Alcademics

A little global pandemic won't stop cocktail books from coming out this summer! In this posting we have books coming out in June 2020 or before (along with a couple I missed from the end of 2019/beginning of 2020).

They star some of the big names in bartending: Eric Alperin, John deBarry, Ivy Mix, and Claire Sprouse. Plus there is a new trend toward beginners'-level books on tiki, whisky, gin cocktails, and 3-ingredient drinks.

And we'll throw in a beer history book for good measure. 

Links below are to Amazon and the write-ups come from the publishers. 

 

 

Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette 

60 recipes inspired by the history of tiki as well as the modern revival that's putting a fresh spin on tropical tiki drinks--all simplified for the home bartender from cocktail authority PUNCH.

Tiki is the dream of escape, a tropical vacation complete with warm ocean water, island music, and beachside dinners. Kicking back with a tiki cocktail may be the epitome of easy living, but ironically, tiki drinks are among the hardest to make, often requiring eight or more ingredients. Now Easy Tiki is here to solve that problem!

Easy Tiki examines the modern tiki revival offering sixty transporting recipes that re-jigger the classics with minimal ingredients while still maintaining the delicious balance, spices, and stunning garnishes that define tiki cocktails. Drinks include classics such as the Beachcomber's Gold and Fog Cutter and modern cocktails such as Elusive Dreams and Paradise Lost. Easy Tiki also includes an overview of the origins of the tiki genre, from Don the Beachcomber and the mid-century tiki craze to Trader Vic's and beyond.

With Easy Tiki it's easier than ever before to sit back with a Mai Tai or Pearl Diver and enjoy the island life--wherever you are.

 

 

 

Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails by John deBary 

A nonjudgmental, back-to-basics approach to making custom cocktails that's as fun as it is definitive--from a renowned New York City bartender who's worked everywhere from PDT to Momofuku.

John deBary is a veritable cocktail expert with a 100-proof personality, a dash of fun, and garnished with flair--there's nothing muddled about him. In Drink What You Want, John breaks down the science of mixology (yes, it's a science) and explains the rules of drink-making. Most important, you'll learn how to tweak any drink, both classic and creative, to your preferences and moods. Are you adventurous or traditional? Sweet or bitter? Brown liquor or clear?

While giving newbies a rundown of cocktail culture, lingo, and etiquette, John turns the "cocktail book" concept on its ear by infusing a traditionally formal topic with his fresh, conversational voice. Mixology geeks and bottomless brunchers alike will revel in the craft of the cocktail, from classic to modern to funky. Cocktails are about creativity and setting the mood, and Drink What You Want overflows with both.

 

 

 

The Pikes Cocktail Book: Rock 'n' roll cocktails from one of the world's most iconic hotels by Dawn Hindle

Recreate the most popular drinks to have been shaken, stirred, and swallowed at one of the world’s most unique venues.

George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Grace Jones, Fatboy Slim, Irvine Welsh, Idris Elba, Daniel Radcliffe, Boy George, Kate Moss Kylie, LCD SoundSystem, and countless other celebrities and royalty have all sipped the cocktails served at the legendary Pikes Ibiza while sitting around its iconic pool and dancing in the in-house nightclub that used to be Freddie Mercury’s suite.

Now, for the first time ever, The Pikes Cocktail Book tells the story of this incredible place, with drinks recipes inspired by mischief and misbehavior at this epicenter of Balearic excess. The 65 drinks recipes are divided into chapters such as Poolside Sunset, After Midnight, and The Morning After where you can sample Captain of the Night, Sunny's Gay G&T, Golden Bird, and many more.

'Among Ibiza’s growing raft of luxury hotels, Pikes remains a characterful standout. The venue has carved a niche as a hedonistic creative hub, providing the setting for Freddie Mercury’s 41st birthday party, Wham’s Club Tropicana video and cutting-edge art and music pop-ups’ – The FT: How to Spend It

 

 

Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails: 75 Classic And Contemporary Drinks To Make At Home by Amy Traynor 

3-ingredient cocktails to help you master the craft of home mixology

Making a great homemade cocktail doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it may sound. Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails shows you how to make fantastic cocktails from the comfort of your home, without prior experience or lots of fancy equipment and ingredients.

Brimming with tried-and-true advice, this guide makes home mixology as easy as 1, 2, 3. All you need are a few essential tools, a bottle of your favorite spirit, and this collection of 75 easy-to-make, properly balanced 3-ingredient cocktails.

Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails includes:

Bottom to top-shelf―Discover how to stock your bar with the essential tools and equipment, best spirits, and more, including recipes for mixing up your own flavored syrups.
Raise a glass―Try your hand at 75 simple-to-make, 3-ingredient cocktails, ranging from a classic Old-Fashioned to a creative Elderflower Spritz.
In the spirit―Categorized by spirit type, each recipe chapter includes a fascinating exploration of the origins and evolution of each spirit.
Ditch the crowds of noisy bars and entertain in the comfort of your living room with Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails. Cheers!

 

 

 

Pink Gin: More than 30 pink-hued cocktails  

Pink gin has never been more popular so why not shake up your own rosy-hued cocktails at home with more than 25 perfectly-pink recipes.

"Pink gin" was originally a simple cocktail of London Dry Gin seasoned with a dash of angostura bitters, but recently this term has blossomed and is now used to describe any gin infused with pink or red fruits, plants or spices alongside the usual botanicals found in the spirit. These include strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, rhubarb, sloes, and rose petals and the resulting blush-colored and fragrant spirits can be enjoyed in a range of delicious cocktails. From the simplest gin and tonic or a straight-up pink martini to bartenders' favorites the Clover Club, Gimlet, and Tom Collins, a pink gin will add extra pep to your drinking experience.

Established brands with international reach such as Gordon's and Beefeater have recently added pink gins to their ranges, plus sunshine-fuelled Mediterranean distillers such as Spanish Larios and Italian Malfy are all creating elegant fruit-infused gins in highly desirable bottles. So whether you’re a gin expert wanting to update a beloved classic cocktail, relatively new to the gin scene and keen to try the latest innovations, or have simply found that fruitier tipple is your thing, you'll find all the pink gin inspiration you need here.

 

 

 

Unvarnished: A Gimlet-eyed Look at Life Behind the Bar by Eric Alperin and Deborah Stoll

A Kitchen Confidential for the cocktail profession, Unvarnished is a fly-on-the-wall narrative peek at the joys, pains, and peculiarities of life “behind the stick.”

When it opened a decade ago, the acclaimed Los Angeles speakeasy The Varnish—owned, designed, and managed by award-winning cocktail aficionado Eric Alperin—quickly became the stylish standard bearer for modern bars. Unvarnished is a candid, voice-driven, no-holds-barred look at the workings of a bar, and the foundation of The Varnish’s success: attention to hospitality and an abiding belief in the nobility of service.

Alperin and veteran bartender and writer Deborah Stoll push back against the prevailing conceit that working in the service industry is something people do because they failed at another career. They offer fascinating meditations on ice as the bartender’s flame; the good, the bad, and the sad parts of vice; one’s duty to their community as a local; the obsessive, compulsive deliberations of building a bar (size matters); lessons from Sasha Petraske—Eric’s late partner, mentor, and the forefather of the modern day classic cocktail renaissance—and the top ten reasons not to date a bartender. At the book’s center are the 100 recipes a young Jedi bartender must know before their first shift at The Varnish, along with examples of building drinks by the round, how to Mr. Potato Head cocktails, and what questions to ask when crafting a Bartender’s Choice.

A sexy, gritty, honest look at the glamour-less work of a glamorous job, written with the intimate honesty of The Tender Bar, the debauched inside view of Kitchen Confidential, and the social commentary of Waiter Rant, Unvarnished will take its place among these classics of the service set.

 

 

Garden to Glass: Grow Your Drinks from the Ground Up by Mike Wolf

You’ve heard of farm to table; now learn how to grow your drinking game from the ground up in Garden to Glass!

Garden to Glass: Grow Your Drinks From the Ground Up, written by expert mixologist, Mike Wolf focuses on the movement and philosophy illustrating how to incorporate the natural world into the drinks we love to make, drink, and share with friends. This book offers readers simple gardening tips and instructions on how to use those plants to make dynamic cocktails and delicious cordials and elixirs. Complete with recipes, striking photography, and detailed illustrations, Garden to Glass is as valuable a resource to bartenders and bar owners as it is to home bar enthusiasts.

In Garden to Glass you will find tips and insights on:

Preserving ingredients for winter
Cocktail presentation
Methods for making syrups, cordials, bitters, and more
Foraging for ingredients
Utilizing vegetables to make exciting cocktails
Resourcing ingredients locally
How to use smoke and flame to create flavors
How to make the most of your terroir
Drink styles from around the world
And much more!
We are in the heart of the second golden age of the cocktail in America. Now imbibers of all stripes can take the reins themselves and learn how to grow their own herbs and vegetables, harvest herbs to make their own teas and tinctures, and make cordials, bitters, and elixirs of all kinds, all while learning the basics of making drinks at home.

