GSN Alert: Cocktail & Spirits Book Preview – Summer 2019 (July-September)

 

Just a few summer books to be on the lookout for in the next three months.  Make yourself a drink and read a book. Pretend you’re on vacation.

Botany at the Bar: The Art and Science of Making Bitters by Selena Ahmed, Ashley Duval, et al. Roost Books (July 2, 2019) Not only are bitters the backbone to every great cocktail, these plant-packed elixirs have long been used to support health and well-being, add flavor, and stimulate the senses. Take a trip around the world with ingredients like saffron, grapefruit, hibiscus, and lemongrass and then bring them home to your kitchen. Be your own alchemist and mixologist, with recipes for creating bitters, syrups, shrubs, and cocktails. With these unique flavor combinations of spices, roots, fruits, and flowers, your drinks will never be the same.

How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico’s Most Traditional Spirit by Chantal Martineau Trinity University Press (July 9, 2019) Once little more than party fuel, tequila has graduated to the status of fine sipping spirit. How the Gringos Stole Tequila traces the spirit’s evolution in America from frat-house firewater to luxury good. But there’s more to the story than tequila as upmarket drinking trend. Chantal Martineau spent several years immersing herself in the world of tequila–traveling to visit distillers and agave farmers in Mexico, meeting and tasting with leading experts and mixologists around the United States, and interviewing academics on either side of the border who have studied the spirit. The result is a book that offers readers a glimpse into the social history and ongoing impact of this one-of-a-kind drink. It addresses issues surrounding the sustainability of the limited resource that is agave, the preservation of traditional production methods, and the agave advocacy movement that has grown up alongside the spirit’s swelling popularity. In addition to discussing the culture and politics of Mexico’s most popular export, the book takes readers on a colorful tour of the country’s Tequila Trail, as well as introducing them to the mother of tequila: mezcal.

Flask: 41 Portable Cocktails to Drink Anywhere by Sarah Baird Chronicle Books (July 23, 2019) A compilation of portable drinks, Flask comprises 41 classic and contemporary cocktail recipes that can be transported anywhere. From imbibing in the great outdoors to ringing in the New Year, the book offers recipes for all of life’s greatest moments. Bold, vivid infographics detail drink recipes for 6- and 17-ounce flasks, perfect for sipping solo or sharing with friends. Accessible and fun, the book includes a brief history of flasks, common dos and don’ts, and an interactive quiz, all within a sleek, handsome package featuring a die-cut window and bright silver foil endpapers.

All Day Cocktails: Low (And No) Alcohol Magic by Shaun Byrne & Nick Tesar Hardie Grant (August 20, 2019) Celebrating seasonal ingredients, and with a focus on sustainability, All Day Cocktails showcases nearly fifty varieties of citrus, berries, tropical fruits, stone fruits, pome fruits, vegetables, herbs and nuts. Each variety features a versatile prep recipe that can extend into your cocktails and beyond, meaning All Day Cocktails is much more than your average cocktail book. All Day Cocktails brings you ninety cocktail recipes + fifty prep recipes, including: bitters, caramels, cordials, coulis, granitas, honeys, jams, jellies, juices, kefirs, liqueurs, sherbets, shrubs, syrups, tisanes and vinegars.

Cocktails with a Twist: 21 Classic Recipes. 141 Great Cocktails by Kara Newman Chronicle Books (August 27, 2019) For anyone looking to expand their palate and discover a new favorite go-to drink, this inventive cocktail book is just the thing. Each chapter is based on a classic (like the Manhattan), but inside the unique gatefolds, readers will discover numerous riffs (like swapping Irish whiskey for rye to make a Blackthorn, or substituting amaro for vermouth to make a Black Manhattan). More than 100 variations on 21 modern classic cocktail recipes are accompanied by helpful tips on keeping a well-stocked bar, garnishing drinks, and throwing a party. With bold coloring and a foil cover, Cocktails with a Twist is a handsome addition to any home bar. And with 21 gatefolds, with classic recipes and intriguing variants, this is a cocktail book unlike any other.

Gin Galore: A Journey to the Source of Scotland’s Gin by Sean Murphy & Alison Soye Black & White Publishing (September 1, 2019) With a stellar cast of 50 unique gins, this book explores the boutique tipples reinvigorating the landscapes of Scottish gin. Gin can be relatively simply produced, which enables craft gin distilleries across Scotland to create a refreshing range of boutique products, many of which are making some seriously big waves around the world. Did you know, for example, that a Scottish gin has recently been crowned the “World’s Strongest Gin”—taking the title from a Swedish distillery? There’s no better time to be a gin fan, to get to know Scottish gin and the intriguing stories behind it. This guide will make the perfect companion for gin lovers around the world, as well as gin-loving tourist visitors to Scotland.

The Good Reverend’s Guide to Infused Spirits: Alchemical Cocktails, Healing Elixirs, and Cleansing Solutions for the Home and Bar by Steven Grasse, Sonia Kurtz & Michael Alan Skyhorse (September 3, 2019) A bottle of rectified alcohol, like The Good Reverend’s Universal Spirit from Tamworth Distilling, is a bottle of possibilities. In these pages, you’ll discover over 100 recipes for infusions, tinctures, cocktails, cordials, elixirs, punches, and even household cleaners. This handbook will teach you to replicate famous liqueurs and classic cocktails, and help you prepare perfect garnishes and celebratory toasts. With step-by-step instructions and photos, you’ll learn processes culinary, scientific, and alchemical to improve everything from your parties to your health. You’ll learn the processes of osmosis and dissolution that create the perfect infusions. You’ll be given the secrets to prep for guests lists of 1 or 100.

