Here are new cocktails and spirits books being released in September 2025.
To see all the New Drink Books of 2025, visit this link.
For the past bunch of years, I've done a round-up of all the drink books (mostly cocktails and spirits) that have come out during the year, in consideration for gifting. I'm not doing that this year, as there are too many cocktail books, and if you want to see them all, you can visit these posts:
But I decided to do a Best-Of list. Importantly, I must note that I haven't read all of these. I have looked through most, and it's fair to say that I have confidence in these selections. There were some other books that sure sound good but I don't know enough about the book or its author to commit.
Do Some Reading
Something and Tonic: A History of the World's Most Iconic Mixer by Nick Kokonas [amazon] [somethingandtonic.com]A Good Drink: In Pursuit of Sustainable Spirits by Shanna Farrell [amazon][bookshop]
Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Books
Topic-Specific Cocktail Books
Base Spirits
General Cocktail Recipe Books
Beer
The Beer Bible: Second Edition by Jeff Alworth [amazon][bookshop]
Cocktails and Spirits Books from Previous Years
All the Cocktails and Spirits Books Published in 2016 for Reading or Gifting
All the Cocktails & Spirits Books Published in 2015, For Reading or Gifting
More Than 40 Drink Books Published in 2014 for Reading or Gifting
It's time for the annual Alcademics drink book round-up! Below are all the books that have come to my attention in 2020. I don't follow wine/beer closely so there are only a few in that section.
The links below are to Amazon and to Bookshop.org. If you buy stuff after clicking on a link, I may receive a referral fee, thanks! If there is just one link, that's to Amazon as I only started using Bookshop mid-way through the year – you can always click over to Bookshop and search there. Bookshop.org allows you to order from small bookstores directly, or buy from a general fund that supports independent bookstores.
Whiskey Books
Whiskey Master Class: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and More by Lew Bryson
The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries: The Portable Expert to Over 200 Distilleries and the Spirits they Make (From Absinthe to Whisky, and Everything in Between) by Davin de Kergommeaux and Blair Phillips
Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon?: Setting the Table for Tastings, Food Pairings, Dinners, and Cocktail Parties by Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler
Whisky, it's not rocket science by Mickael Guidot
Canadian Spirits: The Essential Cross-Country Guide to Distilleries, Their Spirits, and Where to Imbibe Them by Stephen Beaumont and Christine Sismondo
Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland’s Whiskies by Margarett Waterbury buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
The Curious Bartender’s Guide to Malt, Bourbon & Rye Whiskies by Tristan Stephenson [Amazon] [Bookshop]
The Sazerac by Tim McNally [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Traditions, Types, and Tastes of the Ultimate Spirit by Sam Green [Amazon][Bookshop]
The Terroir of Whiskey: A Distiller's Journey Into the Flavor of Place by Rob Arnold [Amazon][Bookshop]
American Spirit: Wild Turkey Bourbon from Ripy to Russell by David Jennings [Amazon][Bookshop]
Other Spirits: Gin, Rum
Gin: How to Drink it: 125 Gins, 4 Ways by Dave Broom [Amazon]
The Curious Bartender’s Guide to Rum by Tristan Stephenson [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Brand Books
Seedlip Cocktails: 100 Delicious Nonalcoholic Recipes from Seedlip & The World's Best Bars by Seedlip
Chartreuse, The Liqueur [CocktailKingdom]
A Long Stride: The Story of the World's No. 1 Scotch Whisky by Nicholas Morgan buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Science Food and Drink Books
Science and Cooking: Physics Meets Food, From Homemade to Haute Cuisine by Michael Brenner, Pia Sörensen, David Weitz [Amazon][Bookshop]
Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World's Smells by Harold McGee: [Amazon][Bookshop]
