Category: wine

Fall and Winter 2022 Drink Book Preview

So many drink books are coming out before the end of 2022 I decided to make a list of them.

Links are to Amazon and they earn me an affiliate fee.

The Little Book of Aperitifs: 50 Classic Cocktails and Delightful Drinks

Cheer: A Liquid Gold Holiday Drinking Guide

The Cocktail Edit: Everything You Need to Know About How to Make All the Drinks that Matter

The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro

Cocktails, A Still Life: 60 Spirited Paintings & Recipes

The Wine Bible, 3rd Edition

Free Spirit Cocktails: 40 Nonalcoholic Drink Recipes

New Mocktails Bible: All Occasion Guide to an Alcohol-Free, Zero-Proof, No-Regrets, Sober-Curious Lifestyle (Fox Chapel Publishing) 250 Tasty Drink Recipes Made with Fresh Ingredients

Cocktail Time!: The Ultimate Guide to Grown-Up Fun

Seattle Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the Emerald City

Behind the Bar: Gin: 50 Gin Cocktails from Bars Around the World

Cocktail Botanica: 60+ Drinks Inspired by Nature

Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity and Intoxicate Your Audience

Dicktales or Thankyous and Sluggings

Cheers!: Cocktails & Toasts to Celebrate Every Day of the Year

The Five-Bottle Bar: A Simple Guide to Stylish Cocktails

A Bartender's Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places

Imbibing for Introverts: A Guide to Social Drinking for the Anti-Social

American Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Original Spirit

Pour Me Another: 250 Ways to Find Your Favorite Drink

Midcentury Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from America's Atomic Age

World Cocktail Adventures: 40 Destination-Inspired Drinks

Twist: Your Guide to Creating Inspired Craft Cocktails

Raising the Bar: A Bottle-by-Bottle Guide to Mixing Masterful Cocktails at Home

Steve the Bartender's Cocktail Guide: Tools – Techniques – Recipes

Beer A Tasting Course: A Flavor-Focused Approach to the World of Beer

The Anchor Brewing Story: America's First Craft Brewery & San Francisco's Original Anchor Steam Beer

Classic Cocktails Done Well: Tried-and-True Recipes for the Home Bartender

60-Second Cocktails: Amazing Drinks to Make at Home in a Minute

How to Drink Like a Rock Star: Recipes for the Cocktails and Libations that Inspired 100 Music Legends

Modern Classic Cocktails: 60+ Stories and Recipes from the New Golden Age in Drinks

Bar Menu: 100+ Drinking Food Recipes for Cocktail Hours at Home

The Cocktail Cabinet: The art, science and pleasure of mixing the perfect drink

A Sense of Place: A journey around Scotland's whisky

Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em from the Award-Winning Bar

Trap Kitchen: The Art of Street Cocktails

Just a Spritz: 57 Simple Sparkling Sips with Low to No Alcohol

Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake: Rice, Water, Earth

September 13, 2022
All the Cocktail and Drink Books from 2020 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

Optimistic Cocktails Vol 1

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

December 2, 2020
EU Regulations for Vermouth, Americanos, and Quinquinas

I've had to look up this information a few times so this blog post will make it easier for me to find this information in the future.

In the EU

Vermouth = fortified aromatized wine with artemisia (wormwood) species.

Americano = fortified aromatized wine with artemisia (wormwood) and gentian species.

Quinquina = fortified aromatized wine with quinine flavoring.

Bitter Vino = fortified aromatized wine with gentian species.

The Regulations are found here. The text of this section of aromatized wines is below.