Cheers to Michigan: A Celebration of Cocktail Culture and Craft Distillers by Tammy Coxen & Lester Graham UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN REGIONAL (September 3, 2019) Cheers to Michigan is a toast to cocktail culture in the Mitten and the state’s flourishing craft cocktail and distillery movements. Based on Cheers!, Lester Graham and Tammy Coxen’s popular cocktail segment on Michigan Radio (NPR), this book gathers forty-five of the authors’ favorite cocktail recipes celebrating the Great Lakes State—its history, its people, its culture, even its weather! Throughout, the authors mix in dashes of Michigan’s fascinating drinking history, entertaining profiles of award-winning cocktail bars, distilleries, and individual spirits from the region, as well as helpful tidbits for preparing top-shelf cocktails on your own. Learn how to mix a Bullshot, the Detroit-born cocktail containing Campbell’s Beef Broth—Marilyn Monroe famously called the drink “a horrible thing to do to vodka.” Or try out the authors’ Whiskey Sour recipe honoring the true story of Valentine Goesaert, a Dearborn woman who challenged the constitutionality of a Michigan law prohibiting female bartenders and in 1948 took her case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Whether you’re a fan of whiskey, gin, or vodka—of the latest cocktail trends or all-time classic drinks—there’s something in this book for all tastes. What’s constant is that each drink showcases a uniquely Michigan twist, making this book perfect for anyone who loves the state, its history and culture, or simply the delicious, delightful, and distinctive cocktails it has inspired.

Spritz Fever!: Sixty Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails by Elouise Anders & Sarah Hankinson Smith Street Books (September 3, 2019) The 60 spritz recipes in Spritz Fever! are in the cocktail style of the decade. Seeing as most spritzes are low(ish) in ABV (well, certainly lower than wine, anyway), they’re the ideal companion for any day-drinking event. Plus, as most Instagram feeds can attest, spritzes aren’t just a drink…they’re a lifestyle. These bubbly wonders speak to a careless Italian summer spent reclining by the beach in fine and flowing linen. What can be so easy to forget is that spritzes are so much more than just Aperol and bubbles. In this book, you’ll learn about the classic European liqueurs, like Cynar, Campari, Luxardo Bitter, Meletti, and more. Moreover, you’ll discover the nuances between prosecco, cava, and champagne can create different textures as the bubbles in each effervesce uniquely. Plus, read up on how citrus garnishes must be matched appropriately to each drink’s flavor profile and, of course, color. Above all, the perfect ratio of liqueur-to-bubbles changes for each recipe. Spritz Fever! explains all of this, alongside its dreamy illustrations.

The Martini Cocktail: A Meditation on the World’s Greatest Drink, with Recipes by Robert Simonson Ten Speed Press (September 17, 2019) The first book in decades to celebrate and explore the history of the most iconic of classic cocktails, the martini, with 50 recipes. A classic martini includes gin, vermouth, sometimes bitters, a lemon twist or olive, and lots of opinions–it’s these opinions that New York Times cocktail writer Robert Simonson uncovers in his exploration of the long and tangled history of the classic martini and its subtle variations. The book features examples of age-old recipes, such as the first martini recipe published in 1888, modern versions created by some of the world’s best bartenders, and martinis sought out by enthusiasts around the world, from Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel London to Musso and Frank Grill in Los Angeles. In The Martini Cocktail, you’ll discover everything you need to know about what components make a great martini, as well as a collection of 50 recipes to create your own drinks (and form your own opinions) at home.

Gather Around Cocktails: Drinks to Celebrate Usual and Unusual Holidays by Aaron Goldfarb Dovetail (September 24, 2019) Gather Around Cocktails is a collection of 45 recipes that take you through a year of holidays and other unexpected occasions to celebrate with friends and family. Included are refreshing twists on classics like Christmas nogs, mulled wines, and New Year’s Eve and Day tipples, as well as cocktails for delightful new festivities: easy apres ski drinks, a batched Superbowl spritz, and a romantic Valentine’s Day cocktail for two. Complete with tips on creative ways to serve your guests–from a self-serve Bloody Mary bar to a champagne tower–making drinks for two or 100 has never been easier.

 

GSN Alert: Cocktail & Spirits Book Preview – Summer 2018 (July-September)

Welcome to our summer reading list! GSN presents a dozen and a half books on everything from world-class bars to visit, aperitifs, nightcaps, rum, gin, vermouth, whiskey, coffee, and the latest cocktails! There are even two expanded and revised versions of classic cocktail tomes that you NEED to read!  Cheers!

A Short History of Drunkenness by Mark Forsyth Viking (June 26, 2018) Almost every culture on earth has a drink, and where there’s drink there’s drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day’s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle. A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind’s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Romans got rat-arsed, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies. This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.