The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes by Nik Sharma [Amazon][Bookshop]
Beer, Wine, Vermouth, Sake, Fermentation
Beer: Taste the Evolution in 50 Styles by Natalya Watson
A Spirited Guide to Vermouth: An Aromatic Journey with Botanical Notes, Classic Cocktails and Elegant Recipes by Jack Adair Bevan
How to Make Hard Seltzer: Refreshing Recipes for Sparkling Libations by Chris Colby [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Wine, Unfiltered: Buying, Drinking, and Sharing Natural Wine by Katherine Clary [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Hugh Johnson s Pocket Wine Book by Hugh Johnson [Amazon]
The Wine Game by Zeren Wilson [Buy]
The Japanese Sake Bible: Everything You Need to Know About Great Sake (With Tasting Notes and Scores for Over 100 Top Brands) by Brian Ashcraft [Amazon][Bookshop]
Journey of Sake: Stories and Wisdom from an Ancient Tradition [Amazon]
Fermentation as Metaphor by Sandor Ellix Katz [Amazon] [Bookshop]
History Books
Rabbinic Drinking: What Beverages Teach Us About Rabbinic Literature by Jordan D. Rosenblum
How to Drink: A Classical Guide to the Art of Imbibing (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers) by Vincent Obsopoeus [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
How to Drink without Drinking: Celebratory alcohol-free drinks for any time of the day by Fiona Beckett [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You're Not Drinking for Whatever Reason by Julia Bainbridge [Amazon] [Bookshop]
FIZZ: A Beginners Guide to Making Natural, Non-Alcoholic Fermented Drinks
by Elise van Iterson and Barbara Serulus
Zero: A New Approach to Non-Alcoholic Drinks [Amazon] [The Aviary]
Bartending: Narrative and Professional
Unvarnished: A Gimlet-eyed Look at Life Behind the Bar by Eric Alperin and Deborah Stoll
Bartender as a Business: Building Agency from Craft by Jason Littrell [Amazon][Bookshop]
Botanical Focus and Witchcraft
Garden to Glass: Grow Your Drinks from the Ground Up by Mike Wolf
Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine by Rosalee de la Forêt and Emily Han
WitchCraft Cocktails: 70 Seasonal Drinks Infused with Magic & Ritual by Julia Halina Hadas [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Potions, Elixirs & Brews: A modern witches' grimoire of drinkable spells by Anais Alexandre [buy on Bookshop ] [buy on Amazon]
Blackthorn's Botanical Brews: Herbal Potions, Magical Teas, and Spirited Libations by Amy Blackthorn [buy on Bookshop ] [buy on Amazon]
Cocktail Books
General/Classic/Historic Cocktail Books
Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: Prohibition Centennial Edition: From the 1920 Pick-Me-Up to the Zombie and Beyond – 150+ Rediscovered Recipes … With a New Introduction and 66 New Recipes by Ted Haigh (Author)
Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails by John deBary
Spirited: Cocktails from around the World by Adrienne Stillman [Amazon] [Bookshop]
The New Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Think Like a Master Mixologist, with 500 Recipes by Dale DeGroff [Amazon] [Bookshop]
On the House: Over 100 Essential Tips and Recipes for the Home Bartender by Cider Mill Press buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Classic Cocktails by Brian D. Hoefling [Amazon][Bookshop]
Splash: Modern Classic Cocktails by Ivy Mix (Author), Whoo Kid [Amazon]
CO Specs: Recipes & Histories of Classic Cocktails by Cas Oh [Amazon]
Themed Cocktail Books
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
Camp Cocktails: Easy, Fun, and Delicious Drinks for the Great Outdoors by Emily Vikre
Drinking with Chickens: Free-Range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour by Kate E. Richards
Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette
Disco Cube Cocktails: 100+ innovative recipes for artful ice and drinks by Leslie Kirchhoff
Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails: 75 Classic And Contemporary Drinks To Make At Home by Amy Traynor
Pink Gin: More than 30 pink-hued cocktails
Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails.