SALES DENOMINATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF AROMATISED WINE PRODUCTS
A. SALES DENOMINATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF AROMATISED WINES
(1) Aromatised wine
Products complying with the definition set out in Article 3(2).
(2) Wine-based aperitif
Aromatised wine to which alcohol may have been added.
The use of the term ‘aperitif’ in this connection is without prejudice to its use to define products which do not fall
within the scope of this Regulation.
(3) Vermouth
Aromatised wine:
— to which alcohol has been added, and
— whose characteristic taste has been obtained by the use of appropriate substances of Artemisia species.
(4) Bitter aromatised wine
Aromatised wine with a characteristic bitter flavour to which alcohol has been added.
The sales denomination ‘bitter aromatised wine’ is followed by the name of the main bitter-flavouring substance.
The sales denomination ‘bitter aromatised wine’ may be supplemented or replaced by the following terms:
— ‘Quinquina wine’, whose main flavouring is natural quinine flavouring,
— ‘Bitter vino’, whose main flavouring is natural gentian flavouring and which has been coloured with authorised
yellow and/or red colour; the use of the word ‘bitter’ in this connection is without prejudice to its use to define
products which do not fall within the scope of this Regulation,
— ‘Americano’, where the flavouring is due to the presence of natural flavouring substances derived from wormwood
and gentian and which has been coloured with authorised yellow and/or red colours.

November 30, 2020
All the Cocktail and Spirits Books Released in 2019

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

December 3, 2019
A Visit to the Cocchi Vermouthery in Asti, Italy

Cocchi wines and vermouths are made in Asti, in the heart of Piedmont region of northwest Italy. I had a chance to visit the facilities this fall.

The company was founded in 1891 in Asti by Giulio Cocchi. He made flat, sparkling, and aromatized wines. Since 1978, the Cocchi company has been run by the Bava family. Our host was Roberto Bava, who is often seen around the global cocktail circuit at events like Tales of the Cocktail and Bar Convent Berlin.

Bava is currently the president of the Vermouth di Torino Institute and was part of the coalition of vermouth makers to get legal recognition for the Vermouth di Torino geographical indication (GI) in 2017. In order to qualify, the production and bottling must be in Piedmont, with alcohol between 16-22%, with Italian wine, artemisia absinthium and/or pontica also from Piedmont.

This is the entrance to the winery.

Cocchi previously produced products like fernets, annisetts, and rababaros that were discontinued in the 1980s, along with vermouths I believe. But with the cocktail renaissance the vermouths came back into necessity.

They only use macerated (rather than distilled) botanicals in their products. They do extractions in groups- a few botanicals at a time that can be used in various products. We visited the botanical room, where I would have stayed all day if I could have.

We then went upstairs to the visitor's center where we did a tasting and I took pictures of the botanical descriptions, which I put in this post on A Guide to Botanicals Used in Cocchi Aromatized Wines & Vermouths.

When I got home, I found I also had this printed document with more botanical information:

Visitor's Center:

Cocchi Products

Cocchi Americano is an aromatized wine with gentian, cinchona bark, bitter orange, and wormwood. It is used (and was probably designed) for drinking with ice and soda water.

Cocchi Rosa is made from a red wine base with the same extracts as the bianco, but with additional ginger and rose petals.

Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino is a sweet vermouth with wormwood, cinchona, bitter orange, and rhubarb.

They also make Dopoteatro Vermouth Amaro, an "evening vermouth" with wormwood, a double dose of cinchona, rhubarb, quassia, and chiretta (which is sometimes called Indian gentian and tastes very much like gentian).

Barolo Chinato Cocchi contains barolo wine and cinchona bark (as you'd guess from the name), rhubarb, gentian, and cardamom.

In addition to their still and sparkling wines, they also make grappa and made one batch of brandy.

February 26, 2019
All the Cocktail and Spirits Books Released in 2018, In Consideration for Gifting or Reading

It's the annual Alcademics drink book round-up! These are all the cocktails and spirits books that I know about published in 2018, with a couple of wine and beer books thrown in for good measure. It's over 60 books in total. Read them yourself or give 'em as gifts.

This year there appear to be less overall history books, and more women-centric books, whether history or not. Cocktail recipe books are all quite specific, with several that focus on theory and technique; and these overlap with books designed with the professional bartender in mind.

Get to reading.

