GSN Alert: Cocktail & Spirits Book Preview – Spring 2019 (April-June)

It’s time once again for our spring round-up of new cocktail, spirits and bartending books. Lots of new publications to wet your whistle. Cheers!

The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples by Tom Morgan, Kelly Reilly, Tiki Tony & Sven A. Kirsten Korero Press (April 1, 2019) Come and explore suburbia’s hidden tiki temples with Kelly and Tom. Sample over 150 of their original tropical cocktails! These drinks chronicle their time spent bartending at home tiki bars during the rise of the craft cocktail revolution, among them Kirby’s Rumpus Room, which hosted weekly parties for many years. Included are riffs on tropical classics and original concoctions crowd-tested at home bars across the U.S. You’ll also find recipes for home-made syrups, including ancho chilli, lemongrass, sesame, hibiscus, and more. Sven Kirsten—the authority behind The Book of Tiki—provides the Foreword. The book features full-page cocktail photos and glamour shots of some of the coolest home tiki bars around. Additionally, you’ll find lavish illustrations by Tiki Tony, chapter heading illustrations by Jake Geiger—a tiki aficionado and game designer for such hits as Guitar Hero and Call of Duty—and select featured art by Doug Horne, who is a true lowbrow Leonardo familiar to the tiki scene. This guide is proof that you don’t have to go very far to sample the best tropical drinks in town. Belly up to your basement Bali Hai or backyard Bora-Bora and mix yourself a tropical vacation!

From Garden to Glass: 80 Botanical Beverages Made from the Finest Fruits, Cordials, and Infusions by David Hurst Universe (April 2, 2019) For the legions of readers who enjoyed The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create the World’s Best Drinks, here is a new health and nutrition conscious take on making infusions, cordials, and cocktails mixers with garden fresh herbs, fruits, and spices. The Drinking Garden is a unique collection of over 70 delicious botanically inspired recipes based on what is available fresh from the garden or farm stand. These “garden to glass” recipes are for non-alcoholic infusions and cordials based on fresh fruits, garden herbs, and spices which can be consumed as restorative tonics in their own right or can be used as the basis for mouthwatering cocktails – cocktails filled with garden fresh nutrients and antioxidants, making them far healthier than ordinary bar drinks. Organized according to main ingredient, the recipes are created with an eye toward both health and taste. All recipes include fresh from the garden botanicals such as elderberries, strawberries, tomato, mints, and other herbs. Thus, an ordinary Bloody Mary is transformed into a healthy power drink by using freshly crushed garden tomatoes, chilies, and other spices. Many recipes also use “superfood” ingredients, from açai berry and avocado to papaya and pomegranate. Each creation is expertly crafted and inspired by some of the most exciting trends in bartending and mixology. The book also explains how to make professional-quality mixed drinks in your home, listing essential bar kit, fancy glassware, party planning, and finishing touches that can transform an ordinary drink into an exceptional cocktail.

Alcohol-Free Cocktails: The Redemption Bar by Catherine Salway & Andrea Waters Kyle Books (April 2, 2019) Alcohol-free drinks have never been more glamorous thanks to this stunning new book by Catherine Salway and Andrea Waters, the brains behind Redemption, one of London’s healthiest bar restaurant brands. Redemption Bar will introduce you to a refreshing new take on alcohol-free drinks and innovative, healthy bar snacks. Learn how to make delicious, guilt-free cocktails and tasty canapés that will dazzle your guests and delight your taste buds. Packed with nutritious recipes, Redemption Bar has something for everyone, with a variety of vegan, low-sugar and gluten-free recipes available. Quirky, alcohol-free cocktail recipes include: Lychee and Yuzu Martinis, Pineapple Margaritas, and Strawberry & Mango Daiquiris. The book also offers a range of delicious canapés for light snacks and entertaining, from Slow-roasted Activated Almonds to Miso Glazed Baby Aubergine Skewers.