Behind the Bar: 50 Cocktail Recipes from the World's Most Iconic Hotels by Alia Akkam [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Fizz: 80 Joyful Cocktails and Mocktails for Every Occasion by Olly Smith [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Beautiful Booze: Stylish Cocktails to Make at Home by Natalie Migliarini and James Stevenson [Amazon] [Bookshop]
The Cocktail Dictionary: An A-Z of cocktail recipes, from Daiquiri and Negroni to Martini and Spritz by Henry Jeffreys [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Peaky Blinders Cocktail Book: 40 Cocktails Selected by The Shelby Company Ltd by Sandrine Houdre-Gregoire [Amazon] [Bookshop]
The Shaken and the Stirred: The Year's Work in Cocktail Culture (The Year's Work: Studies in Fan Culture and Cultural Theory) Edited by Stephen Schneider and Craig N. Owens [Amazon] [Bookshop]
T𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 by Grade A Fancy Magazine [buy]
Star Trek Cocktails: A Stellar Compendium by Glenn Dakin buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Classy as Fuck Cocktails: 60+ Damn Good Recipes for All Occasions buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Shake Strain Done: Craft Cocktails at Home by J. M. Hirsch buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Tequila & Tacos: A Guide to Spirited Pairings by Katherine Cobbs buy on: [Amazon][Bookshop]
Queer Cocktails: 50 Cocktail Recipes Celebrating Gay Icons and Queer Culture by Lewis Laney [Bookshop]
Drinks on the Lanai: Cocktails, Mocktails And Cheesecake Inspired By The Golden Girls by Elouise Anders [Amazon][Bookshop]
The Aviary: Summer Cocktails [The Aviary]
Give Me Liberty and Give Me a Drink!: 65 Cocktails to Protest America’s Most Outlandish Alcohol Laws by C. Jarrett Dieterle
Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season by Jessica Strand [Amazon][Bookshop]
Winter Drinks: Over 75 recipes to warm the spirits including hot drinks, fortifying toddies, party cocktails and mocktails [Amazon][Bookshop]
Bar L.M. by Lindsay Matteson [etsy]
How to Drink Like a Royal by Albert W. A. Schmid [Amazon][Bookshop]
Have Yourself a Merry Little Cocktail: 80 Cheerful Tipples to Warm up Winter by Emma Stokes [Amazon][Bookshop]
Düngeonmeister: 75 Epic RPG Cocktail Recipes to Shake Up Your Campaign by Jef Aldrich, Jon Taylor [Amazon][Bookshop]
Drink Books Tied to Places
Distilled in Vermont: A History & Guide with Cocktail Recipes by Chris Maggiolo [Amazon] [Bookshop]
The United States of Cocktails: Recipes, Tales, and Traditions from All 50 States (and the District of Columbia) by Brian Bartels [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Behind Bars: High Class Cocktails Inspired by Low Life Gangsters by Vincent Pollard [Amazon] [Bookshop]
Spirits of Latin America: A Celebration of Culture & Cocktails, with 100 Recipes from Leyenda & Beyond by Ivy Mix
Drinking French: The Iconic Cocktails, Apéritifs, and Café Traditions of France, with 160 Recipes by David Lebovitz
The Pikes Cocktail Book: Rock 'n' roll cocktails from one of the world's most iconic hotels by Dawn Hindle
Apotheke: Modern Medicinal Cocktails by Christopher Tierney, Erica Brod [Amazon][Bookshop]
Drink-Culture Related Books
The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
It's time for my annual post of (almost) all the cocktails and spirits books published this year, in consideration for gifting to others or keeping to read yourself. I know my shelf of to-read books is looking pretty menacing already, and I still have to buy some of these.
If I forgot your favorite book please do let me know and I'll add it! I am not excluding any cocktails/spirits books on purpose.
Links are to Amazon.com but you are encouraged to support your local independent bookstores when possible.