Cocktail/Recipe Books

Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned by Alba Huerta and Marah Stets

The One-Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit by Maggie Hoffman

Tequila Beyond Sunrise: Over 40 tequila and mezcal-based cocktails from around the world by Jesse Estes

Finding Mezcal: A Journey into the Liquid Soul of Mexico, with 40 Cocktails by Ron Cooper and Chantal Martineau

Wild Mocktails and Healthy Cocktails: Home-grown and foraged low-sugar recipes from the Midnight Apothecary by Lottie Muir

Infused Booze: Over 60 Batched Spririts and Liqueurs to Make at Home by Kathy Kordalis

Session Cocktails: Low-Alcohol Drinks for Any Occasion by Drew Lazor and Editors of PUNCH

The Cocktail Garden: Botanical Cocktails for Every Season by Ed Loveday and Adriana Picker

Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks by André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington

Doctor's Orders: Over 50 inventive cocktails to cure, revive & enliven by Chris Edwards and Dave Tregenza

Cocktail Italiano: The Definitive Guide to Aperitivo: Drinks, Nibbles, and Tales of the Italian Riviera by Annette Joseph

Clean + Dirty Drinking: 100+ Recipes for Making Delicious Elixirs, With or Without Booze by Gabriella Mlynarczyk

Are You There God? It's Me, Margarita: More Cocktails with a Literary Twist (A Tequila Mockingbird Book) by Tim Federle

The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails: Over 80 recipes for mixing coffee and liquor by Jason Clark

Aperitif: A Spirited Guide to the Drinks, History and Culture of the Aperitif by Kate Hawkings

The Joy of Mixology, Revised and Updated Edition: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft by Gary Regan

The Dead Rabbit Mixology & Mayhem: The Story of John Morrissey and the World’s Best Cocktail Menu by Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry

Nightcap: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening by Kara Newman

Be Your Own Bartender: A Surefire Guide to Finding (and Making) Your Perfect Cocktail by Carey Jones and John McCarthy

Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions by Alex Day and Nick Fauchald

Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by Editors of PUNCH

Tequila: Shake, Muddle, Stir: Over 40 of the Best Cocktails for Tequila and Mezcal Lovers by Dan Jones

Pickle Juice: A Revolutionary Approach to Making Better Tasting Cocktails and Drinks by Florence Cherruault

The Mini Bar: 100 Essential Cocktail Recipes; 8 Notebook Set by Editors of PUNCH

The Curious Bartender Volume II: The New Testament of Cocktails by Tristan Stephenson

Glamorous Cocktails: Fashionable mixes from iconic London bars by William Yeoward

Prosecco Made Me Do It: 60 Seriously Sparkling Cocktails by Amy Zavatto

Rock Cocktails: 50 rock 'n' roll drinks recipes―from Gin Lizzy to Guns 'n' Rosés

Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together by Andrew Volk and Briana Volk

The Aviary Cocktail Book by Grant Achatz, Micah Melton, Nick Kokonas, Allen and Sarah Hemberger.

The Cocktail Companion: A Guide to Cocktail History, Culture, Trivia and Favorite Drinks by Cheryl Charming

Drink London (London Guides) by Euan Ferguson

Beachbum Berry's Sippin' Safari: Tenth Anniversary Expanded Edition by Jeff Beachbum Berry

Wine Books

Wild Winemaking: Easy & Adventurous Recipes Going Beyond Grapes, Including Apple Champagne, Ginger–Green Tea Sake, Key Lime–Cayenne Wine, and 142 More by Richard W. Bender

Ten Grapes to Know: The Ten and Done Wine Guide by Catherine Fallis

Wine Food: New Adventures in Drinking and Cooking by Dana Frank and Andrea Slonecker

The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste: A Field Guide to the Great Wines of Europe by Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay

Prosecco Made Me Do It: 60 Seriously Sparkling Cocktails by Amy Zavatto

Spirit Books, Misc.

