, and tangy botanicals emulate the elegance and complexity of a classic aromatized wine. GSN’s Remarks: The flavor is slightly tart, with a limey kind of character. There is a somewhat round and softness to the expression which has some botnaical persona. We definitely agree that it is somewhat in keeping with a vermouth. Almost a combination of sweet and dry. Quite interesting ,refreshing and well balanced. GSN Rating: A

RASĀSVĀDA Zero-proof Black Ginger Spirit Restorative – A bracingly bitter take on a dark classic – A grounding core bitterness balances with smooth layers of flavor, notes of spice, and botanical aromatics. GSN’s Remarks: In some ways, this expression is less bitter than the Rose Bermagot, but there are more dark and low notes here. Surprisingly, there is no ginger heat, but rather a funky flavor of wet grasses and herbs. The flavor is somewhat difficult to decribe. More of an amaro, but lighter and drier. This liquid is conducive to contemplation and relaxation. GSN Rating: A

Fresh Victor Cold-Pressed Cucumber & Lime Juice Mixer – Really nice. The cuke comes through just enough to balance the lime with some cooling flavor. Perfect for gin and vodka. GSN Rating: A

RASĀSVĀDA Zero-proof Spirit Rose Bergamot Restorative – Reimagining a classic Italian bitter without the sugar – Enlivening bitter-sweetness and lush, bright flavors join with the elegant complexity of heady floral and citrus aromatics. GSN’s Remarks: More of that tartness comes through, but this time with a distinctly bitter edge. There’s definite notes of spearmint here as well, creating a colling effect, The whole endeavor is quite uplifting and bracing. The botanicals are more forward here with a grassy, somewhat herb driven profile. All ends with a very long finish. GSN Rating: A-

CleanCo Non-Alcoholic Clean V – Interestingly, for an apple flavored N/A vodka, the ingredients list juniper distillate. The familiar pine flavor is unapparent. However, the flavors of apple and cinnamon speak loud and clear. It’s almost as if the producers have clarified a mulled apple cider. It’s quite good and again has a clean taste. Light, and with that non-alcoholic heat remaining on the fade. GSN Rating: A-

Drinkmate OmniFizz We tried a multiplicity of liquids to see just how well they would carbonate. The best tended to be clear juices, wines and teas. For thicker juices like orange, pineapple or tomato, the results were not as appealing, but considering the low price point, we can’t argue. Of course adding a bit of fizz to cocktails is really the draw here for readers of GSN. We tried carbonating a few classics: Negroni, Margarita and Lemon Drop. All worked well and added an interesting texture to the libations. Cleaning was easy and operation is quick and simple. It’s well worth getting a unit and experimenting. Who knows? You may come up with a new favorite for your home bar! GSN Rating: A-

GSN Review: Dignity Raw Coconut Oil

Dignity Coconuts’ production plant is located in a small seaside village in Bicol, Philippines. The company currently employs 121 local workers with plans to expand to 200 workers at full operation. Coconuts are purchased from 156 local farmers with plans to contract with 300, all of whom were organic certified by Dignity. Future plans also include expansion to other areas in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Dignity Coconuts was born in 2010 out of a conviction to stop sex trafficking and modern-day slavery. A successful Kickstarter campaign enabled them to launch their own brand of premium, raw virgin coconut oil in 2016. Their jars are now offered in over 1,200 retail stores across the US, including Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Meijer, Coborn’s, Woodman’s and Central Market. 

Dignity pioneered a centrifuge method of removing the moisture based on gravity to create a truly raw coconut oil that retains all of the micronutrients. In addition to being 100% Raw, Dignity Coconut Oil is 100% Organic, Non-GMO, Direct Trade and bottled at the source for freshness. 