Gin by Geraldine Coates Carlton Books Ltd (August 9, 2018) Gin: A Toast to the Most Aromatic of Spirits celebrates the clear spirit in all its guises; as a straight drink, the increasingly popular flavoured brands, as a base for cocktails and a cooking ingredient. It describes the history of the spirit; how it is made and how the method of distillation has changed across the centuries; the variations of gin; classic cocktail recipes; where to buy the premier brands; and tasting notes. Lavishly illustrated and written in an easy-to-read style, this book will go down as well as the most lovingly created Gin & Tonic. Few drinks can trace its history back more than half a millennium, but the Dutch genever (or jenever) is a clear predecessor of the modern gin distilled today. Gin’s history makes for fascinating reading, from how it grew and faded in popularity through the ages to the types of people who drank it and the story of the G&T (surely the world’s best known cocktail). According to Henry McNulty, Vogue’s legendary wine and spirits columnist, ‘Gin is the bad boy of the spirits world.’ He may be correct, but the fact remains that gin is one of the world’s most popular spirits.

Batched & Bottled: Cocktails to Make Ahead by Noel Venning & Max Venning Quadrille Publishing (August 7, 2018) Sick of standing in the corner making cocktails while everyone else is having fun? Fed up of having to buy loads of expensive spirits and bitters? Just want to pour a delicious cocktail any time, any place? Batched & Bottled features 50 of the best recipes for batched and bottled cocktails – cocktails you can pre-make and bottle, and either pour straight over ice or leave to mature for an hour, a month or even a year. You’ll have cocktails you can drink when you get in from work, or bottles you can crack open come Christmas/summer/birthday/Friday. From negronis and manhattans to more complex concoctions you can infuse with botanicals or fermented ingredients, the recipes follow the seasons and range from simple, stir-through mixes, to more elaborate drinks that require kitchen prep.

The Book of Vermouth: A Bartender and a Winemaker Celebrate the World’s Greatest Aperitif by Shaun Byrne & Gilles Lapalus Hardie Grant (August 7, 2018) The Book of Vermouth is a celebration of the greatest cocktail staple – a mixer that is riding a growing wave of popularity around the world. It includes up to 100 modern and classical cocktail recipes – but is more than a cocktail book too, offering history and insight to botanicals, and the perspective of key chefs who like to cook with vermouth as much as they like to drink it.The authors – one a winemaker, the other a bartender – bring personality to the book via their distinct takes on what makes vermouth so special. The book includes two main sections: Vermouth Basics and How to Drink. Vermouth Basics will give a comprehensive guide to the essentials of vermouth – grape varieties, production, varieties, botanicals, spirit and sugar, and go into great detail about the history of Australian vermouth in particular. It will include botanical profiles of both indigenous and traditional plants from Tim Entwistle, botanist at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne. It will cover all aspects of wormwood: the key ingredient in making vermouth, including medicinal and historical uses, where it is found and its botanical significance. How to Drink will cover the many different ways to serve, drink and store vermouth. Chapters will cover Vermouth Neat, Vermouth in Spring, Vermouth in Summer, Vermouth in Autumn and Vermouth in Winter, as well as Bitter Edge of Vermouth, Stirred & Up, Vermouth Party and After Dinner. These chapters will be more recipe-focused, and include 10–15 recipes per chapter, drawing from each season’s specific botanicals and how these work with different vermouths. Each season will also include a related food recipe.

Rum: The Complete Guide by Isabel Boons & Tom Neijens Lannoo Publishers (June 30, 2018) The diversity of flavors and colors of rum are as rich as the history and culture that surrounds this alcoholic beverage. This guide provides an overview of more than 300 different types of rum and then categorizes them using an innovative taste model. For every rum, you receive a clear overview of its origins, taste and aroma. In addition, you can read all about the different types of rum, the production and maturing process, the perfect way to serve, and the best cocktails.

I’m Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails by Sother Teague & Robert Simonson Media Lab Books (August 28, 2018) Sother Teague, one of New York’s most knowledgeable bartenders and Wine Enthusiast’s Mixologist of the Year (2017), presents a brief history of both classic and lesser-known spirits with modern-day wit and old-school bar wisdom, accompanied by easy-to-mix drink recipes you’ll soon commit to memory. Better than bellying up to some of the world’s best bars with a veteran bartender, this series of essays and conversations on all things alcohol aims to reveal how the joy of drinking changed both history and culture?and will likely inspire you to make a little history of your own. After all, no retelling of a great caper or revolutionary event ever started with the phrase, “So a bunch of guys are all eating salad…”. This hardcover collection of timeless tips, insight from industry pros and 100+ recipes is more than just a cocktail book: It’s a manifesto for living a more spirited life.

The Joy of Mixology, Revised and Updated Edition: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender’s Craft by Gary Regan Clarkson Potter (August 28, 2018) A thoroughly updated edition of the 2003 classic that home and professional bartenders alike refer to as their cocktail bible. Gary Regan, the “most-read cocktail expert around” (Imbibe), has revised his original tome for the 15th anniversary with new material: many more cocktail recipes–including smart revisions to the originals–and fascinating information on the drink making revival that has popped up in the past decade, confirming once again that this is the only cocktail reference you need. A prolific writer on all things cocktails, Gary Regan and his books have been a huge influence on mixologists and bartenders in America. This brand-new edition fills in the gaps since the book first published, incorporating Regan’s special insight on the cocktail revolution from 2000 to the present and a complete overhaul of the recipe section. With Regan’s renowned system for categorizing drinks helps bartenders not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own, The Joy of Mixology, Revised and Updated Edition is the original drinks book for both professionals and amateurs alike.

