Alcademics

I've heard authors saying the "due to supply chain issues" you should buy any books you plan on purchasing as holiday gifts super early this year. You have been notified! 

Last month I posted 22 books released in October. Well, this month there are 32 more! Mostly I cover cocktails and spirits books, but a few beer, wine, and science-related ones are here too. 

The descriptions below are from the publishers and are not reviews from me. Note that I may receive an affiliate commission if you purchase after clicking on these links. Thank you!

 

Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O'Meara  [amazon][bookshop] 

Strawberry daiquiris. Skinny martinis. Vodka sodas with lime. These are the cocktails that come in sleek-stemmed glasses, bright colors and fruity flavors—these are the Girly Drinks.

From the earliest days of civilization, alcohol has been at the center of social rituals and cultures worldwide. But when exactly did drinking become a gendered act? And why have bars long been considered “places for men” when, without women, they might not even exist?

With whip-smart insight and boundless curiosity, Girly Drinks unveils an entire untold history of the female distillers, drinkers and brewers who have played a vital role in the creation and consumption of alcohol, from ancient Sumerian beer goddess Ninkasi to iconic 1920s bartender Ada Coleman. Filling a crucial gap in culinary history, O’Meara dismantles the long-standing patriarchal traditions at the heart of these very drinking cultures, in the hope that readers everywhere can look to each celebrated woman in this book—and proudly have what she’s having.

 

The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen  [amazon][bookshop] 

With its studious devotion to tradition, craftsmanship, and hospitality, Japanese cocktail culture is an art form treated with reverence. In this essential guide, Japanese American bartender Julia Momosé of Kumiko and Kikkō in Chicago takes us on a journey into this realm. She educates and inspires while breaking down master techniques and delving into the soul of the culture: the traditions and philosophy, the tools and the spirits—and the complex layering of these elements that makes this approach so significant.

The recipes are inspired by the twenty-four micro-seasons that define the flow of life in Japan. Enter a world where the spiced woodsy cocktail called Autumn’s Jacket evokes the smoldering burn of smoking rice fields in fall, and where the Delicate Refusal tells the tale of spring’s tragic beauty, with tequila blanco and a flutter of sakura petals. Perfected classics like the Manhattan and Negroni, riffs on some of Japan’s most beloved cocktails like the Whisky Highball, and even alcohol-free drinks influenced by ingredients such as yuzu, matcha, and umé round out the collection.

 

Buffalo, Barrels, & Bourbon: The Story of How Buffalo Trace Distillery Became The World's Most Awarded Distillery by F. Paul Pacult [amazon][bookshop]

Learn about one of the most impactful distilleries in American history in this comprehensive tale

Buffalo, Barrels, & Bourbon tells the fascinating tale of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, from the time of the earliest explorations of Kentucky to the present day. Author and award-winning spirits expert F. Paul Pacult takes readers on a journey through history that covers the American Revolutionary War, U.S Civil War, two World Wars, Prohibition, and the Great Depression.

Buffalo, Barrels, & Bourbon covers the pedigree and provenance of the Buffalo Trace Distillery:

The larger-than-life personalities that over a century and a half made Buffalo Trace Distillery what it is today
Detailed accounts on how many of the distillery’s award-winning and world-famous brands were created
The impact of world events, including multiple depressions, weather-related events, and major conflicts, on the distillery
Belonging on the shelf of anyone with an interest in American spirits and history, Buffalo, Barrels, & Bourbon is a compelling must-read.

 

Menno-Nightcaps: Cocktails Inspired by that Odd Ethno-Religious Group You Keep Mistaking for the Amish, Quakers or Mormons by S. L. Klassen, Michael Hepher  [amazon][bookshop]

A satirical cocktail book featuring seventy-seven cocktail recipes accompanied by arcane trivia on Mennonite history, faith, and cultural practices.
At last, you think, a book of cocktails that pairs punny drinks with Mennonite history! Yes, cocktail enthusiast and author of the popular Drunken Mennonite blog Sherri Klassen is here to bring some Low German love to your bar cart. Drinks like Brandy Anabaptist, Migratarita, Thrift Store Sour, and Pimm's Cape Dress are served up with arcane trivia on Mennonite history, faith, and cultural practices.
Arranged by theme, the book opens with drinks inspired by the Anabaptists of sixteenth-century Europe (Bloody Martyr, anyone?), before moving on to religious beliefs and practices (a little like going to a bar after class in Seminary, but without actually going to class). The third chapter toasts the Mennonite history of migration (Old Piña Colony), and the fourth is all about the trappings of Mennonite cultural identity (Singalong Sling).
With seventy-seven recipes, ripping satire, comical illustrations, a cocktails-to-mocktails chapter for the teetotallers, and instructions on scaling up for barn-raisings and funerals, it's just the thing for the Mennonite, Menno-adjacent, or merely Menno-curious home mixologist.