GSN’s Remarks: This is a great oil to use in fat washing a spirit. Try it in rum, tequila, bourbon or even Calvados for a unique flavor twist. We especially love the idea of supporting a company who is ethical and is making a positive change in the lives of people. Makes a great stocking stuffer for the mixologist or home chef. We also recommend picking up a copy of Dave Arnold’s Liquid Intelligence to learn about the various techniques used in fat washing. GSN Rating: A+

For more information go to: Dignity Coconuts

Holiday special: 20% off from now until December 16. To get products by Christmas order by December 16 at noon. Free shipping. Order here

#DignityRawCoconutOil

The Good Spirits News 2022 Holiday Gift Guide – Saké

Good Spirits News shares their annual selection of gift ideas for the 2022 Holiday season! Today, we share the best saké offerings that we’ve come across this year. We start off with our #1 recommendation The Namazake Paul Advent Calendar. Here’s what has to say about the calendar:

“I’ve created the Namazake Paul Advent Calendar featuring twenty-three 180ml collectable cups of saké, plus one full-size bottle to enjoy on Christmas Eve. That’s over four liters of saké, all hand-chosen by Namazake Paul. Many of these saké brands have never imported to the USA before!

Most of our saké cups are glass with painted art — perfectly reusable for water cups, picnics or cut flowers. The box also includes an accompanying handbook written by Namazake Paul and publisher 33 Books to learn the background on each saké, plus terminology and a place to record tasting notes. Everyone will get the same saké on each day so they can compare with friends or join the online discussion via #sakecalendar on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. (What a great idea! -ed.)

Behind each door in the Namazake Paul Saké Advent Calendar is a cup for each day representing every major style of saké, including Futsu-shu, Honjozo, Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Namachozo, Yamahai, Kimoto and Nigori. The adventure awaits! Don’t know what all of those terms mean? This is why you need the Saké Advent Calendar! The beautiful box art by Kayla Swanson embodies the Japanese concept of “kawaii,” meaning adorable or cute. People will love displaying the Saké Advent Calendar as a holiday decoration.

This is the only product of its kind in the world!

To order the Namazake Paul Advent Calendar go to: Namazake Paul

The Sake Advent Calendar with Namazake Paul

We also recommend the following books for those who are interested in Japanese drinks:

The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks: Saké, Shochu, Japanese Whisky, Beer, Wine, Cocktails and Other Beverages by Stephen Lyman & Chris Bunting

The Shochu Handbook – An Introduction to Japan’s Indigenous Distilled Drink by Christopher Pellegrini

We also recommend Koji Spirits from our September 2022 review here

The Good Spirits News 2022 Holiday Gift Guide – The Books

Good Spirits News shares their annual selection of gift ideas for the 2022 Holiday season! Today, we share the best of the best books that have been published this year. We start off with our #1 recommendation written by Lauren Mote, Global Director of On-Trade Excellence for PATRÓN Tequila & Co-Founder of Bittered Sling.

A Bartender’s Guide to the WorldCocktails and Stories from 75 Places by Lauren Mote. For over 20 years, Lauren Mote has tended bars and traveled the world, often as one of the only women in a male-dominated industry. She’s developed cocktail recipes, sought out new ingredients, and gathered stories along the way. Now, in her first book, Lauren is inviting readers and home bartenders to pack their suitcases and come with her on an international cocktail adventure. 

Detroit Tiki: A History of Polynesian Palaces & Tropical Cocktails by Renee Tadey (Author), Dave Chow (Foreword) The History Press (January 31, 2022) When the South Sea craze swept over the nation in the mid-twentieth century, the wave of island-themed décor and tropical cocktails did not pass by Detroit. The Tropics and Club Bali offered a warming escape from dreary Midwest winters. At its completion in 1967, the Mauna Loa was the most expensive restaurant built east of the Mississippi. With its lush interior and celebrity patrons, it did not disappoint. The Chin Tiki, with its exquisitely handcrafted features, was no less an exceptional destination. Even today, long after the Polynesian craze has faded, a new generation has taken up the tiki torch and brought island flavor and flair back to the city. Join author Renee Tadey on a sweeping journey through the tiki destinations of Detroit.

Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth by Nancy Matsumoto (Author), Michael Tremblay (Author), John Gauntner (Foreword) Tuttle Publishing (March 8, 2022) This stunning guide invites you into the story of sake—an ancient beverage finding its way in a modern world. Whether you’re a sake novice or an experienced connoisseur, Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake offers fascinating insights, practical tips, and rich stories about this popular beverage. Authors and experts Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay personally undertook the challenge of visiting 33 artisanal sake breweries in Japan, the US, and Canada to interview makers and document every stage of the sake brewing process. Nancy’s celebrated journalistic background combined with Michael’s sake sommelier experience have led to an engaging and informative look at the world of sake. With over 300 color photos and a lively narrative, this fascinating book provides: A comprehensive introduction to the science and history of sake brewing in Japan. A look at how fine craft sakes are brewed today using traditional methods and no additives—only rice, water, koji, and yeast. Histories of Japan’s venerable breweries, some of them over 300 years old! An answer to why some breweries are able to turn out a superior quality of sake. A discussion of rice varieties and “terroirs” where exceptional sakes are produced. Current trends in the world of sake, including the fine sakes now brewed outside Japan. Tasting notes and recommendations for top craft sakes you have not heard about yet. This book also includes personal recipes from several top Japanese brew masters along with food-pairing tips and the authors’ own personal recommendations for the best sake bars in Japan and overseas!

Booze & Vinyl Vol. 2: 70 More Albums + 140 New Recipes by André Darlington (Author), Tenaya Darlington (Author) Running Press Adult (April 19, 2022) A follow-up to the bestselling listening party guide, Booze & Vinyl, this is an all-new collection of groundbreaking music paired with mood-setting cocktails. Get set to party with 70 great records—organized by theme, from Rockin’ to Beats, Mellow to Jazzy & Bluesy—spanning the 1950s to today. Each entry features liner notes on the album and two accompanying boozy beverage recipes that complement the music. Among the featured albums are: Are You Experienced? (The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith), Synchronicity (The Police), Jagged Little Pill (Alanis Morisette), The B52s (The B52s ), Gipsy Kings (The Gipsy Kings), Violator (Depeche Mode), Ready to Die (The Notorious B.I.G.), Play (Moby), Lemonade (Beyoncé), Coat of Many Colors (Dolly Parton), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John), So (Peter Gabriel), Whitney Houston (Whitney Houston), Oops!…I Did it Again (Britney Spears), Getz/Gilberto (Stan Getz and João Gilberto), A Love Supreme (John Coltrane).

Wild Drinks: The new old world of small-batch brews, ferments and infusions by Sharon Flynn Hardie Grant (June 7, 2022) Wild Drinks is the definitive book on infusing, brewing and fermenting delicious and often nutritious things to drink, from mead to kombucha to cider to kvass. With the entertaining and assuring voice of fermentation expert Sharon Flynn, it is a perfect jumping off point for anyone who is curious to learn more about this magical and witchy world. Across six chapters, Wild Drinks features more than 60 recipes. Learn the basics of wild fermentation and read about the equipment you need to start your fermentation journey. Discover drinks made from grain, including doburoku (farmhouse sake), wild beer and kvass; explore recipes for wild apple cider, country wine and wild soda; try water kefir, kombucha, ginger beer and fruit vinegars, and come to understand the art of imparting flavor, from shrubs to flavored waters to syrups and liqueurs. And in the spirit of reducing waste, the final chapter shows how to use fermentation byproducts – ranging from crackers made from sake lees to kimchi pancakes, nettle risotto and Basque cider chicken. Recipes include fascinating historical context and quick tips, and Sharon considers the traditions associated with these ancient fermentation practices too.

Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology by Tamika Hall (Author), Colin Asare-Appiah (Author) Kingston Imperial (June 7, 2022) Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology is a tribute to the contributions of Black and Brown mixologists to the spirits and mixology industries. Many pivotal events in the history of mixology have been ushered in by the contributions of African-American men and women. These moments have opened doors and laid the foundation for brands and companies to flourish. This book features stories about some of the industry’s most notable trailblazers. Whether it was entrepreneurship, education or a “famous first,” the featured mixologists have all contributed to the industry to make an impact in their own ways. This collective of mixologists and their signature cocktails represent different parts of the globe. There will be connections to important inventions and milestone moments by African Americans in the bartending industry weaved in between their stories.

Dicktales or Thankyous and Sluggings by Dick Bradsell (Author), Anistatia R Miller (Editor), Jared M Brown (Editor) Jared Brown (June 30, 2022) THIS IS THE LONG-AWAITED BOOK written by Mr. Dick Bradsell. AKA Soho Cocktail Legend, Father of the London Cocktail revival, The Bartenders’ Bartender, Cocktail King, Creative Genius, are some of the titles attributed to him-though he would have introduced himself as Dick or perhaps Rosie Smudge or Cassandra the Wizard or Dungeon Master or…. This is not a cocktail book or a bar manual. Dick believed that others were better at writing those than him. Although incomplete and missing his final signature of approval, this book of thoughts, soundbites and (many) cocktails is part of his legacy. Compiled and carefully reconstructed from his own writings, his words (and his opinions) from his incalculable notebooks, personal letters, and scraps of paper span almost four decades are reproduced in the raw so all the feeling and emotion of his thoughts are left in their finest unedited, unpolished form. Photos from private collections and his own artwork are sprinkled throughout as playful as they appeared in his notebooks. A tribute to his family and many friends who shaped his tread in life and supported him for better and for worse, in mind, spirit, and body. Ultimately, it is a celebration of the life and work of a proud British bartender, named Richard Arthur Bradsell.

Kokuteeru by Yonekichi Maeda (Author), Kagumi Otani (Translator), Eiji Arakawa (Introduction) Jared Brown (June 30, 2022) Finding and translating Kokuteeru (1924) was a year long journey that helps to answer the question “who wrote the first Japanese cocktail book?” Whilst this honour goes to Tokuzo Akiyama’s book Cocktails: How To Mix Drinks, Yonekichi Maeda’s Kokuteeru is considered to be the more systematic and practical text which was published a month later. Western style spirits and bartending made their way into Japanese culture as early as 1872. And by the early 1900s Japanese bartenders ran their own Western style establishments. Kokuteeru gives us a fascinating glimpse as to how 1920s Japanese bartenders began to define themselves and their profession. The entirety of the net profits-100%- from the publication of this English translation of Kokuteeru will fund the Yonekichi Maeda Scholarship: an internship program that will send Australian bartenders to Japan to learn about Japanese bartending. This scholarship will allow the next generation of Australian bartenders to learn the art of Japanese cocktail bartending and will promote a return of the ‘journeyman bartender’ to the education scheme of the bartending profession.

Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English Penguin Books (July 19, 2022) Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form. In turn, scientists studied fermentation and formed the germ theory of disease, and developed an understanding of elemental gases and anesthetics. Modern cocktails like the Old-Fashioned, Gimlet, and Gin and Tonic were born as delicious remedies for diseases and discomforts. In Doctors and Distillers, cocktails and spirits expert Camper English reveals how and why the contents of our medicine and liquor cabinets were, until surprisingly recently, one and the same.

The Botany of Beer: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 Plants Used in Brewing (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History) by Giuseppe Caruso (Author), Kosmos SRL (Translator), Marika Josephson (Foreword) Columbia University Press (July 26, 2022) From mass-produced lagers to craft-brewery IPAs, from beers made in Trappist monasteries according to traditional techniques to those created by innovative local brewers seeking to capture regional terroir, the world of beer boasts endless varieties. The diversity of beer does not only reflect the differences among the people and cultures who brew this beverage. It also testifies to the vast range of plants that help give different styles of beer their distinguishing flavor profiles. This book is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated compendium of the characteristics and properties of the plants used in making beer around the world. The botanical expert Giuseppe Caruso presents scientifically rigorous descriptions, accompanied by his own hand-drawn ink images, of more than 500 species. For each one, he gives the scientific classification, common names, and information about morphology, geographical distribution and habitat, and cultivation range. Caruso provides detailed information about each plant’s applications in beer making, including which of its parts are employed, as well as its chemical composition, its potential toxicity, and examples of beers and styles in which it is typically used. The book also considers historical uses, aiding brewers who seek to rediscover ancient and early modern concoctions. This book will appeal to a wide audience, from beer aficionados to botany enthusiasts, providing valuable information for homebrewers and professional beer makers alike. It reveals how botanical knowledge can open new possibilities for today’s and tomorrow’s brewers.