150 Bars You Have to Visit Before You Die by Jurgen Lijcops Lannoo Publishers (July 31, 2018) Finding a major city’s ultimate cocktail bar is often quite the challenge. This book takes you on a trip around the world from Hong Kong to New York and Berlin. It shows locations that set themselves apart with their gorgeous design, stunning views, exclusivity or signature cocktail. In short, must-visit bars for any enthusiast. Can’t wait? Not to worry. The author has added some of the best cocktail recipes for classics, such as Gin Fizz, Negroni or a Manhattan, as well as the best sours and long drinks. Discover the history of each bar, learn how to select your own cocktail menu, let the unique, refined atmosphere of every location carry you away or stay home and drink your exquisite self-made drink.

Whiskey Cocktails by Brian Van Flandern Assouline Publishing (August 20, 2018) Whiskey is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyed spirits, sipped by Madison Avenue “ad men” and the blue-collar alike. In Whiskey Cocktails, America’s top mixologist Brian Van Flandern reprises his role as author in the fifth edition of Assouline’s best-selling cocktail series. These recipes from the mind of America’s top mixologist are all shot against the backdrop of such legendary New York City bars as the Brandy Library, Dead Rabbit Bar, and McSorleys. Like the many vintages explored within, Whiskey Cocktails belongs so high up on the shelf that even the most seasoned bartender may need a ladder to reach it.

The Curious Bartender Volume II: The New Testament of Cocktails by Tristan Stephenson Ryland Peters & Small (September 11, 2018) Tristan Stephenson is back to shake up the cocktail world once more, perfecting classic cocktails and offering his signature reinventions using his world-renowned mixology skills. The Curious Bartender Volume II: The New Testament of Cocktails is the sixth book by bestselling author and legendary bartender Tristan Stephenson. You’ll find 64 of the finest cocktails there have been, are, or will be: 32 perfected classics and 32 game-changing reinventions of classics. Tristan makes you discover taste buds and talents you never knew you had. He’ll show you the tools of the trade, the techniques he swears by, and how to experiment to create your own cocktail sensations. Tristan’s done all the hard work for you, selflessly trying every drink known to man to uncover what partners perfectly. All you have to do is leaf through the pages of this—the holy grail of cocktail books.

The American Bar: The Artistry of Mixing Drinks Revised Edition by Charles Schumann Rizzoli (September 11, 2018) The classic bar guide that launched a generation of cocktail lovers is back—completely updated. With its cloth binding evoking a Jazz Age guide to speakeasies and its charming illustrations that could have come from a period magazine, this most influential cocktail book is reissued in a newly updated edition. Spanning the cocktail spectrum from classic to contemporary, it includes all the information the cocktail lover or mixologist needs to create the perfect drink in a stylishly retro package, making it an elegant, sophisticated gift as well as an indispensable companion for home or professional entertaining. With 500 recipes and an easy-to-use index arranged by drink categories, this bar book is replete with fascinating stories behind the genesis of each cocktail, its creators, and component liquors—as well as a guide to bartending equipment and a glossary of bar terms and measurements. Charles Schumann, whose appreciation of design and drinks is legendary, is the ideal guide to the perfect drink. Based on the menus at his iconic establishments—Harry’s New York Bar, then Schumann’s American Bar, which later became simply Schumann’s Bar—each recipe focuses on quality and balance.

The Curious Bartender’s Guide to Gin: How to appreciate gin from still to serve by Tristan Stephenson Ryland Peters & Small (September 11, 2018) Join the gin craze with this captivating introduction to the world of gin, plus recipes for perfect gin cocktails, brought to you by award-winning bartender and bestselling author Tristan Stephenson. Discover the extraordinary journey that gin has taken, from its origins in the Middle Ages as the herbal medicine “genever” to gin’s commercialization. From the dark days of the Gin Craze in mid 18th Century London to the golden age that it is now experiencing. In the last few years, hundreds of distilleries and micro-distilleries have cropped up all over the world, producing superb craft products infused with remarkable new blends of botanicals. In this book, you’ll be at the cutting-edge of the most exciting developments, uncovering the alchemy of the gin production process, and the science. Follow Tristan’s expertly honed recipes and to enjoy a Classic Martini, Negroni, Gimlet, Aviation, Martinez and Singapore Sling at home.

Glamorous Cocktails: Fashionable mixes from iconic London bars by William Yeoward CICO Books (September 11, 2018) Join William Yeoward on his journey through London’s most stunning bars as he shares his passion for exquisite drinks and glamorous living in this, his compendium of iconic and signature recipes by some of the world’s most acclaimed bartenders. In Glamorous Cocktails, William visits five of his favourite bars and chooses their trademark cocktails, including genius tips from their world-class bartenders. William also shares his own thoughts on making cocktails and, importantly, how to present them. As someone who is not only passionate about cocktails but also about crystal, he has the perfect knowledge and “eye” to advise and inspire. As William says, ‘Cocktails come in such a huge variety that there’s something for everyone and for every possible occasion – a birthday celebration, an anniversary, a first date, the closure of a deal or a surreptitious flirt.’ These cocktails cover a wide range – some are short, others are long, and a few contain no alcohol, but two things are common to all: they are delicious – and extremely glamorous.