The Connoisseur’s Guide to Worldwide Spirits: Selecting and Savoring Whiskey, Vodka, Scotch, Rum, Tequila . . . and Everything Else (An Expert’s Guide … and Savoring Every Spirit in the World) by Richard Carleton Hacker

Tabletop Distilling: How to Make Spirits, Essences, and Essential Oils with Small Stills by Kai Möller

The Gin Dictionary by David T. Smith

The Book of Vermouth: A Bartender and a Winemaker Celebrate the World's Greatest Aperitif by Shaun Byrne and Gilles Lapalus

The Curious Bartender's Guide to Gin: How to appreciate gin from still to serve by Tristan Stephenson

Women-Centric Drink Books

Craft Cocktails by Val: Drinks Inspired by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Drinking Like Ladies: 75 modern cocktails from the world's leading female bartenders; Includes toasts to extraordinary women in history by Misty Kalkofen and Kirsten Amann

Liberated Spirits: Two Women Who Battled Over Prohibition by Hugh Ambrose and John Schuttler

A Woman's Drink: Bold Recipes for Bold Women by Natalka Burian

Movers and Shakers: Women Making Waves in Spirits, Beer & Wine by Hope Ewing

Free the Tipple: Kickass Cocktails Inspired by Iconic Women
by Jennifer Croll (Author), Kelly Shami (Illustrator)

History Books

A Short History of Drunkenness: How, Why, Where, and When Humankind Has Gotten Merry from the Stone Age to the Present by Mark Forsyth

A Thousand Thirsty Beaches: Smuggling Alcohol from Cuba to the South during Prohibition by Lisa Lindquist Dorr

Moonshine: A Celebration of America's Original Rebel Spirit by John Schlimm

A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris by Philip Greene

Beer, Mead, Cider

Mead: The Libations, Legends, and Lore of History's Oldest Drink by Fred Minnick

Will Travel for Beer: 101 Remarkable Journeys Every Beer Lover Should Experience by Stephen Beaumont

Beer: 150 Awesome Facts About Your Favorite Brew by Caroline West

Ciderology: From History and Heritage to the Craft Cider Revolution by Gabe Cook

The Craft Beer Dictionary: An A-Z of craft beer, from hop to glass by Richard Croasdale

Kitchen Brewing: A New, Easier and Quicker Way to Home Brew by Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg

Bar, Drinking Culture, and Professional Books

Bars, Taverns, and Dives New Yorkers Love: Where to Go, What to Drink by John Tebeau

Drinking Distilled: A User's Manual by Jeffrey Morgenthaler

I'm Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails by Sother Teague

Hungover: The Morning After and One Man's Quest for the Cure by Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall

Allergen Awareness: A Chef's Perspective by Myron Keith Norman

Batched & Bottled by Max Venning

The Cocktail Bar: Notes for an Owner & Operator by Chall Gray

Whiskey Books

From Dram to Manhattan: Around the world in 40 whisky cocktails from Scotch to Bourbon by Jesse Estes

Hacking Whiskey: Smoking, Blending, Fat Washing, and Other Whiskey Experiments by Aaron Goldfarb

The Bourbon Bible by Eric Zandona

Whiskey America by Dominic Roskrow

Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland: Includes Profiles, Ratings, and Tasting Notes for More Than 330 Expressions by Clay Risen

World's Best Whiskies:750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo by Dominic Roskrow

Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America by Brian F. Haara

Not enough books for you? Check out:

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

November 23, 2018
Almost All the Cocktail and Spirits Books Published in 2017 for Reading or Gifting

Behold! Here is my round-up of all the cocktails and spirits books (plus a few others) that were released in 2017. This year, beyond the annual deluge of whisky books, there are books aping the bartender lifestyle (Drink Like a Bartender, Straight Up), more narrative books (I Hear She's a Real Bitch, By the Smoke and the Smell), and recipe books seeking to simplify the process (3 Ingredient Cocktails, The Imbible, Road Soda) rather than reveal the secrets of complex drinks from top bars.

All in all, another great year for reading about drinking.

The links below are to Amazon.com and if you order from there I get a little percentage from the affiliate program. However if you want to be even more awesome, you can buy my book on the Gin & Tonic too!