Low and No Alcohol
Just the Tonic: A Natural History of Tonic Water by Kim Walker and Mark Nesbitt
Alcohol-Free Cocktails: The Redemption Bar by Catherine Salway and Andrea Waters
All Day Cocktails: Low (And No) Alcohol Magic by Shaun Byrne and Nick Tesar
The Art of the Garnish by Leeann Lavin
Gin Books
The Martini Cocktail: A Meditation on the World's Greatest Drink, with Recipes by Robert Simonson
Sip: 100 gin cocktails with just three ingredients by Sipsmith
The World Atlas of Gin by Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley
The Big Book of Gin by Dan Jones
Gin Made Me Do It: 60 Beautifully Botanical Cocktails by Jassy Davis
Ginspiration: The Best Distilleries, Infusions, and Cocktails by Klaus St. Rainer
Gin Cocktails: Classic & contemporary cocktails by Hamlyn
Aged Gin Cocktails: 25 Cocktails for Gin's Newest Style by Aaron J Knoll
International Books
The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks: Sake, Shochu, Japanese Whisky, Beer, Wine, Cocktails and Other Beverages by Stephen Lyman, Chris Bunting
Great Northern Cocktails by Shawn Soole
Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World’s Oldest Drinking Culture by Derek Sandhaus
Whisky Books
World of Whisky: Taste, Try and Enjoy Whiskies From Around the World by David Wishart, Neil Ridley
The Complete Whiskey Course: A Comprehensive Tasting School in Ten Classes by Robin Robinson
The Whisky Dictionary: An A Z of whisky, from history & heritage to distilling & drinking by Ian Wisniewski
Whisky Cocktails by Hamlyn
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius by Bob Batchelor
Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible 2020: North American Edition by Jim Murray
Rum and Tiki
Rum Cocktails by Hamlyn
The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples by Tom Morgan and Kelly Reilly
Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails by Shannon Mustipher
Minimalist Tiki by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith
A Rum Tale: Spirit of the New World by Joseph Piercy
(new translation) D. KERVÉGANT – Rhum and Cane Eau-de-vie (1946)
Other Spirits
That's the Spirit!: 100 of the world's greatest spirits and liqueurs to drink with style by Jonathan Ray
The Tequila Dictionary by Eric Zandona
Understanding Mezcal by James Schroeder
Misc Recipe Books
Schofields Classic Cocktail Cabinet by Joe Schofield, Daniel SchofieldHow to Cocktail: Recipes and Techniques for Building the Best Drinks by America's Test Kitchen
Gather Around Cocktails: Drinks to Celebrate Usual and Unusual Holidays by Aaron Goldfarb
Vogue Cocktails by Henry McNulty
Cocktails with a Twist: 21 Classic Recipes. 141 Great Cocktails. by Kara Newman
Flask: 41 Portable Cocktails to Drink Anywhere by Sarah Baird
Happy Hour: The Cocktail Card Game by Laura Gladwin and Marcel George
Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World by Derek Brown and Robert Yule
The Complete Home Bartender's Guide: Tools, Ingredients, Techniques, & Recipes for the Perfect Drink by Salvatore Calabrese
Bar Chef: Handcrafted Cocktails by Christiaan Rollich
Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion by Maggie Hoffman
Floral Libations: 41 Fragrant Drinks + Ingredients by Cassie Winslow
From Garden to Glass: 80 Botanical Beverages Made from the Finest Fruits, Cordials, and Infusions by David Hurst
French Moderne: Cocktails from the Twenties and Thirties with recipes by Franck Audoux
Fancy AF Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers by Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval
The Postmodern Bartender by Hayden Wood
The NoMad Cocktail Book by Leo Robitschek
The Aviary: Holiday Cocktails by Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, Allen Hemberger
How to Cocktail: Recipes and Techniques for Building the Best Drinks by America's Test Kitchen
Let's Get Blitzen: 60+ Christmas Cocktails to Make Your Spirits Bright by Sother Teague
Misc Books: Industry, Bitters, Distilling
Botany at the Bar: The Art and Science of Making Bitters by Selena Ahmed, Ashley Duval, Rachel Meyer
How To Get U.S. Market-Ready: Wine and Spirits by Steve Raye
The Art of Distilling, Revised and Expanded: An Enthusiast's Guide to the Artisan Distilling of Whiskey, Vodka, Gin and other Potent Potables by Bill Owens, Alan Dikty, Andrew Faulkner
Cocktail and Culture Books
The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book: Appropriate Libations for All Occasions
Shaken: Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming, the Official Cocktail Book
Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time by Brad Thomas Parsons