The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails: Over 80 recipes for mixing coffee and liquor by Jason Clark Ryland Peters & Small (September 11, 2018) Enjoy two of life’s greatest pleasures – coffee and alcohol – with this comprehensive guide to mixing perfect coffee cocktails. World-class mixologist Jason Clark will inspire, excite, and educate you by taking you behind the bar for a masterclass in creating coffee-based cocktails. First take a journey into the history and craft of coffee, the world’s most popular beverage, from crop to cup. Next follow his expert mixing tips aimed at everyone from keen beginners to bartenders working in the world’s best bars. More than 80 recipes follow, covering all styles of cocktails from stirred and shaken through to blended and blazed. Learn how to perfect simple classics such as Espresso Martini and Irish coffee or try your hand at technical modern marvels Golden Velvet and Death By Caffeine. With The Art and Craft of Coffee Cocktails in hand your daily grind will never be the same!

Aperitif: A Spirited Guide to the Drinks, History and Culture of the Aperitif by Kate Hawkings Quadrille Publishing (September 4, 2018) Santé! The apéritif is back. Forget the crass cocktail – the chic apéritif is the choice of the discerning drinker. From the Latin aperire (‘to open’), an apéritif not only kick-starts the palate but is the most delightful way to begin an evening. More and more people are falling for the charms of this light, refreshing, and aromatic way of drinking, and bars dedicated to apéritifs are opening around the world. Characterized by their dryness, freshness, and bitter flavors, many apéritifs are also low in alcohol, making them a perfect choice for health-conscious barflies. In Apéritif, acclaimed drinks writer Kate Hawkings romps through the history of how these drinks came into being across the great drinking nations of Europe and beyond. And after a look at the science of why these drinks work so well as appetizers, she peruses anything and everything that can be considered as an apéritif: what it is, what to look for, and how best to drink it. From amaro to gin, through spritzes to Campari and Lillet, and with suggested recipes or serving suggestions for each kind of booze, Apéritif encourages you to sit back, sip, and anticipate the pleasures that the evening holds.

Nightcap: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening by Kara Newman Chronicle Books (September 18, 2018) A nightcap is the perfect way to end the night, and author Kara Newman knows just how to make them. This gifty, foil-accented book contains more than 40 cocktail recipes—some to keep the night going, some that will help ease you to sleep, some that can double as dessert, and some that can soothe the stomach after a hearty meal. There are classics like the sweet and creamy Brandy Alexander, new takes on old favorites like the Black Manhattan, which swaps an aperitif for the classic vermouth, and simple new ideas like the Open & Shut, which combines equal parts amaro and cognac for a slow sipper. Whatever kind of night it’s been, Nightcap is the perfect way to top it off.

101 Rums to Try Before You Die by Ian Buxton Birlinn Ltd (July 7, 2018) Rum, once the poor relation of the spirit world, has undergone a revival and is no longer seen just as the preferred tipple for tipsy pirates. The craft drinks movement has certainly stimulated the rum world, with high numbers of new artisan rum brands launching around the world in the last few years. The rise of the rum cocktails is another successful trend, with the popularity of mojitos and mai tai contributing greatly in the growth and development of the rum market. Ian Buxton, the UK’s No.1 bestselling author on spirits, takes us on a tour of the different colours, flavours, creation methods and characteristics, and makes his pick of the best rums in the world. Whether you like your rum in cocktails, or prefer to sip it neat, this is the only book on rum you will ever need.

The New Rum: A Modern Guide to the Spirit of the Americas by Bryce T. Bauer Countryman Press (June 5, 2018) Nine countries, forty producers, and ten classic cocktails. Rum, traditionally relegated to cloying cocktails or tropical themed novelty drinks, is undergoing a global renaissance. In bars and distilleries across the world, rum is being defined as a dynamic, complex, and versatile drink. New to the scene of connoisseurship, rum is a spirit of possibilities, inviting imaginative bartenders and mixologists to leave their marks on this burgeoning movement. In The New Rum, award-winning drinks author Bryce T. Bauer charts the historical and cultural journey of the spirit of the Americas from its origins in the Caribbean, to its long held status as a cheap vacation drink, to today’s inspiring craft revival. This rum-spiked travelogue also includes a producer focused drinks guide, covering dozens of the world’s most innovative and iconic producers, making everything from Martiniqure rhum agricole to long-aged sippers from Barbados and the Dominican Republic.

GSN Alert: Cocktail Book Preview – Autumn 2017 (October-December)

Time for our autumnal round-up of some great new publications for the drinking enthusiast! This time around we have a selection of volumes focusing on everything from retro and platinum age cocktails to home brewing, from mixers to bitters, along with several books focused on drinking culture in specific locales.  Cheers!

Bay Area Cocktails: A History of Culture, Community and Craft (American Palate) by Shanna Farrell,  Jon Santer, Vaughan Glidden & Nando Alvarez-Perez (The History Press) An American invention, the cocktail fluctuated in popularity following Prohibition and had firmly taken root in the culinary landscape by the 1990s. The Bay Area played a significant role in reviving it–as much as New York and London. From the distillers who pioneered craft spirits and Alice Waters’ revolutionary take on simple, fresh food at Chez Panisse to the bartenders who cared enough to grow a dedicated cocktail community, this is the story of how the Bay Area shaped the art of elevated drinking in America. Through oral history interviews and recipes, author Shanna Farrell chronicles the narrative history of the modern cocktail renaissance.