The Tea Cyclopedia: All You Ever Wanted to Know about the World’s Favorite Drink by Dr. Keith Souter Skyhorse (September 6, 2022) Tea drinking has become a way of life. To put it frankly, it is a love, an addiction, and some would even go as far as to say a philosophy. Dr. Keith Souter examines the perpetual impact that this adored beverage has bestowed upon the world for centuries, from its mystical origins in the East to its inevitable influence on the West. The Tea Cyclopedia is an indispensable reference for anyone interested in all things tea. Commencing each chapter with insightful quotes, it not only captures the historical beginnings of this beloved drink, but also explores tea’s involvement in politics, health, the economy, and even fortune-telling. This unprecedented beverage has united people in times of adversity; it has also divided nations, causing volatile revolutions, such as the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Boston Tea Party. But today you will most likely find that various cultures have developed their own unique style of enjoying tea, and the ritual of tea drinking itself is not only intriguing, but also highly rewarding. In this meticulously detailed guide, readers will rediscover tea, its cultivation, and all of its richness and intricacy as a worldwide beverage. The Tea Cyclopedia is an enthralling tribute to the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf that has vehemently continued to inspire people for more than two thousand years.

Cider Planet: Exploring the Producers, Practices, and Unique Traditions of Craft Cider and Perry from Around the World by Claude Jolicoeur Chelsea Green Publishing (September 23, 2022) From internationally-acclaimed author and fermented beverage expert Claude Jolicoeur comes a globe-trotting, full-color cultural history and guide celebrating the methods, terroir, and traditions of world-class cider. In Cider Planet, Claude Jolicoeur―a longtime, passionate cider maker and author of the international bestseller New Cider Maker’s Handbook―takes readers with him to the world’s greatest cider regions, providing an expertly guided tour laced with his deep understanding and appreciation for how this “Prince of Beverages” is made. Cider, long perceived as a European country drink, is now truly a worldwide culinary delight. Jolicoeur talks about new and emergent regions that have contributed to this growing appreciation, and how they are building upon the old traditions while creating their own new ones. He explores, for example, the most revered areas for making perry, a delightful but little-known drink that, like cider, is starting to gain fans young and old. And he even transports readers to Kazakhstan in central Asia, famous as the “birthplace of the domestic apple.”

American Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Original Spirit by Clay Risen Scott & Nix, Inc. (October 3, 2022) What is going on with rye whiskey? Suddenly both experienced and new whiskey lovers are turning to rye as their primary object of interest. And just as suddenly the market is flooded with new offerings of this “old fashioned” spirit—the growth from just a dozen brands 15 years ago to more than 225 today is unprecedented. Author and spirits expert Clay Risen now offers a road map to the phenomena of rye. A detailed introduction includes a history of rye, how it’s distilled, aged, and earns its distinguishing qualities. Sections include info on how to start collecting rye, read a whiskey label, and how to have a whiskey tasting. Extensive rye whiskey accounts are organized alphabetically by distillery and brand and each of more than 225 expressions include a color photo of the bottle, info on proof, age, average price, tasting notes (nose, palate, finish), and is rated on a four-star scale. The author with a group of expert tasters “blind tasted” each and every one—a first for a spirits book of this scale. The result is a groundbreakingly innovative and invaluable asset for the whiskey lover navigating the world of American rye.

