Alcademics

A new crew of drink books is out for your reading and drinking pleasure. 

What follows is information from the publishers (not reviews) and links to Amazon for purchasing. 

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

The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated presents the techniques and inspirations of the most innovative micro-distillers working today and ties it together with incredible insider photography.

In this comprehensive guide to artisan distilling, American Distilling Institute founder Bill Owens will teach you how contemporary master distillers transform water and grain into the full range of exquisite, timeless spirits. The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated is your exclusive backstage pass into the world of small-scale distilling of whiskies, gins, vodkas, brandies, and many other spirits.

Like no other book on the subject, The Art of Distilling goes to lengths to explore the actual craft of distilling, in detail. Beginning with a brief history of distilling and introduction to the process itself, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the art of distilling today.

The revised and expanded edition includes even more practical tips, tricks, and instruction and has been updated to include growth and development in the artisan distilling space over the past decade.

The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated is the consummate insider's guide to distilling and its techniques.

Bar Chef: Handcrafted Cocktails by Christiaan Rollich

An inviting handbook for cocktails rooted in classics and updated with a farm-to-glass ethos, from "one of LA’s most innovative mixologists" (Forbes).

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.

Understanding Mezcal by James Schroeder

Understanding Mezcal is a life's-work by renowned agave expert Jay Schroeder that, for the first time in print, puts all the pieces of the mezcal puzzle in one place. The groundbreaking book aims to serve as an encyclopedia of the mezcal world, examining the spirit from every angle including tradition, science, economics and biology. The snappy book, which Chef Rick Bayless calls a "must", will put readers in the head of Schroeder as he dives deep into the world of the spirit while delivering reams of information in a light and humorous tone.

Sections include: Mezcal as a Term, Agave, Agave & Humans, Making Mezcal, Distillation, Agave Types, Economic Realities, On Tradition, The State of Tequila, and The Future. Understanding Mezcal is work that will set the bar for spirits writing moving forward. Much of the book, which features more than 70 hand-drawn illustrations by Mexico City-based illustrator Polly Jiménez, contains source material that has never before been published on the topic.

This is a bookshelf mainstay for any bartender who has a bottle of mezcal on the back bar.

Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion by Maggie Hoffman

A hip, accessible guide to batch cocktail-making for entertaining, with 65 recipes that can be made hours--or weeks!--ahead of time so that hosts and hostesses have one less thing to worry about as the doorbell rings.

As anyone who has hosted a dinner party knows, cocktail hour is the most fun part of the evening for guests--but the most stressful for whomever is in charge of keeping the drinks flowing. The solution, though, is simple: batch it! In this fun collection, Maggie Hoffman offers 65 delicious and creative cocktails that you don't have to stir or shake to order; rather, they are designed to stay fresh when made ahead and served out of a pitcher. Recipes such as Tongue in Cheek (gin, Meyer lemon, thyme, Cocchi Rosa), Friendly Fires (mezcal, chile vodka, watermelon, lime), Birds & Bees Punch (rum, cucumber, green tea, lemon), and even alcohol-free options are organized by flavor profile--herbal, boozy, bitter, fruity and tart, and so on--to make choosing and whipping up a perfect pitcher of cocktails a total breeze.

Floral Libations: 41 Fragrant Drinks + Ingredients by Cassie Winslow

Explore the unique flavors of flowers. Elegant, edible flowers are becoming more accessible every day—and they taste as good as they look. This curated collection of 41 delightful recipes combine the playful creativity of fashion, the deliciousness of food, and the beauty of flowers in one gorgeous glass. Whether you're throwing a baby shower, hosting a Mother's Day brunch, celebrating a wedding, or simply entertaining guests, there's something for everyone, with our without alcohol, including:

• Iced Lavender Café au Lait
• Rose Petal Almond Milk
• Dandelion Tea Cinnamon Cappuccino
• Hibiscus Old Fashioned
• Plum Rosewater Gin and Tonic
• Orange Blossom Moscow Mule

Learn how to create floral pantry item staples to create a scrumptious and sophisticated cocktail of your own, and embark on a new culinary adventure. This garden-party eye candy also includes practical tips on where to buy edible flowers, whether to choose fresh or dried flowers, how to grow edible flowers at home, and how to use florals in other recipes.

Cheese Beer Wine Cider: A Field Guide to 75 Perfect Pairings by Steve Jones and Adam Lindsley

A field guide to cheese-and-drink combinations that go beyond Parmigiano and Prosecco

Cheese and wine are a classic combination, but many cheeses taste even better with beer or cider. Steve Jones, proprietor of the Portland- based Cheese Bar and Chizu (cheese served sushi- style), has been successfully matching cheeses with alcoholic beverages for more than two decades. Here he shares his knowledge by introducing 75 different cheeses and pairing each with the beverage that brings out the best in both. Jones provides a treasure trove of delectable, often surprising pairings, as well as simple steps for successful experimentation.

This guide will function as a crash course for beginners on buying, storing, and serving cheese and alcohol, while offering more seasoned aficionados page after page of cheese-and-beverage combinations to replicate at home. With gorgeous photographs, this book captures the allure, approachability, and, most importantly, the sheer joy of pairing cheese with beer, wine, or cider.

From Garden to Glass: 80 Botanical Beverages Made from the Finest Fruits, Cordials, and Infusions by David Hurst

"Garden to glass" recipes for nutrient-packed non-alcoholic infusions and cordials based on fresh from the garden or farmstand fruits, berries, herbs, and spices used as restorative tonics or as the basis for healthy cocktails.