New York Cocktails by Amanda Schuster (Cider Mill Press) With bars, lounges and pubs dotting almost every block in the city, the Big Apple has an unmatched and incomparable cocktail culture—and now you can travel straight to the epicenter of this trendsetting city with more than 100 creative, as well as classic, cocktail recipes. Take a virtual tour of iconic NYC establishments through breathtaking, full-color photography, scene-setting bar descriptions, and mixologist insights—and a plethora of party planning pointers, shopping tips, and must-visit hotspot suggestions make this the perfect guide to the cosmopolitan art of New York City cocktail crafting. With thirst-inducing, full-color photography throughout, and cocktails inspired by New York City movers and shakers, writers, and mixologists, New York Cocktails features unique libations shared by the best bartenders in the City That Never Sleeps, as well as signature new twists on the classics.

Road Soda: Recipes and techniques for making great cocktails, anywhere by Kara Newman (Dovetail) It’s often difficult for a cocktail enthusiast to find a decent drink on the road, especially when faced with the limited selection offered by hotel mini bars, airplane drinks carts and the great outdoors. Road Soda is the ultimate guide for on-the-go cocktail making, with tips and recipes from cocktail expert Kara Newman. Readers will learn how to become mini-bar mixologists; how to build portable cocktails in flasks, beverage cans and liquor bottles; how to make drinks for camping and tailgating, and more. Throughout the book, notable bartenders and drinks experts will offer tips for finding (and creating) the best drinking experiences no matter where readers’ travels take them.

Fever Tree: The Art of Mixing: Recipes from the world’s leading bars by Fever Tree (Mitchell Beazley) The first cocktail title to put the mixers center-stage. Rather than starting with the spirits, this book focuses on key mixers – including tonic, lemonade, ginger ale, ginger beer and cola – and provide 100 classic and contemporary cocktail recipes that make the most of the botanical partnerships. The book also explores the origins of key ingredients, including quinine, lemons and elderflower, revealing the role quinine has played in geo-politics, for example, and the impact different herbs have on taste. In the way that we increasingly want to know the source and production methods of the food we eat, so this guide allows you to understand more fully what we drink – and use that knowledge to create the most delicious cocktails.

Around the World in 80 Cocktails by Chad Parkhill & Alice Oehr (Hardie Grant) Around the World in 80 Cocktails celebrates the globetrotting history of the cocktail through eighty different iconic drinks – each of which has its own story to tell. Bartender and writer Chad Parkhill takes you on a whirlwind tour of the places that have shaped the history of the cocktail from its birth to the present day, with recipes so you can follow along at home. You’ll learn about the surprising military history behind the bubbly, vivacious Venetian Spritz; how the G&T moved from India to England (and why the best in the world are now made in Spain); and how France’s Burgundy region turned tragedy into triumph with the Kir. Accompanied by gorgeous vintage-style illustrations that evoke antique travel posters, these stories and recipes are an ode to the joys of travel, history, and drinking.

Canadian Whisky, Second Edition: The New Portable Expert by Davin de Kergommeau (Appetite by Random House) This fully updated and revised edition of the award-winning Canadian Whisky invites you on a journey across Canada and back through time to discover the story of this unique spirit. Independent whisky expert Davin de Kergommeaux weaves a compelling narrative, beginning with the substance of Canadian whisky—grains, water, and wood—and details the process of how it’s made and how to taste it. He traces the fascinating history of the country’s major distilleries and key visionaries, and introduces the present-day players—big and small—who are shaping the industry through both tradition and innovation. Newly designed, and now including a map of Canada’s whisky distilleries, over 100 up-to-date tasting notes, and a handy tasting checklist, Canadian Whisky reflects the latest research on flavour development and the science of taste. At once authoritative and captivating, this is a must-have resource for beginners, enthusiasts, and aficionados alike.

Dr. Adam Elmegirab’s Book of Bitters: The bitter and twisted history of one of the cocktail world’s most fascinating ingredients by Adam Elmegirab (Dog n Bone) Bitters, those little bottles you will find in any bar worth its salt, are the unsung heroes of the cocktail world. Where would the Manhattan be without orange bitters? Cocktail historian and founder of his eponymous bitters company, Dr Adam Elmegirab presents the results of almost a decade of research into bitters, guiding you from the early days of snake-oil salesmen through to the birth of the cocktail, Prohibition, and the renaissance of bitters as an essential part of the contemporary bar scene. Adam outlines each of the key botanicals that go into different bitters and explains the science of flavor, describing how each characteristic can be deployed for maximum impact, and summarizes the key techniques for making great cocktails. Most importantly, Adam provides 50 cocktail recipes created by him and some of the world’s leading bartenders. These exceptional drinks showcase the different characteristic of bitters and how they can refine a cocktail in unique ways.

Meehan’s Bartender Manual by Jim Meehan (Ten Speed Press) Meehan’s Bartender Manual is acclaimed mixologist Jim Meehan’s magnum opus—and the first book to explain the ins and outs of the modern bar industry. This groundbreaking work chronicles Meehan’s storied career in the bar business through practical, enlightening chapters that mix history with professional insight. Meehan’s deep dive covers the essential topics, including the history of cocktails and bartending, service, hospitality, menu development, bar design, spirits production, drink mixing technique, and the tools you’ll need to create a well-stocked bar—all brought to life in over 150 black- and-white illustrations by artist Gianmarco Magnani. The book also includes recipes for 100 cocktail classics–including Meehan originals–plus insights as to why he makes them the way he does, offering unprecedented access to a top bartender’s creative process. Organized by spirit base, the recipes contain detailed annotations and are accompanied by fine art photographer Doron Gild’s breathtaking, full-color photos. Thoughtful contributions from more than 50 colleagues around the world who’ve greatly contributed to global cocktail culture further contextualize Meehan’s philosophy. Timeless black-and-white portraits of these industry experts round out this comprehensive tome. This densely informative, yet approachable manual is presented in an iconic package–featuring a textured cover with debossed type, rounded corners, and nearly 500 pages–making it an instant classic to be enjoyed now, and for years to come. Whether you’re a professional looking to take your career to the next level or an enthusiastic amateur interested in better understanding concepts like mise en place and the mechanics of drink making, Meehan’s Bartender Manual is the definitive modern guide.