There are cocktail programs in restaurants and bars all over the world that are adapting this local yet worldly approach to cocktails simply by paying more attention to the world around them. Bartenders can now study the micro-climates where their favorite spirits are made, and make use of the botanicals that grow all around them. From the mint in mojitos to the wild botanicals in regional styles of gin, this book will explore the way bartenders, growers and distillers alike are re-shaping the way cocktails are being made, presented and consumed.

 

 

Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine by Rosalee de la Forêt and Emily Han 

That's not a weed-it's a healing meal! Learn how to use wild plants for food and medicine in this illustrated guide from two expert herbalists.

Millions of people are interested in natural and holistic health, yet many are missing out on the key ingredient: Nature itself!

Rekindle your connection with the earth as you craft your own herbal medicine with 75 delicious recipes and powerful healing remedies. Herbalists Rosalee de la Forêt and Emily Han expertly guide you through the benefits of two dozen of the most important and commonly found wild plants-many of which you can easily grow in your own garden, if foraging isn't right for you. Detailed illustrations and beautiful photography ensure that you won't make a plant-identification misstep as you learn how to tend and properly harvest the plant medicine growing right in your own neighborhood.

After reading Wild Remedies, you'll never look at your backyard, a public park, or any green space in the same way again. Instead of "weeds," you'll see delicious foods like Dandelion Maple Syrup Cake, Nettle Frittata, and Chickweed Pesto. You will revel in nature's pharmacy as you make herbal oils, salves, teas, and many more powerful remedies in your own kitchen.

 

 

Spirits of Latin America: A Celebration of Culture & Cocktails, with 100 Recipes from Leyenda & Beyond by Ivy Mix 

A James Beard Award-nominated bartender explores the history and culture of Latin American spirits in this stunningly photographed travelogue—with 100+ irresistible cocktails featuring tequila, rum, pisco, and more.

“Ivy’s unique combination of taste, talent, and tenacity make her the ideal ‘spirit’ guide.”—Steven Soderbergh, filmmaker, professional drinker, and owner of Singani 63

Through its in-depth look at drinking culture throughout Latin America, this gorgeous book offers a rich cultural and historical context for understanding Latin spirits. Ivy Mix has dedicated years to traveling south, getting to know Latin culture, in part through what the locals drink. What she details in this book is the discovery that Latin spirits echo the Latin palate, which echoes Latin life, emphasizing spiciness, vivaciousness, strength, and variation. After digging into tequila and Mexico's other traditional spirits, Ivy Mix follows the sugar trail through the Caribbean and beyond, winding up in Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, where grape-based spirits like pisco and singani have been made for generations.

With more than 100 recipes that have garnered acclaim at her Brooklyn bar, Leyenda, including fun spins on traditional cocktails such as the Pisco Sour, Margarita, and Mojito, plus drinks inspired by Ivy's travels, like the Tia Mia (which combines mezcal, rum, and orange curacao, with a splash of lime and almond orgeat) or the Sonambula (which features jalapeño-infused tequila, lemon juice, chamomile syrup, and a dash of Peychaud's bitters), along with mouthwatering photos and gorgeous travel images, this is the ultimate book on Latin American spirits.

 

 

Beer: Taste the Evolution in 50 Styles by Natalya Watson

Explore the evolution of beer styles, one sip at a time.

Taste the History of Beer presents a unique, historical approach that shows readers which beer styles emerged when and how the different styles have influenced each other over the years. Starting in the UK during the 1600s, the book moves across time and travels the world to tell the stories behind some of today's best-known beer styles - from German lagers to stouts and porters, double IPAs to sour beers - while recommending modern day brews that will give you a taste of history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whisky, it's not rocket science by Mickael Guidot

Life is complicated. Whisky doesn't have to be!

Whisky: It's Not Rocket Science is the ultimate guide to one of the world's most popular spirits. Whether you're a novice looking to build your whisky bar, or a seasoned whisky-drinker who'd like to know more about what's in your glass, Whisky: It's Not Rocket Science is bursting with information, accompanied throughout by colourful infographics.

Learn about...
- how whisky is made
- how to taste
- visiting a distillery
- flavor profiles
- cocktails
- world whiskies
...and so much more

 

 

Optimistic Cocktails Vol 1 

Collected from bartenders across the country, Optimistic Cocktails addresses food waste by bringing together creative cocktail solutions for your home kitchen & bar.