Cocktail/Bartender Lifestyle Books

The Drinkable Globe: The Indispensable Guide to the Wide World of Booze by Jeff Cioletti

Distillery Cats: Profiles in Courage of the World's Most Spirited Mousers by Brad Thomas Parsons

The Art of the Bar Cart: Styling & Recipes by Vanessa Dina, Ashley Rose Conway

The Bar Cart Bible: Everything You Need to Stock Your Home Bar and Make Delicious Classic Cocktails

Drink Like a Bartender  by Thea Engst and Lauren Vigdor

The Cocktail Competition Handbook by Andy Ives

Straight Up: Where to drink & what to drink on every continent by Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley

Meehan's Bartender Manual by Jim Meehan

History Books

Mus kets and Applejack: Spirits, Soldiers, and the Civil War by Mark Will-Weber

B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S.: Bars And Saloons, Taverns And Random Drink Stories (Volume 1) by Brian F. Rea

Bay Area Cocktails: A History of Culture, Community and Craft by Shanna Farrell

Bumbershoots: Abridged by Dominic C Pennock

Single Cocktail Books

The Bloody Mary Book: Reinventing a Classic Cocktail by Ellen Brown

The Bloody Mary: The Lore and Legend of a Cocktail Classic, with Recipes for Brunch and Beyond by Brian Bartels

Gin Tonica: 40 recipes for Spanish-style gin and tonic cocktails by David T Smith

Whiskey and Whisky Books

Moonshine Mixology: 60 Recipes for Flavoring Spirits & Making Cocktails by Cory Straub

The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky by Dave Broom

The Bourbon Bartender: 50 Cocktails to Celebrate the American Spirit by Jane Danger and Alla Lapushchik

Canadian Whisky, Second Edition: The New Portable Expert by Davin de Kergommeaux

Rum Books

The Curious Bartender's Rum Revolution by Tristan Stephenson

Rum Curious: The Indispensable Tasting Guide to the World's Spirit by Fred Minnick

Spirit of the Cane by Jared McDaniel Brown and Anistatia Renard Miller

Other Spirits

Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit by Emma Janzen

AKVAVIT - Rediscovering a Nordic Spirit by Sune Risum-Urth and Rasmus Poulsgaard

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

Brand Books

Hennessy: A Toast to the World's Preeminent Spirit by Glenn O'Brien

Fever Tree: The Art of Mixing: Recipes from the world's leading bars by Fever Tree

Brewdog: Craft Beer for the People by Richard Taylor with James Watt and Martin Dickie

Recipe-Focussed Books

The Imbible: A Cocktail Guide for Beginning and Home Bartenders by Micah LeMon

Let's Get Monster Smashed: Horror Movie Drinks for a Killer Time by Jon Chaiet and Marc Chaiet

Code Name: Cocktail by Vicky Sweat & Karen McBurnie

The Modern Cocktail: Innovation + Flavour by Matt Whiley

Road Soda: Recipes and techniques for making great cocktails, anywhere by Kara Newman

The Poptail Manual: Over 90 Delicious Frozen Cocktails by Kathy Kordalis

The Cocktail Guide to the Galaxy: A Universe of Unique Cocktails from the Celebrated Doctor Who Bar by Andy Heidel

Cooking with Cocktails: 100 Spirited Recipes by Kristy Gardner

The Classic & Craft Cocktail Recipe Book: The Definitive Guide to Mixing Perfect Cocktails from Aviation to Zombie by Clair McLafferty

Boston Cocktails: Drunk & Told by Frederic Yarm

Beach Cocktails: Favorite Surfside Sips and Bar Snacks

A Spot at the Bar: Welcome to the Everleigh: The Art of Good Drinking in Three Hundred Recipes by Michael Madrusan and Zara Young

The Wildcrafted Cocktail: Make Your Own Foraged Syrups, Bitters, Infusions, and Garnishes; Includes Recipes for 45 One-of-a-Kind Mixed Drinks by Ellen Zachos

The Cocktail Hour (L’Heure du Cocktail): 224 recipes Collected by Marcel Requien Presented by Lucien Farnoux-Reynaud

3 Ingredient Cocktails: An Opinionated Guide to the Most Enduring Drinks in the Cocktail Canon by Robert Simonson

Cocktail Chameleon by Mark Addison

Prosecco Cocktails: 40 tantalizing recipes for everyone's favourite sparkler by Laura Gladwin

New York Cocktails by Amanda Schuster

Good Together: Drink & Feast with Mr Lyan & Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana

Narrative Booze Books

The Angels' Share by James Markert

Breakfast Tea & Bourbon by Pete Bissonette

Pure Heart: A Spirited Tale of Grace, Grit, and Whiskey by Troylyn Ball and Bret Witter

I Hear She's a Real Bitch by Jen Agg

By the Smoke and the Smell: My Search for the Rare and Sublime on the Spirits Trail by Thad Vogler

Wine Books

Note: I don't really cover wine books and these are just a few of them that came out this year. These are merely the ones that showed up in my mailbox.