Are You Afraid of the Dark Rum?: and Other Cocktails for '90s Kids by Sam Slaughter
Drink Like a Geek: Cocktails, Brews, and Spirits for the Nerd in All of Us by Jeff Cioletti
A Sidecar Named Desire: Great Writers and the Booze That Stirred Them by Greg Clarke and Monte Beauchamp
Gin Austen: 50 Cocktails to Celebrate the Novels of Jane Austen by Colleen Mullaney
Gin Rummy: Gin Lovers Playing Cards by Emma Stokes and Jean Andre
Glass and Gavel: The U.S. Supreme Court and Alcohol by Nancy Maveety
Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America by Brian F. Haara
Beer, Cider, and Wine Books
Drink Better Beer: Discover the Secrets of the Brewing Experts by Joshua M. Bernstein
Cider Revival: Dispatches from the Orchard by Jason Wilson
Spritz Fever!: Sixty Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails by Elouise Anders
The Cider Insider: The Essential Guide to 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now by Susanna Forbes
The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A Novel by J. Ryan Stradal
Natural Wine for the People: What It Is, Where to Find It, How to Love It by Alice Feiring
Celebrate Rosé: Cocktails & Parties for Life's Rosiest Moments by Ashley Rose Conway
Cheese Beer Wine Cider: A Field Guide to 75 Perfect Pairings by Steve Jones and Adam Lindsley
Sakepedia: A Non-Traditional Guide to Japan’s Traditional Beverage by Jeff Cioletti
The Bucket List: Beer: 1000 Adventures " Pubs " Breweries " Festivals by Justin Kennedy
The World Atlas of Wine 8th Edition by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson
YES WAY ROSÉ A Guide to the Pink Wine State of Mind by Erica Blumenthal and Nikki Huganir
Not enough books for you??? Check out:
All the Cocktail and Spirits Books Released in 2018
All the drink books that came out in 2017
All the Cocktails and Spirits Books Published in 2016 for Reading or Gifting
All the Cocktails & Spirits Books Published in 2015, For Reading or Gifting
More Than 40 Drink Books Published in 2014 for Reading or Gifting
Throughout the year I post new drink books to Alcademics, because I love drinking and books. Below is all of them put together so that you can make your holiday wish list for yourself or see them all together to pick presents for friends and family.
Know of a book I missed? Let me know and I'll add it.
Culture and Fun
You Suck At Drinking: Being a Complete Guide to Drinking for Any and All Situations in Your Life, Including But Not Limited to Office Holiday Parties, Weddings, Breakups and Other Sad Times, Outdoor Chores Like Deck-building, and While in Public, Legally and Illegally By Matthew Latkiewicz
Toasts: The Perfect Words to Celebrate Every Occasion By June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling
Party Like A President: True Tales of Inebriation, Lechery, and Mischief from the Oval Office By Brian Abrams
The Field Guide to Drinking in America By Niki Ganong
You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery by Mamrie Hart
A Visual Guide to Drink by Pop Chart Lab: Ben Gibson, Patrick Mulligan
Vintage Reprints
The Ideal Bartender By Tom Bullock
W. C. Whitfield's Mixed Drinks and Cocktails: An Illustrated, Old-School Bartender's Guide by W. C. Whitfield (Author), Tad Shell (Illustrator), Joaquín Simó (Foreword)
Shaking Up Prohibition in New Orleans: Authentic Vintage Cocktails from A to Z
By Olive Leonhardt and Hilda Phelps Hammond
Historical Books
Cocktail Noir: From Gangsters and Gin Joints to Gumshoes and Gimlets by Scott Deitche
Lost Recipes of Prohibition: Notes from a Bootlegger’s Manual by Matthew Rowley
To Have and Have Another Revised Edition: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion by Philip Greene
Gone with the Gin: Cocktails with a Hollywood Twist by Tim Federle
Cocktails of the Movies: An Illustrated Guide to Cinematic Mixology by Will Francis , Stacey Marsh
Imbibe! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to “Professor” Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar (Updated and Revised Edition)
By David Wondrich
Contraband Cocktails: How America Drank When It Wasn't Supposed To by Paul Dickson
Narrative Cocktail Books
The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance with Jigger, Shaker & Glass by Paul Clarke
Drinking the Devil's Acre: A Love Letter from San Francisco and her Cocktails by Duggan McDonnell
Ten Cocktails: The Art of Convivial Drinking by Alice Lascelles
Cocktails from Specific Bars
The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual: Secret Recipes and Barroom Tales from Two Belfast Boys Who Conquered the Cocktail World by Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry, Ben Schaffer