 

Mixology for Beginners: Innovative Craft Cocktails for the Home Bartender by Prairie Rose [amazon][bookshop]

Shake, stir, and strain perfect cocktails at home

The same drinks you enjoy at the bar taste a lot better when they’re made skillfully at home for a fraction of the price. Become your own bartender and hone your craft in no time with the expert recipes and guidance inside Mixology for Beginners. You’ll also discover a user-friendly layout that indexes recipes by liquor type and flavor profile, so you never have to look hard to find the right cocktail for the occasion.

Go beyond other beginner cocktail books with insights on:

Building your home bar—Get insider info and shopping advice for fully stocking your bar, including mixologist terminology, glassware, tools, and—of course—liquor.
Expert drink making—Learn the fundamentals of crafting signature cocktails, including formulas, naming conventions, and tips on presentation.
Accessible recipes—Create a solid beverage repertoire with straightforward, easy-to-source recipes for classic cocktails and new favorites.

 

The Flower-Infused Cocktail: Flowers with a Twist by Alyson Brown [amazon]

Infusing the taste of over 60 different edible flowers, weaving folklore with flavor. The Flower-Infused Cocktail: Flowers with a Twist is the flower-lover's favorite book, with a fresh take on traditional mixology, infusing the taste of over 60 different edible flowers with history and folklore.

63 cocktail and mocktail recipes, each with uniquely different edible flowers.
Recipes for crafting unique drinks from your homemade edible flower pantry.
Little notes of floral history and folklore and information about how to use them in a cocktail.
Recipes to create Base Spirit Infusions, Cordials, Shrubs, Simple Syrups, Infused Salts, Bitters and more.
Tips on building your home bar and sourcing edible flowers.
Inspiration to celebrate flowers beyond the vase.
Recipes include:

Elderflower Liqueur
Hawthorn Rose Cordial
Lavender-Infused Gin
Pansy Sugar Cubes
Spiced Calendula Simple Syrup
Yarrow Bitters
Osmanthus Sweet Vermouth

 

Virginia Distilled: Four Centuries of Drinking in the Old Dominion by Patrick Evans-Hylton [amazon][bookshop]

Colonist George Thorpe first crafted "corn beere," an ancestor to bourbon, in 1620 at Berkeley Plantation, and George Washington once operated one of the nation's largest distilleries. Icy mint juleps were first served in Virginia until the state was one of the first to enact Prohibition. That dark period gave rise to bootlegging, moonshining and even NASCAR.

Through well-documented research, interviews with key stakeholders and plenty of cocktail recipes for the reader to shake and stir at home, author Patrick Evans-Hylton showcases the rich history of four hundred years of drinking in the Commonwealth. Raise a glass to Virginia, birthplace of American spirits, and its long history of distilling and imbibing.

 

 

The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey: A Journey Through the Spirit of America by Eric Zandona [amazon][bookshop]

A stylish region-by-region​ guide to American whiskey, by the author of The Bourbon Bible

Take a journey through American whiskey, with spirits specialist Eric Zandona.

Eric Zandona - spirits expert at the American Distilling Institute - leads a region-by-region tour of the unique flavors and stories of American whiskey, from Kentucky's bourbon heartland to New York's Empire Rye revolution.

With chapters telling the story of each key whiskey-producing region, plus profiles of notable distilleries and a flavor guide for their most interesting whiskeys, you'll learn all there is to know about the only true American spirit.

Includes:
Maps, facts, historical information
Regional guides to American bourbon, rye, single malt and more
Profiles of key distilleries & their must-try whiskeys
Cocktail recipes for every region

 

Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras  [amazon][bookshop] 

It’s truly a feast of wonder: Created by the ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura, this breathtaking guide transforms our sense of what people around the world eat and drink. Covering all seven continents, Gastro Obscura serves up a loaded plate of incredible ingredients, food adventures, and edible wonders. Ready for a beer made from fog in Chile? Sardinia’s “Threads of God” pasta? Egypt’s 2000-year-old egg ovens? But far more than a menu of curious minds delicacies and unexpected dishes, Gastro Obscura reveals food’s central place in our lives as well as our bellies, touching on history–trace the network of ancient Roman fish sauce factories. Culture–picture four million women gathering to make rice pudding. Travel–scale China’s sacred Mount Hua to reach a tea house. Festivals–feed wild macaques pyramid of fruit at Thailand’s Monkey Buffet Festival. And hidden gems that might be right around the corner, like the vending machine in Texas dispensing full sized pecan pies. Dig in and feed your sense of wonder.