The Complete Bordeaux  by Stephen Brook

Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste by Bianca Bosker

The Dirty Guide to Wine: Following Flavor from Ground to Glass by Alice Feiring

The New Wine Rules: A Genuinely Helpful Guide to Everything You Need to Know by Jon Bonne

Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region by Peter Liem

Larousse Wine

Beer and Cider Books

Note: Same as wine, this isn't my primary focus but here are a few books.

Best Beers: the indispensable guide to the world’s beers by Tim Webb and Stephen Beaumont

Modern Cider: Simple Recipes to Make Your Own Ciders, Perries, Cysers, Shrubs, Fruit Wines, Vinegars, and More by Emma Christensen

Food, and Miscellaneous Related Books

Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating by Charles Spence

Miracle Cure: The Creation of Antibiotics and the Birth of Modern Medicine by William Rosen

Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status-Obsessed World by Mitch Prinstein

What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St Clair

Not Enough Books For Ya?

Here are all the books published in the last three years as well.

More Than 40 Drink Books Published in 2014 for Reading or Gifting

All the Cocktails & Spirits Books Published in 2015, For Reading or Gifting

All the Cocktails and Spirits Books Published in 2016 for Reading or Gifting

November 30, 2017
The Impact of Phylloxera on Absinthe

I'm giving a talk at Tales of the Cocktail on "Bugs and Booze," and in reading up on the vine-killing aphid phylloxera, I came across a point of history I didn't understand.

Phylloxera devastated the French (and eventually the world's) wine industry from the 1860s to around 1900. Most absinthe was made with a base of brandy- distilled wine- so it too should have been affected by phylloxera and been less available.

But if that was the case, then why did absinthe sales supposedly soar during phylloxera, and why did the wine industry feel the need to launch a negative PR campaign against drinking absinthe when it recovered? (This PR campaign was successful in getting absinthe banned in France and other countries for nearly 100 years.)

So I posted a question to my smart friends on Facebook:

Absinthe nerds: We always hear that post-phylloxera the recovering wine industry did a negative PR campaign on absinthe so that wine could resume its place on the throne. But wasn't most absinthe originally made with a wine/brandy base? When did it switch to a grain base (if it really did) – during or previous to phylloxera? Does anyone have historical data on this?

Well, many, many comments later, I have some ideas about the impact on absinthe, thanks to experts including Anna Louise Marquis, Joshua Lucas, Brandon Cummins, Gwydion Stone, Jack Crispin Cane, Fernando Castellon, Stephen Gould, Francois Monti, Ted Breaux, Heather Greene, Brian Robinson, Alan Moss, and others!

I'll break down my understanding of it. You'll note that I'm not citing any sources here so it's up to you to fact-check, but this is what I got from listening to absinthe history experts:

The Base Spirit of Absinthe Changed Due to Phylloxera

Absinthe can be made with any base spirit. Legal regulations were proposed in France that certain quality marques of absinthe (such as "Absinthe Superieure") need to contain grape distillate as the base, but these were never put into law as far as I know. (One source said the wine lobby actually worked to block any quality markers for absinthe.)

Not all absinthes were made with a grape-based distillate (but marc/grape was considered the best); and absinthe in general had a problem with low-quality (or even poisonous) brands with additives masquerading as the good stuff.

Sugar beet spirit became a predominant base spirit not only in absinthe, but in most French liqueurs. This is due only in part to the absence of grape spirit during phylloxera: Napoleon had launched a massive campaign to plant sugar beets in France to be more self-reliant. From a post I wrote in my project studying sugar: "Napoleon, due to the economic and real war with England, bet big on sugar beets. In 1811 he supported vast increase in sugar beet production. Within 2 years they built 334 factories and produced 35,000 tons of sugar."