Modern Classic Cocktails: 60+ Stories and Recipes from the New Golden Age in Drinks by Robert Simonson Ten Speed Press (October 4, 2022) One of the greatest dividends of the revival in cocktail culture that began in the 1990s has been the relentless innovation. More new cocktails—and good ones—have been invented in the past thirty years than during any period since the first golden age of cocktails, which lasted from roughly the 1870s until the arrival of Prohibition in 1920 and included the birth of the Martini, Manhattan, Daiquiri, and Tom Collins. Just as that first bar-world zenith produced a half-century of classic recipes before Prohibition, the eruption of talent over the past three decades has handily delivered its share of drinks that have found favor with arbiters on both sides of the bar. Among them are the Espresso Martini, White Negroni, Death Flip, Old Cuban, Paper Plane, Siesta, and many more, all included here along with each drink’s recipe origin story. What elevates a modern cocktail into the echelon of a modern classic? A host of reasons, all delineated by Simonson in these pages. But, above all, a modern classic cocktail must be popular. People have to order it, not just during its initial heyday, but for years afterward. Tommy’s Margarita, invented in the 1990s, is still beloved, and the Porn Star Martini is the most popular cocktail in the United Kingdom, twenty years after its creation.

A Sense of Place: A journey around Scotland’s whisky by Dave Broom Mitchell Beazley (October 11, 2022) A personal journey exploring Scotch whisky through its terroir, including the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feeds and enhances the whisky itself. In this beautifully crafted narrative, award-winning writer Dave Broom examines Scotch whisky from the point of view of its terroir – the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feed and enhance the whisky itself. Travelling around his native Scotland and visiting distilleries from Islay and Harris to Orkney and Speyside, Dave explores the whiskies made there and the elements in their distilling, and locality, which make them what they are. Along the way he tells the story of whisky’s history and considers what whisky is now, and where it is going. With stunning specially commissioned photography by Christina Kernohan, A Sense of Place will enhance and deepen every whisky drinker’s understanding of just what is in their glass, as well as open their eyes to where whisky can go.

Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em from the Award-Winning Bar by Neal Bodenheimer (Author), Emily Timberlake (Author), Denny Culbert (Photographer) Harry N. Abrams (October 25, 2022) New Orleans is known for its spirit(s)-driven festivities. Neal Bodenheimer and coauthor Emily Timberlake tell the city’s story through 100 cocktails, each chosen to represent New Orleans’ past, present, and future. A love letter to New Orleans and the cast of characters that have had a hand in making the city so singular, Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em features interviews with local figures such as Ian Neville, musician and New Orleans funk royalty, plus a few tips on how to survive your first Mardi Gras. Along the way, the reader is taken on a journey that highlights the rich history and complexity of the city and the drinks it inspired, as well as the techniques and practices that Cure has perfected in their mission to build forward rather than just looking back. Of course, this includes the classics every self-respecting drinker should know, especially if you’re a New Orleanian: the Sazerac, Julep, Vieux Carré, Ramos Gin Fizz, Cocktail à la Louisiane, and French 75. Famous local chefs have contributed easy recipes for snacks with local flavor, perfect for pairing with these libations. Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em​ is a beautiful keepsake for anyone who has fallen under New Orleans’s spell and a must-have souvenir for the millions of people who visit the city each year.

Beer A Tasting Course: A Flavor-Focused Approach to the World of Beer by Mark Dredge DK (November 8, 2022) Beer is now brewed in a dizzying variety of styles, available to enjoy like never before. Let’s drink to this diversity with a new appreciation of just how complex and mind-expanding beer can be. Crack open this book and enjoy a series of guided tastings of more than 50 different beer styles—from smoked black lager to sour-fermented wild ales, triple green-hopped IPAs and cask-matured barley wines. With each tasting, you will learn to identify how aroma, taste, texture, and finish all combine to create the distinctive flavor profile of the particular beer style. You will discover which unique ingredients and aspects of the brewing process combine to produce each style, while quick reviews of the best examples from around the world will lead you to explore further. To help establish your beer palate, the course starts with a solid grounding in the range of flavors found in beer and the art of detecting them—opening your nose, mind, and throat to the complete sensory experience of flavor and pouring the perfect glass! Travel through time and across the globe to grasp the ongoing story of beer, its heritage, and its innovation. Also learn how to pair beer with food and to cook with beer. In the end, you always return to what really matters: that miraculous glass of cold, liquid joy.