Gin Austen: 50 Cocktails to Celebrate the Novels of Jane Austen by Colleen Mullaney Sterling Epicure (April 2, 2019) In six enduring novels, Jane Austen captured the fancies and foibles of Regency England, and every delightful page of this book celebrates the picnics, luncheons, dinner parties, and glamorous balls of Austen’s world. At these social engagements, gossip reigned, love flourished, and drinks flowed. Discover an exotic world of cobblers, crustas, flips, punches, shrubs, slings, sours, and toddies, with recipes that evoke the past but suit today’s tastes. Raise your glass to Sense and Sensibility with a Brandon Old-Fashioned, Elinorange Blossom, Hot Barton Rum, or Just a Dashwood. Toast Pride and Prejudice with a Cousin Collins, Fizzy Miss Lizzie, Gin & Bennet, or Salt & Pemberley. Brimming with enlightening quotes from the novels and Austen’s letters, beautiful photographs, and period design, this intoxicating volume is a must-have for any devoted Janeite.

Bar Chef: Handcrafted Cocktails by Christiaan Rollich, Carolynn Carreño, Suzanne Goin & Caroline Styne W. W. Norton & Company (April 9, 2019) Celebrated Los Angeles bartender Christiaan Röllich approaches a drink the way a master chef approaches a dish: he draws on high-quality seasonal ingredients to create cocktails for every occasion. In Bar Chef, Röllich shares 100 original recipes for drinks that are as beautiful as they are delicious, including the Quixote (gin and grapefruit); a Kentucky Sour (bourbon and homemade cola syrup); Eggnog for the holidays; and Röllich’s signature drink, the Green Goddess (green tea vodka and cucumber with arugula, jalapeno, and absinthe), which has become a part of the language of LA. Featuring easy-to-follow recipes for syrups, tinctures, liqueurs, and bitters with herbs, spices, and seasonal fruit, Röllich guides you through his creative process, demystifying the craft of cocktail making. With stunning color photography and the suave storytelling of your favorite bartender, Bar Chef will become a go-to bar book for home cooks and cocktail enthusiasts, inspiring and pleasing readers with every drink.

The Tequila Dictionary by Eric Zandona Mitchell Beazley (April 9, 2019) An A-Z compendium of everything you need to know about tequila and agave spirits, from history, ingredients and the latest craft tequila techniques to tasting notes and the many regional variations and specialities. A tequila revolution is taking place, with more and more people learning to appreciate the rich culture, craft and flavor to be found in this unique spirit. The Tequila Dictionary is the drinker’s guide to this wonderful world. With hundreds of entries on tequila and agave spirits covering everything from history, culture and ingredients to distilling techniques, cocktails and the many varieties of the drink, spirits expert Eric Zandona explores the truth behind this truly captivating drink.

Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World by Derek Brown & Robert Yule Rizzoli (April 16, 2019) A cocktail– the fascinating alchemy of simple alcohols into complex potables– is an invention as unlikely as it is delicious, and an American innovation whose history marches in step with that of the Republic. In Spirits Sugar Water Bitters, nationally recognized bartender and spirits expert Derek Brown tells the story of the cocktail’s birth, rise, fall, and eventual resurrection, tracing the contours of the American story itself. In this spirited timeline, Brown shows how events such as the Whiskey Rebellion, Prohibition, and the entry of Hawaii into the United States shaped the nation’s drinking habits. Brown also tells the stories of the great men and women who made their mark on cocktail culture, including America’s Distiller-In-Chief George Washington and modern-day King Cocktail Dale DeGroff, as well as lesser-known mixology heroes like Martha Niblo, the nineteenth-century New York proprietress famous for her Sherry Cobblers, and Frederic Tudor, whose ice-shipping business gave early drinks like the Cobbler and the Mint Julep the chill they needed. Featuring classic and original recipes inspired by each period, this book serves up the perfect mix of geography, history, culture, and taste.

From Barley to Blarney: A Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Ireland by Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry & Tim Herlihy Andrews McMeel Publishing (April 16, 2019) An Irish whiskey guru, two bartender behemoths, and an adept writer combine forces to create this comprehensive guide to Irish whiskey. The book begins with an in-depth introduction to whiskey and its history in Ireland, including what makes each style of Irish whiskey unique. What follows is a detailed tour, including photographs, around the four Irish provinces, and of the 22 different distilleries and the unique Irish whiskeys each produces, as well as a discussion of the booming present and promising future for Irish whiskey producers. Each province also highlights the best of Ireland’s 50 iconic bars and pubs, linking past to present and providing the ultimate whiskey tourist itinerary. The fun really begins when the masterminds behind 2015’s “World’s Best Bar,” Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog, share 12 original mixed-drink recipes tailor-made for Irish spirits.