Additionally, column distillation came along in the 1830s, which made it easier to get a high-proof, nearly-neutral spirit from most any base material. So in addition to sugar beets, things like potatoes and grain were used as a base for absinthe.

So there were many reasons that the base of most absinthes changed to sugar beet or grain during phylloxera. Pernod Absinthe's quality selling point was that it never changed its base.

Sales of Absinthe Soared in the Age of Phylloxera

True, from pretty much all accounts. Sales of absinthe were increasing before phylloxera, but absinthe's low price and wide availability during the crisis further helped sales. Then after absinthe was banned, sales obviously dropped a bit. So the 30 year period of phylloxera in France coincided with the glory days of absinthe. This is the heart of the Belle Epoque 1871-1914.

Absinthe was Banned Due to the Wine Industry Running a Negative PR Campaign

Anti-absinthe propaganda began before phylloxera did, promoted by a Temperance movement. Much like in the US, distilled spirits were considered the problem with drinking, while beer and wine were considered healthy. (Francois Monti says that beer/wine were considered 'natural' while spirits were 'artificial'.) So the anti-absinthe movement was already in motion pre-phylloxera.

But certainly the low-quality (and low-priced) absinthes on the market, which surely became of even lower quality during phylloxera when there was less wine to go around, were a problem, and gave anyone who was opposed to absinthe a target. As some people commented, now even the lower classes were drinking absinthe, for shame!

When the wine industry recovered fully or in part, they wanted all their sales back so they engaged in/funded negative PR campaigns about how dangerous absinthe was. These campaigns helped get absinthe banned after 1900 in many parts of the world.

Well, that's a short version of a very long and interesting discussion. I hope I've done it justice.

July 7, 2017
Phylloxera, Gin, and Scotch Whisky

I'm continually researching topics related to bugs and booze, and went looking for some better information on how scotch whisky sales were affected by the phylloxera plague that took down most of Europe's vines in the late 1800s.

Many sources cite that scotch whisky sales really took off in the same time period as phylloxera killed the wine biz as people switched to spirits, and I was looking for more solid information on that: sales numbers, etc.

I've found that it's true there was a huge scotch boom in this period (30+ new distilleries opened between 1880-1900), but I was seeking more information.

Anyway, my office is located above the spectacular Mechanics Institute Library, a membership library dating back to 1854. I have plenty of whisky books in my office, but the library itself has some unique books I've not seen elsewhere. I went to see what I could learn.

I happened across a book called The Whiskies of Scotland by RJS Mc Dowall from 1967. It didn't have any information on phylloxera except for this one fun fact about the Gilbey's wine/gin company: they saw phylloxera happening so invested in scotch whisky. Smart.

Today Gilbey's is owned by Beam Suntory.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

Related articles

The Range of Kavalan Whisky, Thoroughly Described

How to Make Whisky in a Hot Climate in a Short Amount of Time

June 13, 2017
The Sangria Spectrum in Fine Cooking Magazine

In the June/July issue of Fine Cooking magazine I have a story about sangria.

We kind of rewrote it a bunch of times and now it's mostly a list of tips on how to make a good sangria, but here is the intro.

Traditional sangria is delicious, but it can also be a bit predictable: a pitcher of red wine with orange liqueur or brandy, slices of citrus, and sometimes a splash of soda for fizz. Recently, though, sangria has been showing up to the party dressed in new shades—pink, white, and even yellow—thanks to a base of rosé, white, or sparkling wine. The fruit accessories have diversified, too. Some recipes call for vibrant peaches or pastel pears, and others boast a rainbow of kiwi, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries. With so many options, today’s sangria is practically a year-round drink, changing to suit the season and the occasion.

There are also two sangria recipes. The first is from Kathy Casey, a strawberry-melon sangria in a deep red color.

The second is by Kim Haasarud, author of 101 Sangrias. It is a yellowish pineapple-orange sangria with peach vodka and Riesling.

The pictures are better in the print magazine, I promise.

May 9, 2012