Spirits and Cocktails of Upstate New York: A History by Donald Cazentre (The History Press) From the Hudson Valley to the Niagara River, Upstate New York has a long and grand history of spirits and cocktails. Early colonists distilled rum, and pioneering settlers made whiskey. In the 1800s, a fanciful story of a tavern keeper and a “cock’s tail” took root along the Niagara River, and the earliest definition of the “cocktail” appeared in a Hudson Valley paper. The area is home to its share of spirited times and liquid legends, and the recent surge in modern distilleries and cocktail bars only bolsters that tradition. Author Don Cazentre serves up these tales of Upstate New York along with more than fifty historic and modern cocktail recipes.

Straight Up: Where to drink & what to drink on every continent by Joel Harrison & Neil Ridley (Mitchell Beazley) How great would it be to have access to the world’s experts to help you choose the coolest and most interesting bars, wherever you find yourself in the world? Well, now you do. Straight Up is a carefully curated collection of insider tips that will allow you to discover the best drinking spots around the globe. From a 10-seat basement bar in Tokyo, to a glitzy rooftop palace in Toronto and a converted Ottoman bathhouse in Budapest, this book contains everything you need to drink in style, brought to you by the locals in the know. Spirits experts Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley have gathered a team of expert contributors among the world’s bartending community to nose out the most interesting and characterful experiences. Throughout the book you’ll also find features on signature cocktails, cocktail recipes, the low-down on star bartenders, and the inside track on what to drink where.

The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky by Dave Broom (Mitchell Beazley) Since 2002 (the year it appeared on export markets) Japanese whisky has been consistently winning major international spirits awards. As export production increases and export markets – the USA and France in particular – open up to embrace the quality of these fine malt whiskies, all eyes are on Japan. Award-winning author and internationally recognized whisky expert Dave Broom has visited Japan 25 times in the past 12 years, studying and learning about its whiskies. In this major new book he shares his personal journey around Japan’s whisky distilleries and the unique whisky culture of the country. Each chapter details the history of the distillery in question, its production and current whiskies (with tasting notes). Dave considers along the way why Japanese whisky is different, questions of tradition vs innovation, and how whisky links with many aspects of Japanese culture. Breathtaking photography from Kohei Take leads the reader deeper into the philosophy behind the drink, making this a must-have edition for any whisky lover, whisky drinker, whisky collector or Japanophile.

Project Extreme Brewing: An Enthusiast’s Guide to Extreme Brewing at Home by Sam Calagione, Todd Alstrom & Jason Alstrom (Quarry Books) Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, and Jason and Todd Alström, of Beer Advocate, offer an authoritative primer on extreme brewing. Project Extreme Brewing is the new required reading for any serious home brewer. Inside you’ll find the recipes for the most exciting and exotic beers around today. Recipes from breweries around the country are at your fingertips. You’ll see how brewing operations like Allagash, Lost Abbey, Shmaltz, and Beau’s All Natural make their glittering beverages. Following along is easy, even if you’re new to the home brewing scene, because all recipes come with step-by-step instructions and insider tips. Expand the definition of what great beer is. Show off to your friends and family members that you are the best source of home-brew, by learning to brew at home with the experts!

The Mezcal Experience: A Field Guide to the World’s Best Mezcals and Agave Spirits by Tom Bullock (Jacqui Small) The definitive guide to Mexico’s best kept secret; Mezcal. Unlike its infamous offspring tequila, until recently you would have had to take a trip to Mexico to try this intriguing spirit. But with ‘Mezcalerias’ popping up everywhere from New York City to London, Tokyo and beyond, and mezcal increasingly seen on the menus of the most discerning and hippest bars, the agave plant-based alcohol is the cool new drink taking the world by storm. Embark on a regional tour of Mexico and discover local mezcal gems in this illustrated guide to the best ‘mezcalerias’ (mezcal bars) in the world, then work your way through more than 30 cocktail recipes from the world’s best mezcal bartenders. From backyard heroes to big names, this is a comprehensive guide with over 100 varieties of mezcal, complete with a tasting wheel to help explain the subtleties of this intriguing drink and make you a connoisseur in no time.

 

GSN Alert: Cocktail Book Preview – Summer 2016 (July-September)

Looking for some summer reading while you sip on a G&T, Margarita or Mai Tai?  

Here are some upcoming books to keep an eye out for.  Cheers!

Drinking with the Democrats: The Party Animal’s History of Liberal Libations by Mark Will-Weber (Regnery History) – This election year, celebrate the Democratic Party by drinking like a Democrat! Organized by president, this fun gift book is full of cocktail recipes, bar tips, and hysterical drinking anecdotes from all Democratic White House administrations. Which Southern man drank Snakebites? How did Jackie-O like her daiquiris? Drinking with the Democrats is the bar guide with a twist that all political buffs will enjoy!