Experimental Cocktail Club: Paris, London & New York by Romée de Goriainoff, Pierre-Charles Cros, Olivier Bon, Xavier Padavoni
Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks by Ravi DeRossi, Jane Danger, Alla Lapushchik
Tujague's Cookbook: Creole Recipes and Lore in the New Orleans Grand Tradition by Poppy Tooker
Cocktails for Dingdongs Vol. 1. by Dustin Drankiewicz and Alexandra Ensign
Themed Cocktail Books
Summer Cocktails: Margaritas, Mint Juleps, Punches, Party Snacks, and More! By MarТa del Mar Sacasa and Tara Striano
The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, with Recipes & Lore By Gary Regan
Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer By Jacob Grier
The Tippling Bros. A Lime and a Shaker: Discovering Mexican-Inspired Cocktails by by Tad Carducci & Paul Tanguay with Alia Akkam
Classic Cocktails by Salvatore Calabrese
Tea Cocktails: A Mixologist's Guide to Legendary Tea-Infused Cocktails by Abigail R. Gehring
The Mason Jar Cocktail Companion by Shane Carley
Tiki Drinks: Tropical Cocktails for the Modern Bar by Robert Sharp and Nicole Weston
The Manhattan Cocktail: A Modern Guide to the Whiskey Classic by Albert W. A. Schmid
Paris Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Light by Doni Belau
Wild Drinks & Cocktails: Handcrafted Squashes, Shrubs, Switchels, Tonics, and Infusions to Mix at Home by Emily Han
The Periodic Table of COCKTAILS by Emma Stokes
Forager's Cocktails: Botanical Mixology with Fresh, Natural Ingredients by Amy Zavatto
Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails: Restorative Vintage Cocktails, Mocktails, and Elixirs by Warren Bobrow
The Essential New York Times Book of Cocktails by Steve Reddicliffe
Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana
The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion by Julie Reiner
Whisky and Whiskey
Whiskey: What to Drink Next: Craft Whiskeys, Classic Flavors, New Distilleries, Future Trends By Dominic Roskrow
Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker by Fred Minnick
Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey by Reid Mitenbuler
Spirit of Place: Scotland's Great Whisky Distilleries by Charles MacLean
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All: Know Your Booze Before You Choose by Richard Betts
The Birth of Bourbon: A Photographic Tour of Early Distilleries by Carol Peachee
American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye (New Edition): A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit by Clay Risen
Other Spirits
Bitterman's Field Guide to Bitters & Amari: 500 Bitters; 50 Amari; 123 Recipes for Cocktails, Food & Homemade Bitters by Mark Bitterman
How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico's Most Traditional Spirit By Chantal Martineau
Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production by Sarah Bowen
Gin: The Manual by Dave Broom
Vermouth: The Revival of the Spirit That Created America’s Cocktail Culture by Adam Ford
Branca: A Spirited Italian Icon by Niccolo Branca di Romanico
Science-Minded
Cognitive Cooking with Chef Watson: Recipes for Innovation from IBM & the Institute of Culinary Education
Hidden Scents: The Language of Smell in the Age of Approximation by Allen Barkkume
Miscellany
Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and other Treats By Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall
The River Cottage Booze Handbook by John Wright
The Beer Bible by Jeff Alworth
Cider Made Simple: All About Your New Favorite Drink by Jeff Alworth
Discovering the New York Craft Spirits Boom by Heather D. Dolland
Branding: Distilled by Cynthia Sterling
Saveur magazine has an insert in the June/July issue that is a mini-magazine called Drink. I wrote a handful of stories for it.
I'll post them as they show up online (get excited, ice fans!), but the first to appear is a story on ginger beer. It's a bit of history, a bit about the difference between ginger ale and beer, and several recipes for drinks that show how it goes with everything:
I'm not sure if the Chilcano (pisco) will appear anywhere, but that's a pretty easy one to figure out.
The main story with fun illustrated recipes as above is here.
Or to see the recipes written in normal format, you can follow this link.
I received the new cocktail menu from Brandon Wise of Imperial in Portland, Oregon and noticed that it has the following drink on it:
Slings and Arrows: Dewars blended scotch, Lemonhart Demerara rum, Lemon, Mulled pinot noir syrup, Tony's homemade switchel.