“Like a great tapas meal, Gastro Obscura is deep yet snackable, and full of surprises. This is the book for anyone interested in eating, adventure and the human condition.” –Tom Colicchio, chef and activist
“This exquisite guide kept me at the breakfast table until dinner time.” –Kyle Maclachlan, actor and vintner

 

The New Craft Beer World: Celebrating over 400 delicious beers by Mark Dredge  [amazon][bookshop] 

The New Craft Beer World cracks open over 400 of the finest, most innovative brews on the planet, making it a must-have for any beer lover.

With more amazing beers available than ever before, it’s hard to know which ones to choose. That’s where The New Craft Beer World comes in. Gathering together over 400 of the most innovative and tastiest beers you need to try, and divided into 50 different categories, you will find the best of the best each style has to offer. Every category comes with an explanation of the key characteristics of the style—whether it’s an American IPA bursting with citrusy C-hops or an Imperial Stout full of dark roasted malts—along with an example of a classic brew and a selection of cutting edge versions that are certain to become instant favorites. So whether you’re looking for bitter beers or balanced flavors, a hit of hops or a hint of coffee, the reviews will point you in the right direction to find the perfect beer to suit your tastebuds. Also included are interesting nuggets of beer information, covering everything from the catalyst that has caused the astonishing growth in craft beer through to matching beer with food and how to serve your drinks.

 

Rare Whisky: Explore the World's Most Exquisite Spirits by Patrick Mahé [amazon][bookshop] 

A beautifully packaged look at the world's finest whiskies, with detailed photography of each bottle

Rare Whisky is a stylish exploration of the world's finest and rarest whiskies, exquisitely packaged in a hardback book with slipcase. This book looks at the most exceptional whiskies across the world, focusing on key producers such as Scotland, Ireland, the USA and Japan, as well as interesting rarities from the likes of India and Taiwan.

With beautiful photography of extremely rare bottles, from a breathtaking 1920s vintage sold at auction to the best offerings from recent years, Rare Whisky is essential reading for all whisky lovers.

 

 

Whiskey Cocktails: 40 Recipes for Old Fashioneds, Sours, Manhattans, Juleps and More by Jesse Estes [amazon][bookshop]

Shake, stir and mix your way to whisky and bourbon connoisseur status with award-winning bartender Jesse Estes as he demonstrates how to tame these fiery spirits in 40 delicious cocktail recipes.

Today, many popular classic whiskey cocktails tend to be bourbon-based (such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Mint Julep, Whiskey Sour, etc), but there are some great Scotch and Irish drinks too (Blue Blazer, Morning Glory Fizz) to enjoy too. First master the classic cocktails, then learn new creative variations that are bound to impress. Whether you prefer an American bourbon with notes of caramel, a spicy rye whiskey, a classic sturdy Scotch, or a distinctly innovative Japanese Nikka, the recipe selection includes a wide range of whiskies from around the world. This is the perfect book for any dedicated whiskey-lover or keen home bartender to add to their collection.

 

 

 

The Ultimate Book of Craft Beer: A Compendium of the World's Best Brews by Melissa Cole  [amazon][bookshop]

The Ultimate Book of Craft Beer is the bible for beer lovers and foodies everywhere.

From simple lagers to complex stouts, scattered between all the sage advice and mouth-watering recipes, there are profiles on beers from around the world that you'll definitely want to try.

Perfect for everyone from beginners to old hands, this fun and accessible book guides you from how beer is made and how to store it, to what to look for when you're in a pub.

This guide shows you how to identify the beer styles you might like to try with a 'if you like this, try this' section, how to make the most gooey indulgent chocolate brownies with beer, and when and how to add a little pizazz to your cocktails with a splash or two of your favorite brew.

 

The Cocktail Journey: Inspirations in the Art of Mixology by Uy Woody Nguyen [amazon]

It was a typical hot tropical day in Hawaii, and the long drive from Wailea, which included a two-lane scenic country road, set the tone for the perfect drink to quench Uy Woody Nguyen's thirst. The lunch at Hali'Imaile General Store didn't disappoint either. From this day on, whenever Nguyen sees the Mai Tai drink on a cocktail menu, it stirs up nostalgia of that day in Maui.