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.

French Moderne: Cocktails from the Twenties and Thirties with recipes by Franck Audoux

A fresh take on the classics, from Sazerac to the humble Highball: the adventurous recipes invented when America was dry and Paris was a refuge from Prohibition.

Following Prohibition, Paris, much like London, became known for serving up original and innovative mixed drinks. Although cocktails were present in the late nineteenth century, it was the interwar period, and particularly les années folles that transformed the culture of the cocktail consumption. This fertile time, both intellectually and artistically, was nourished by a growing influx of expatriates from across the Atlantic who made way for an age of experimentation and creation. The new ambassadors of cocktails made alcohols and aperitifs that were specifically French stars of the show. Alongside classic French Vermouth, locally produced spirits including Byrrh, Dubonnet, Suze, and Picon were mixed into distinctly unique cocktails.

With beautiful archival photographs, illustrations, and advertisements, as well as new photography, Franck Audoux, partner at Le Dauphin and Le Chateaubriand in Paris, brings life back to these forgotten French spirits and aperitifs, by giving them a modern twist. He provides recipes for more than forty classic French cocktails, from the Sazerac to the Highball, and provides contemporary tips and tricks that make them easy to re-create at home. Perfect for lovers of history and French culture, this book captures the spirit and culture of one of the richest periods in the City of Light and is a must-have for the aspiring and experienced home mixologist alike.

The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails: A Spirited Journey Through Suburbia’s Hidden Tiki Temples by Tom Morgan and Kelly Reilly 

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!

How To Get U.S. Market-Ready: Wine and Spirits by Steve Raye

Steve Raye is the author of the new book “How to Get U.S. Market-Ready.” It is a strategic toolkit to help export wine and spirit brands break into the U.S. market. He is also President of Bevology, Inc. a consulting company which works with individual brands and regional promotional boards to develop strategies for the American market. Steve is also Managing Partner at Bevology Imports, a boutique wine and spirit import company.

With over 30 years of industry experience beginning with Diageo predecessor Heublein/Palace brands, Steve is an inspiring and engaging speaker and has presented at Vinitaly, Vinexpo NY and Bordeaux and the London Wine Fair and many other international trade fairs and conferences. He also lectures at Bologna Business School and Cornell University on the issues affecting the U.S. wine and spirits market.

Gin Austen: 50 Cocktails to Celebrate the Novels of Jane Austen by Colleen Mullaney 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of this good book must be in want of a drink.

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.

Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails by Shannon Mustipher

Shannon Mustipher's exotic cocktails offer a refreshingly modern take on tiki. With original recipes, techniques, tasting notes and recommendations, and tips on style and music, Tiki is an inspirational resource for cocktail lovers ready to explore fine Caribbean rums.

Tiki is the endless summer, an instant vacation, a sweet and colorful ticket to paradise with no baggage fees. Romanticized since midcentury but too long overlooked as the province of suburban lodges and family resorts, the tiki cocktail is stepping into its moment with sophisticated spirits lovers, skilled mixologists, and intrepid foodies. In Tiki, Brooklyn-based rum expert Shannon Mustipher brings focus on refreshing flavors, fine spirits, and high-impact easy-to-execute presentation.

Dozens of easy-to-follow recipes present new versions of classic tiki drinks along with original cocktails using quality rums, infused and fat-washed spirits, liqueurs, fresh fruit juices, and homemade syrups. Tastemakers in the contemporary tiki boom, including Nathan Hazard, Brother Cleve, Laura Bishop, and Ean Bancroft, contribute their recipes. As a true aficionado, Mustipher breaks down Caribbean rums and spirits with practical tasting notes. Fans of classic tiki bibles such as Smuggler's Cove and Potions of the Caribbean can embrace Tiki's modern style and spirit
while new tiki fans learn from Mustipher's expertise, accessible recipes, and clear instruction.

Sakepedia: A Non-Traditional Guide to Japan’s Traditional Beverage by Jeff Cioletti

As modern palates get progressively more adventurous, sake is having its moment. But as beloved as the beverage is in its native Japan, it’s frequently misunderstood in the rest of the world. Author Jeff Cioletti, a certified international Kikisake-shi―a fancy term for “sake sommelier”―presents a comprehensive guide to sake that both celebrates and demystifies the traditional Japanese drink.

Jeff takes readers from the United States to Japan and back, exploring sake’s role through centuries of history, as well as the artisanal process and natural ingredients necessary for crafting this venerable beverage. And, the author presents his own unpretentious, uncomplicated tasting notes on a wide range of world-class brands―appealing to beer, wine and cocktail drinkers looking for new flavor experiences.

Whether you’re mildly curious, a connoisseur or somewhere in between, SakePedia is the no-nonsense companion you need on your sake journey.

Gin Rummy: Gin Lovers Playing Cards by Emma Stokes and Jean Andre

This beautifully illustrated deck of playing cards is perfect for round after round of gin or Gin Rummy—or any other card game. Featuring illustrations of 40 gins from around the world, plus 12 gin-based cocktails, the cards are accompanied by a booklet giving detailed background to the world's favorite juniper-based spirit, the 40 gins themselves, and recipes for all the cocktails. Perfect for a hand of cards or a handy refresher on how to mix a Tom Collins or Twisted Gin Fizz.