Make Something Bloody Marvellous: The Gentle Art of Mixing Gin by Dan & Faye Thwaites LID Publishing (April 23, 2019) The UK’s “gin renaissance” has been underway for several years as tastes and drinking habits have changed. Once dubbed “Mother’s ruin,” gin sales topped £1 billion for the first time in 2015 as younger drinkers flocked to a new generation of artisanal distilleries. With so many brands now on the market, a little guidance is surely required. Make Something Bloody Marvellous is bursting with more than 50 unique gin cocktail recipes and photographs for every occasion. Learn the skills of the bespoke bartender and stir up some truly exquisite concoctions using Jam Jar Gin and authentic home-grown ingredients. Beautifully finished to a high standard, it’s nothing short of top-shelf.

Colorado Cocktail Cookbook by Chad Chisholm Liferichpublishing (May 3, 2019) Ever wondered how to make your favorite Colorado cocktail at home? The Colorado Cocktail Cookbook includes recipes from favorites around the state to try yourself. Whether heading to your favorite restaurant or distillery, or trying your hand at these craft cocktails in your home bar, this collection from the Centennial State is sure to elevate your cocktail experience.

Hair of the Dog: 80 Hangover Cocktails and Cures by Salvatore Calabrese Sterling Epicure (June 4, 2019) You wake up, head spinning, stomach churning, wishing you were dead. You have a hangover—and celebrated bartender Salvatore Calabrese is here to help. He explains why we get hangovers and how to avoid them, temper them, and heal them the morning after. To do this, “Maestro” Calabrese shares his secret drink recipes to lessen the pounding in your head, from the Apothecary, Bartender’s Breakfast, and Corpse Reviver to the Spirit Lifter, Suffering Bastard, and Wake-Up Call. If you can’t stomach the thought of more booze, try a nonalcoholic remedy, including the Cleanser Cocktail, Dale DeGroff’s Macho Gazpacho, or a Virgin Mary. Packed with insightful quotes, expert advice, and a generous dose of humor, Hair of the Dog also provides a handy hangover scale to judge your level of suffering, a three-day detox program, and a collection of herbal remedies. With the Maestro’s help, you’ll be back on your feet in no time!

Shaken: Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming, the Official Cocktail Book by Ian Fleming & Fergus Fleming Harper Design (May 14, 2019) Readers can explore James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s writing on the pleasures of drinking and mix themselves fifty delicious cocktails from recipes inspired by his books and developed by award-winning London bar, Swift. Both Bond and Fleming were partial to a stiff drink. In both fiction and real life, cocktails were an important and well-chosen accompaniment to adventure and daring and often relaxing. Fleming made the Martini famous with Bond’s ritual of always ordering it “shaken, not stirred”. But in every James Bond book a wide selection of strong, sophisticated and carefully crafted drinks are essential details to the story. The recipes in Shaken are divided into five categories: Straight Up; On the Rocks; Tall; Fizzy; and Exotic. Sip on inventions such as Smersh, Moneypenny, That Old Devil M and Diamonds Are Forever, as well as classic Bond cocktails such as the Vesper—and, of course, the Dry Martini. Each recipe is illustrated by a stunning full-color photo of the drink and wonderful extracts from Fleming’s writing—taken from the passage where the drink was featured or a place, character, or plot that inspired it. Shaken features a foreword written by the novelist’s nephew, Fergus Fleming, as well as plenty of his writing on whisky, gin, rum, and other spirits.

Lonely Planet’s Global Distillery Tour by Lonely Planet Food (May 21, 2019) Explore the exciting world of spirits with Lonely Planet. Featuring the best distilleries and bars in over 30 countries, we’ll tell you where to go and what to taste – from gin, bourbon and whisky to vodka, cachaca, tequila and more. Includes unmissable regional drinks from South Africa, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, France, Italy, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Within each of the 33 countries in Lonely Planet’s Global Distillery Tour, we’ve organised the distilleries alphabetically by region. Each distillery has a suggested must-try drink or tasting experience and also recommended local sights so you can explore the local area in between tasting sessions. We’ve also included bars that are best-in-class for their selection of one particular drink, such as arak in Lebanon or tuak in Malaysia. At the back of the book, you’ll find a section dedicated to cocktails: our take on the best mixology magic in the world, and the bars that serve them. Contributions come from specialist spirit reviewers, writers and bloggers.