The last ingredient was described as, "House-made switchel, also known as swizzle or haymaker’s punch. A long forgotten ingredient, Wise’s nostalgic resurrection of this carbonated cross between sweet tea and apple cider is an appreciated addition to Imperial’s ingredient list."
So, a switchel sounds a lot like a shrub, a (usually) fruit-and-vinegar syrup. I followed up with Wise to ask him:
What's the difference between a switchel and a shrub?
His response:
There are many commonalities between switchel and shrub. The main difference is the role of fruit(s and veggies): shrubs, speaking in a general sense, are a way to preserve fruits of the season with vinegar. The switchel we make also incorporates vinegar, apple cider vinegar specifically, but does not rely on fruit for its flavor. Molasses, cider vinegar, and ginger are the key flavor agents in our switchel whereas in a 'strawberry shrub' (for example) the strawberry is the primary flavoring agent which is then effected by the vinegar. Switchel is a little closer to a root beer, ginger beer, or traditional ale.
Another fundamental difference is that our switchel is itself a drink, not an ingredient in a drink. Shrubs are delicious when you add water or soda but operate more as a syrup or sweetening agent; our switchel is meant to be consumable on its own. We bottle condition with yeast much like we make our tonic water for natural carbonation. The goal was to make something like a sarsaparilla rather than a syrup. Switchel, like tonic, can be carbonated or uncarbonated, we simply choose to do it this way.
We're very excited about this product and are pleased to see folks trying it for the first time and loving it. The cocktail on our menu that features switchel was an immediate hit and has become one of our best sellers. To my knowledge we are the only ones using it for cocktails and that is pretty exciting. It was something we stumbled upon when doing research for the Portland Penny Diner and its soda fountain component and have long desired to incorporate it into our beverage program. We've sat on the concept for almost a year until the season was right, and now we're seeing that our patience paid off. Resurrecting a quintessentially American beverage was our aim and our patrons are very much enjoying the fruits of that labor.
I'm no historian or scientist so my answer may still be lacking, but hopefully a bit of the back story and its application can at least clarify its intent and its differentiation from a shrub.
That's a pretty thorough answer. Thanks Brandon!
This spring I went to Avery Island, Louisiana, to see how Tabasco pepper sauce is made.
Avery Island isn't really an island, but more of a dry mound (a salt dome) surrounded by wetlands. It's about 165 feet high and that makes it the tallest point in the Gulf Coast.
The island is owned entirely by the Avery family, of which the McIlhennys form a branch. The first of them on the island was a man named Marsh, who built the Marsh House in 1818 that is still used for family weddings and other gatherings. Marsh wasn't a pepper sauce maker, but grew sugar cane on the part of the island that he owned. There are remains of three sugar refineries still on the island, and sugar cane is still grown in the surrounding area.
Marsh's son-in-law, who was an Avery, bought the rest of the island. This Avery's daughter married a McIlhenny, so that's where the families come together. And it was this McIlhenny who invented Tabasco sauce.
At some point, they discovered that the island was rich in salt deposits. Salt is still mined on the island by the Cargill company, and they've now drilled to 2000 feet below ground to do so. Every night, they detonate an explosive underground to ready some more salt for harvest, and sometimes you can hear the boom from the Marsh House.
During the Civil War, the families fled New Orleans to live on the island and escape the conflict. But armies need salt, for preservatives and for animals, so the war soon came to them. They were making salt for the Confederate army and the Union army tried to seize the island in a conflict that came to be known as "The Great Salt Expedition." Though this was a victory for the Confederates, the Union won the island just six months later.
After the Civil War, Edmund McIlhenny, a banker whose industry had been destroyed by the conflict, succeeded in his venture creating a pepper sauce. (It wasn't the first pepper sauce in America, though they were not common. It was said people initially complained that the sauce was too hot, as they applied it in quantities like the ketchup they were used to.) He grew peppers and developed the recipe from 1866-1868, and sold his first Tabasco sauce in 1869.
Unlike most brands who tout their recipe as being identical to the original, Tabasco has definitely changed. Initially, the pepper mash was aged for 30 days in jars, then vinegar was added and it aged for another 30 days.