Raising the Bar: A Bottle-by-Bottle Guide to Mixing Masterful Cocktails at Home by Brett Adams & Jacob Grier Chronicle Books (November 29, 2022) Instead of drawing on esoteric bottles of liquor, complicated syrups, and obscure sodas, this book takes readers through the home bar bottle by bottle, ensuring that every ingredient is versatile enough to be used to the last drop. Building on a very basic cocktail pantry, each chapter thoughtfully introduces a new bottle and explains how it opens new possibilities for cocktails. Each chapter builds on the one before, so readers never encounter recipes calling for unfamiliar spirits or ingredients. RAISING THE BAR allows readers to set their own pace and maximize the usefulness of the spirits they bring home. This book will be a go-to reference for the home bartender that is practical enough for the day-to-day and special enough for a party. With handsome graphics and a smart focus on what’s already in stock, it’s what home mixologists can turn to when they want creative and delightful drinks without a bar cart full of single-use bottles.

Decanter: The World’s Wine Legends: Over 100 of the World’s legendary bottles of wine by Stephen Brook Sona Books (December 1, 2022) For many years the world’s most successful wine magazine published on their last page a monthly Wine Legend. These were and, in some cases, still are the most sought after wines around the world from specific vineyards and vintages. Names that can bring a shiver to the back of a wine lover’s neck and be spoken about in hushed tones. Chateau Palmer ’61, Ridge, Monto Bello 1970, Biondi-Santi, Tenuto il Greppo 1975 to name but a few. This book brings these wines together for the first time, over 100 absolutely legendary wines. With an introduction by Stephen Brook who pulled together the information and the photographs, this is a beautiful gift for anyone who enjoys wine.

Cheers!: Cocktails & Toasts to Celebrate Every Day of the Year – A Cocktail Book by Philip Greene Union Square & Co. (December 6, 2022) Philip Greene, winner of the 13th Annual Spirited Award for Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits, pairs each day of the year with a cocktail recipe that represents it, along with a toast in celebration! For every day of the year, Cheers! offers delicious cocktail recipes along with a backstory connecting the recipe to a particular day and a toast to raise in celebration. Greene draws on a range of interesting and (usually) fun events, some significant and some trivial, from the pages of history, literature, sports, entertainment, and more. Many of the toasts are classics culled from cocktail and bartending books dating to the nineteenth century, the works of Shakespeare, and other timeless sources. While the book undoubtedly acknowledges the usual noteworthy dates from around the world (New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc.), it also features a new twist on standard observances, offering a fresh story, angle, and drink.

 

 

GSN Alert: Sippd Wine App

You’re familiar with wine quizzes that build you a case of wine with a monthly subscription buy-in. But what about a wine quiz that’s sole purpose is to provide beginner drinkers with a starting point to learn about their preferences toward certain flavors, characteristics, and styles of wine? 

With Sippd’s new “Building Taste Match” quiz, we use an AI-powered algorithm and millions of data points to discern consumer’s likely preferences and tailor wine recommendations for their unique taste and budget. 

After completing our sommelier-curated, seven-question quiz, app users are presented with their individualized 1% to 100% wine scores (what we call “Taste Match” scores) to 10,000+ bottles. The higher the Taste Match score is to 100%, the more the wine aligns to a user’s palate! It’s that simple.

Then app users can filter their top matches by price, region, food pairings, and more to try new wines on their own time, keep track of all the wines they’re drinking, and refine their wine taste profile in one place. 

You can take the quiz for yourself by downloading Sippd here

#sippd