Drinking with the Republicans: The Politically Incorrect History of Conservative Concoctions by Mark Will-Weber (Regnery History) – This election year, celebrate the Republican Party by drinking like a Republican! Organized by president, this fun gift book is full of cocktail recipes, bar tips, and hysterical drinking anecdotes from all Republican White House administrations. Which president liked to mix whiskey, vodka, and orange juice? Who had a trick for hiding the labels of cheap wine? Drinking with the Republicans is the bar guide with a twist that all political buffs will enjoy!

Shots of Knowledge: The Science of Whiskey by Rob Arnold & Eric Simanek (Texas Christian University Press) – Shots of Knowledge is a guidebook for whiskey lovers. Organized into approximately sixty illustrated essays, the book samples selected topics in whiskey production through the lenses of science and engineering. While the essays are subdivided into three sections—From Sunshine to Sugar, From Wee Beasties to White Dogs, and From Barrel to Brain—the reader is free to sip them in any order. The story commences with water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight; travels through the manufacturing process; and ends with the molecules that entertain the palate. Whether the topic is photosynthesis, bubble caps, oak speciation, or a mechanistic enzymology, the essays seek to reveal the simple beauty too often hidden in science and engineering. At approximately one page in length, each essay and accompanying artwork can be digested slowly at the rate estimated at three essays per bourbon or Scotch.

Aquavit: Nordic Spirit by Heel Verlag (Heel Verlag Gmbh) – This stylishly-produced book describes the history of the famous Aquavit spirit and the way it is produced, also throwing a glance at the bar scene in Denmark, Norway and Germany. It contains about 30 recipes for drinks and cocktails based on Aquavit, all of them newly created by international bartenders, further 20 recipes from Danish and Norwegian top chefs using Aquavit as an ingredient for their stunning dishes. Finally the volume provides a comprehensive glossary and information on more than 70 different sorts of the famous spirit.

Cocktail Infographics: A Visual Guide to Creating 200 of the World’s Best Cocktails by Jordan Spence (Carlton Books) – This is mixology made simple! Prepare a first-class cocktail with these fun, at-a-glance infographic recipes. Each one visually displays the precise measurements and ingredients in the correct type of glass, with easy-to-see proportions. More than 200 recipes feature old favorites and modern inventions plus garnishes, from the Manhattan and Negroni to the Green Tea Martini, from coolers and coladas to slings, sours, and screws. An informative introduction gives details on equipment, bar stocking, and basic techniques.

Cocktails by Klaus St. Rainer (DK) – Learn the art of mixing perfect drinks with Cocktails, the third “Best Cocktail Book in the World.” Klaus St. Rainer, an award-winning expert voted “Bartender of the Year” in 2013, shares 70 cocktail recipes for all the key classics as well as his own signature creations. Whether you want to make a simple drink with just a few ingredients, prepare large quantities for a cocktail party, or even create a mocktail, this authoritative guide will have you mixing the perfect aperitif. The book’s classy design and evocative photography will inspire you to find what tickles your taste buds, from the classic Dry Martini and Old Fashioned to the unusual Red Beet Gimlet and Caramellow Royale. Professional tips and techniques are revealed—should it be shaken or stirred?—and clear instructions make it easy. Cocktails teaches you the science of mixology so you can make the ultimate cocktail every time.

Shake. Stir. Sip.: More than 50 Effortless Cocktails Made in Equal Parts by Kara Newman & John Lee (Chronicle Books) – Some of the best cocktails are the easiest to make, and author Kara Newman figured out the secret—using equal parts of the main ingredients and adding a dash of bitters or a splash of seltzer to gild the lily. Take the Cucumber Gimlet: Combine one part each vodka, lime juice, and lemonade; 2 cucumber slices; then garnish with a basil leaf! And beverages like this are a breeze to size up for parties—just double, triple, or quadruple the proportions. This book contains 40 simple recipes, from two-ingredient sips like the Bamboo Cocktail to timeless classics like the ever-popular Negroni, proving that great, artisanal cocktails don’t have to come from a bar.

A Proper Drink: The Untold Story of How a Band of Bartenders Saved the Civilized Drinking World by Robert Simonson (Ten Speed Press) – A narrative history of the craft cocktail renaissance, written by a New York Times cocktail writer and one of the foremost experts on the subject. A Proper Drink is the first-ever book to tell the full, unflinching story of the contemporary craft cocktail revival. Award-winning writer Robert Simonson interviewed more than 200 key players from around the world, and the result is a rollicking (if slightly tipsy) story of the characters–bars, bartenders, patrons, and visionaries–who in the last 25 years have changed the course of modern drink-making. The book also features a curated list of about 40 cocktails–25 modern classics, plus an additional 15 to 20 rediscovered classics and classic contenders–to emerge from the movement.

Colonial Spirits: A Toast to Our Drunken History by Steven Grasse (Abrams Image) – In Colonial Spirits, Steven Grasse presents a historical manifesto on drinking, including 50 colonial era– inspired cocktail recipes. The book features a rousing timeline of colonial imbibing and a cultural overview of a dizzying number of drinks: beer, rum and punch; temperance drinks; liqueurs and cordials; medicinal beverages; cider; wine, whiskey, and bourbon—all peppered with liquored-up adages from our founding fathers. There is also expert guidance on DIY methods for home brewing. Imbibe your way through each chapter, with recipes like the Philadelphia Fish House Punch (a crowd pleaser!) and Snakebites (drink alone!). Hot beer cocktails and rattle skulls have never been so completely irresistible.