GSN Review: Summer 2014 Bartender Guides

Another season, another shelves’ worth of books have arrived at the GSN offices.  Here’s a look at what we’ve been reading this summer.

Home Bar Basics and Not-So-Basics 2nd Edition by Dave Stolte (Wexler of California)  If you’re experiencing a sense of deja vu, you’re right.  I reviewed this book when it originally came out back in 2011.  However, this is the expanded and revised 2nd edition.  Is it worth the upgrade? I’ll leave that up to you, but there are some differences worth noting.  The book now has a spine covering the wire ringed binding, the inside cover has units of volume and info on the number of drinks you can safely consume per hour.  The introduction has been re-written to include a treatise on hospitality, and many of the sections have been overhauled and updated.  But, the most interesting aspect comes from several alternate illustrations and the addition of five new “not-so-basic” drinks.  So, yeah, it’s worth the price.  By the way, Dave’s book was a finalist for Best New Cocktail Book at the 6th Annual Spirited Awards in New Orleans this year.  GSN Rating: A-

Sake Confidential by John Gauntner (Stone Bridge Press)  I really enjoy sipping good sake every so often, but many times I am left baffled by the relative lack of information on the bottle.  So, what should I look for and why?  This book seeks to answer 90% of the questions you may have about sake, and it does so in a very straightforward conversational style.  Each chapter is only a few pages long, but gives a better understanding of what styles are available, what makes a high quality sake versus one you should avoid, and the age-old question of whether to drink it hot or cold (the answer may surprise you).  In just a few minutes of reading this book I learned some valuable information which will help me make better informed decisions when picking up a bottle of sake at the liquor store.  GSN Rating: B+

The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson and Daniel Krieger (Ten Speed Press)  Take one part David Wondrich and one part 21st century nouveau cocktail guide, gently stir and you have this entertaining volume.  For many cocktail lovers, the Old-Fashioned is the one drink by which a bartender (and often the bar itself) is judged.  There is a reason why this drink has never been forgotten, but rather has been rediscovered as a keystone in the cocktailian holy trinity of Manhattan, Martini and Old-Fashioned.  The first half of this colorful and artistic ode is dedicated to the story of how this simple drink gained popularity over 150 years and finally became an icon for the “Mad Men” age.  The latter half of the book is filled with original recipes crafted by a who’s who of bartenders who have been riffing on the drink for the last 15 years or so.  Tons of fun and educational to boot!  GSN Rating: A-

Whiskey The Manual by Dave Broom (Octopus Books)  If you’re thinking this is yet another book on the history of whiskey production, you’d only be partly right.  Certainly there is the usual dissemination on different styles (Irish, Scotch, Canadian, American, Asian) and the processes of distillation and aging, but that only takes up a small portion of this book.  Instead, well over 100 pages are given to dissecting brands of whiskies based on their character, flavor profile and most interestingly, mixability.  Generally, whiskey drinkers are in three camps: straight or with a bit of water or ice; mixed into a cocktail ala a Manhattan or an Old-Fashioned; and the “Jack and Coke” lover.  Author Broom gives recommendations on drinking each brand with either coconut water, cola, ginger ale, green tea or soda water.  Lastly, there are a few classic whiskey cocktail recipes along with a smattering of the sort that mixologists with a large backbar and access to obscure ingredients will love.  GSN Rating: B

Restaurant & Bar Design (Taschen)  As with all Taschen books, this is a lovely coffee-table style tome.  Filled with over 400 pages of full color photographs, this will definitely get your creative juices flowing when thinking about bar design.  Broken into five sections including The Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East, each section focuses on visually engaging and stylistically impressive venues.  None of the locales I’ve ever been to are represented, as the focus is on architectural design rather than the cocktail or food menu.  But, just looking at the empty bar stools makes me thirsty.  In the end, this book makes you realize that drinking is not just about enjoying alcohol and sustenance; but as with a cocktail, garnish and presentation are equally important as the taste.  GSN Rating: B+