Tabasco Today
Today, Tabasco sauce is a global business, but all of it still originates and is processed on the island. The seeds for all the peppers grown for Tabasco originate on the island, picked from the best plants, then peppers used in the sauce are grown in Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
Around the world the peppers are all hand-picked, ground up, have eight percent salt added (in South America, the salt they use is actually sent from Avery Island), and then the peppers ferment for a month before they're shipped back to Avery Island.
Back on the island, the "pepper mash" is aged in ex-bourbon barrels- about 50,000 of them here at the warehouse. The barrels are first de-charred and re-hooped, as the acidity of the mash would eat right through the typical barrel hoops. The pepper mash then ages in a barrel for three years on Avery island, stacked six-high on top of each other.
Not only is there salt used in the pepper mash, salt is added on top of each barrel. The barrels have a valve on top that releases carbon dioxide from the fermenting peppers, and it bubbles through the salt. When the fermentation is done, the salt forms a hard rock salt puck on top of the barrel, helping to seal the valve.
The three-year-old pepper mash is then added to vinegar and aged for up to 28 days before bottling. Peppers make up about twenty percent of the final product.
The actual peppers register from 40,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville scale, but after aging and dilution the final Tabasco sauce is around 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units.
Inside the warehouse, we were able to taste the pepper mash- just putting a bit on our tongues and then spitting it out. As expected, it's hot as heck. But as a reward for doing so, we are given a necklace with a spoon attached, engraved with N.S.A.O. N.S.S.S. – allowing us membership into the The Not So Ancient Order of the Not So Silver Spoon.
My fellow Tabasco taster Amy Sherman made an illustration of me undergoing the initiation.
After they make the Tabasco sauce, the spent peppers are sold to a pharmaceutical company that makes things like pepper spray and medicinal applications.
Types of Tabasco
The main line of Tabasco sauces now includes the Original, Green (jalapeno, the first sauce extension from 1993), Chipotle, Buffalo, Habanero, Garlic Pepper, and Sweet & Spicy.
But a trip to the gift shop on Avery Island shows just how many other brand extensions there are: Tabasco has hundreds of products it co-brands with, including A1 steak sauce, Hormel Chili, Cheez-Its, Slim Jims, and SPAM. They're all there, along with Tabasco-branded clothing and accessories and just about everything you can put a logo on.
They also sell some other sauces not available everywhere, like a Raspberry Chipotle and a Family Reserve that's aged up to eight years. They always seem to keep experimenting, and we got to try some prototype sauces.
So yeah, it turns out that Tabasco pepper sauce, something we see practically every day and never think about, actually has a fascinating history, production process, and global reach, all from this little island in the Louisiana bayou.
(Photo courtesy of That's My Jamm)
David Ruiz of Mr. Smith's makes jams and preserves just for cocktails. I wrote about it with a quick note about jam in cocktails historically, and in which bar you can find a mezcal drink with strawberry-raspberry-jabanero jam. Yumz.
Read about That's My Jamm on Tasting Table. The story is here.
(Craig Lee / Special to The Chronicle)
My latest story from this Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle is now online.
Quest for best orange liqueur comes full circle
Camper English, Special to The Chronicle
Friday, July 9, 2010
When a critic complained that the orange liqueur in the margarita at Tacolicious had an "off flavor," owner Joe Hargrave decided to do something about it. The margarita is the Marina district restaurant's top-selling cocktail.
"After I was finished being (ticked) off, I decided we should see if this has merit," he said. Hargrave arranged a blind tasting of margaritas with different orange liqueurs to find the best replacement for the bargain-priced Bols triple sec he was using.
With a flood of new orange liqueurs on the market, picking a reasonable number for the tasting was no easy task.
My story about all the new orange liqueurs on the market– and the thrilling result of the orange liqueur taste test at Tacolicious- can be found by following the link.
There's also a recipe for a drink (see picture above) from Kevin Diedrich of the Burritt Room.
For more information on the history and differences between triple sec and curacao, this discussion has some good information. And for the biggest orange liqueur comparison on the internet, see Jay Hepburn's blog posts.