100% of proceeds goes to support employee staff funds and undocumented workers’ relief funds from across the country.

Contributions from:

Starline Social Club (Oakland), Serenata (DC), Portland Hunt + Alpine Club (Portland ME), True Laurel (SF), Boat Drinks (St. Augestine), Pouring Ribbons (Manhattan), Drink Chicago Style (Chicago), Navy Strength (Seattle), The Atomic Lounge (Birmingham), Raised by Wolves (San Diego), Leyenda (Brooklyn), Kumiko (Chicago), Providence (Los Angeles), Jewel of the South (New Orleans), Morin & Rino Yacht Club (Denver), Banzarbar & Hunky Dory (NYC), Morty’s Oyster Stand (Montauk), Shore Leave (Boston), and The Dead Rabbit (Manhattan)

 

Rabbinic Drinking: What Beverages Teach Us About Rabbinic Literature by Jordan D. Rosenblum

Though ancient rabbinic texts are fundamental to analyzing the history of Judaism, they are also daunting for the novice to read. Rabbinic literature presumes tremendous prior knowledge, and its fascinating twists and turns in logic can be disorienting. Rabbinic Drinking helps learners at every level navigate this brilliant but mystifying terrain by focusing on rabbinic conversations about beverages, such as beer and wine, water, and even breast milk. By studying the contents of a drinking vessel—including the contexts and practices in which they are imbibed—Rabbinic Drinking surveys key themes in rabbinic literature to introduce readers to the main contours of this extensive body of historical documents.

Features and Benefits:

Contains a broad array of rabbinic passages, accompanied by didactic and rich explanations and contextual discussions, both literary and historical
Thematic chapters are organized into sections that include significant and original translations of rabbinic texts
Each chapter includes in-text references and concludes with a list of both referenced works and suggested additional readings.

 

 

A Spirited Guide to Vermouth: An Aromatic Journey with Botanical Notes, Classic Cocktails and Elegant Recipes by Jack Adair Bevan 

Vermouth is currently experiencing a revival, and we can't seem to get enough of it!

Jack Adair Bevan celebrates this versatile drink and its botanicals, drawing out vermouth's history and its delicate herbal flavors with recipes for cocktails, and some food to accompany them.

As an award-winning food and drink writer, and one of the first restaurateurs to make his own vermouth, Jack Adair Bevan is the perfect guide through vermouth's rich history and recent resurgence. As well as Jack's original recipes, A Spirited Guide to Vermouth also contains recipes contributed from the likes of Russell Norman, Olia Hercules, Gill Meller and Jeremy Lee.

With cocktails ranging from a Toasted Nut Boulevardier to a Perfect Manhattan, and from a Blood Orange Vermouth and Tonic to a Rosemary Bijou, the book also has dedicated sections exploring classics such as the Martini and the Negroni.

A Spirited Guide to Vermouth will take you on a botanical journey of discovery and teach you not only how to make your own vermouth, but also how to use it in your cooking, from vermouth-braised red cabbage to Negroni Bara Brith, along with plenty of food and drink recipes to accompany happy hour.

 

Canadian Spirits: The Essential Cross-Country Guide to Distilleries, Their Spirits, and Where to Imbibe Them by Stephen Beaumont and Christine Sismondo 

In Canadian Spirits, bestselling author Stephen Beaumont (The World Atlas of Beer) and National Magazine Award-winning author Christine Sismondo (America Walks into a Bar) crisscross the country in search of the best whiskies, gins, vodkas, rums, and other assorted and sometimes oddball spirits produced by Canada's large- and small-scale distillers. Along the way, they trace Canada's fascinating distilling history, from its humble and quasi-legal beginnings to the dynamic and internationally recognized industry it is today.

Featuring over 75 colour photos, Canadian Spirits tells the vibrant stories of Canada's more than 160 diverse spirits producers, from the massive Hiram-Walker distillery in Windsor, Ontario, to the pioneering Glenora Inn & Distillery in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and Vancouver's tiny Odd Society Spirits. In an impartial and accessible tone, the authors provide information on and reviews of craft-distilled spirits and the facilities in which they are produced, creating a distillery tourist's roadmap to the best places in Canada to explore craft spirits.

Whether a seasoned spirits expert, a curious newcomer, or an adventurous traveler, Canadian Spirits is sure to quench your thirst.