Food & Wine Cocktails 2014 (Food & Wine)  For their 10th anniversary (has it been ten years already?) the staff at Food & Wine decided to go with a retrospective of 150 previously published cocktails that will always be classics, or should be.  As in all the earlier volumes, there are sections on spirits, barware, bar snacks, and a list of the current best bars in the U.S.  Perhaps the most interesting aspects of this edition, are the sections on bar and cocktail trends that have taken place over the last decade.  It makes you realize how far the cocktail industry has truly come.  I have to take a few points off for repetition, but if you just want a “best of” collection then this anniversary edition is for you.  GSN Rating: B+

Alchemy in a Glass: The Essential Guide to Handcrafted Cocktails by Greg Seider (Rizzoli)  A true cocktail guide with lots of lovely photographs of seductive libations, this book is a testament to the tenacity and vision of one of NYC’s great bartenders.  I would say “Mixologist”, but the author would probably take umbrage with that title.  In any case, Greg writes his cocktailian autobiography here through recipes which have permeated his consciousness over the years, and inspired altogether new creations.  His modus operandi is much the same as mine.  Start with a classic recipe, and then use it as the foundation to make something entirely new.  Many of his original recipes call for bespoke syrups, infusions and bitters, but he generously shares all the necessary information on how to recreate them at home.  The book is rounded out with a list of recommended spirits and a bit on mixing technique.  If nothing else, this book is a snapshot of how cocktails can rise above simply being a means of delivering alcohol to a thirsty customer.  GSN Rating: A-

Magic in a Shaker: A Year of Spirited Libations by Marvin Allen (Pelican Publishing)  I first met Marvin back in 2010 while my wife and I were visiting New Orleans and checking out the dozens of iconic bars in the French Quarter.  He was working on a slow afternoon behind the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone, and took the time to chat us up.  We learned a lot about the history of the bar as well as the locals who frequent it.  On subsequent visits over the years, he’s always been one of the most outgoing and professional bartenders I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.  So, it’s no surprise that he decided to compile a book of favored recipes.  The book is broken into chapters devoted to the months of the year and appropriate cocktails to enjoy in each.  Some insight or background is offered for most of the recipes, but there are very few photographs, and those that are included are in black & white. What makes this book especially noteworthy is the sense of history and locale.  Most of the drinks date prior to 1933 and many are local to New Orleans.   The book is very approachable and offers everyone a chance to taste the kind of drinks that Marvin would serve you as you lazily drank your way around the hotel’s rotating circular bar.  GSN Rating: B-

The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles. Hundreds of Cocktails. A New Way to Drink. by David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson (Workman Publishing Company) A logical and persuasive argument that you need only a dozen bottles behind the bar to make enough cocktails to last you a lifetime.  Those twelve bottles may not be what you would expect however.  For instance, of all the styles of whiskey available, only rye is mentioned.  As well, tequila is missing entirely, but genever has a whole chapter.  What gives?  Well, without giving the whole premise away, the basic idea is to slowly build your bar with stock that will allow you to make drinks as they developed over the past few centuries.  Limited to only seven spirits, one liqueur, two vermouths and two styles of bitters, you will indeed have a collection that in many ways will exceed most typical bars around the country.  Lest you think this is all a rehash of other cocktail guides, there are plenty of new cocktails and recipes for ingredients to keep you busy for years.  There is a surprising amount of practical information here, despite the limitation on ingredients.  GSN Rating: A-

Tiki Pop by Sven A. Kirsten (Taschen)  Whatever your feelings about tiki or “faux tropical” drinks, you have to admit that they carried more weight culturally than many other cocktail trends.  The exotic was everywhere in the late 1940’s through the 1960’s with popular Polynesian restaurants like Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber’s and the Mai Kai and songs by Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny being played on top 40 radio. The very fact that there is an ongoing recognition and revival of tiki culture and beverages in 2014 bears testament to the appeal and longevity of drinks served in grotesque mugs with custom swizzle sticks.  Tiki Pop is Sven Kirsten’s latest testament to the endurance of what was originally a post WWII fad designed to appeal to ex-servicemen who had served in tropical climes.  This gigantic (read: heavy) coffee table book is a love letter to all things tiki.  If you are a fan of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s books, consider this the next logical step in your tropical adventure.  No cocktail recipes, but plenty of vintage photos of bars, mugs, glassware, swizzles and cocktail menus.  GSN Rating: A