When he arrived back home, he missed Hawaii so much that he was determined to duplicate that Mai Tai to ease his longing until his next trip back to the Islands. It worked too! Through numerous iterations, he was able to "perfect" it such that it actually reminded him of Hawaii…born was Uy Woody's Mai Tai.

"The Cocktail Journey" is a perfect coffee table book with stunning photographs of delicious and artistically presented cocktails accompanied by recipes. Author and photographer Uy Woody Nguyen mixes classics, favorites, and even original cocktail ideas based on personal experiences from Nguyen's travels.

This book aspires to inspire readers to create drinks that match their own styles and tastes. Let all your senses be your guide as you create cocktails that you'd be proud to share with others in your home. "The Cocktail Journey" is sure to spark conversations at any gathering.

"The Cocktail Journey" is ideal for people who enjoy sharing travel, food, and drink stories with others at a gathering. What could be more perfect than incorporating your own experiences into a drink you've created at home to enjoy with your favorite people? Cheers!

 

Craft Brew: An American Beer Revolution by M. B. Mooney  [amazon][bookshop]

In Craft Brew: An American Beer Revolution, M. B. Mooney tells the stories of more than a dozen of the best independent brewers from across the nation. For these brewers, their business is to help those new to beer find that special brew and to offer veteran beer drinkers new and exciting tastes. But more than that, they know that they are extending an invitation to join a warm community and share in a vibrant culture. Mooney explores their stories of passion and caring, history and innovation, creativity and influence, fellowship and rebellion, and, most of all, great beer.

Craft Brew: An American Beer Revolution offers the beer enthusiast a chance to be immersed in the stories and culture of the brewing community. But if you are unlucky enough to have not yet found that beer you like, Craft Brew will open your eyes to possibilities and just might send you in search of that special brew that will usher you into the ranks of the converted.

 

Fever-Tree Easy Mixing: More than 150 quick and delicious mixed drinks and cocktails  [amazon][bookshop] 

A new super-speedy and easy collection of delicious mixed drinks from the world's leading premium mixer brand

150 cocktails and mixed drinks that you can make at home in no more than 3 minutes. This means simple ingredients, not too many of them, and things you will have in your cupboard and fridge without having to trawl the internet or specialty drinks aisles.

In a further twist, many recipes offer three variations - simple, sassy and sophisticated -so you can choose whether to go for the speediest when you are short of time, or the souped-up version when you are in the mood to experiment.

Chapters such as Mojitos and Mules offer brilliant spins on familiar classics, No-Low has lots of ideas for alcohol-free drinks and Pitcher Perfect is packed with easy recipes that you can batch and make in quantity to serve to a crowd.

All the simple, speedy and delicious ideas you would expect from the world's leading premium mixer brand.

 

The Official Guinness Cookbook: Over 70 Recipes for Cooking and Baking from Ireland's Famous Brewery by Caroline Hennessy [amazon][bookshop] 

Bring the magic of Guinness to your table with the first full-length official Guinness cookbook. Celebrate the 260-year legacy of Ireland’s beloved beer with over 60 recipes for every meal and occasion.

One of the world’s most iconic and beloved beers, Guinness is famous for bringing people together for good times over a couple of pints of its distinctive, award-winning brew. Unique in its velvety finish and bold, rich flavor perfectly balanced between bitter and sweet, Guinness beer has long been used by home cooks as either the secret ingredient or the perfectly paired beverage to a variety of dishes and drinks. Now this reputation for excellence in cooking is going from under the radar to official with this definitive cookbook.

From a savory Braised Short Rib recipe to a Creamy Mint Cocktail to a homey Chocolate Potato Cake, this comprehensive book includes over sixty recipes for dishes that feature or pair with the stouts and lagers of the Guinness brewery. The beers featured in the book include the classic Guinness Draught, crisp Extra Stout, bittersweet Foreign Extra Stout, citrusy Baltimore Blonde, and more. A true celebration of a brew that has won fans and enthusiasts across the world, The Official Guinness Cookbook also includes short excerpts and images from the brewery’s storied history. Featuring stunning food photography, recipe modifications, and suggested menus for festive occasions from gatherings to special events, The Official Guinness Cookbook is the perfect gift for Guinness lovers, foodies, home cooks, and anyone who longs to bring the taste and comfort of their favorite Irish pub home.

 

The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book: From LeFou's Brew to the Jedi Mind Trick, 100+ Magical Disney-Inspired Drinks by Ashley Craft [amazon][bookshop] 

Skip the crowded bar, coffee shop, and restaurant and bring the magic of Disney’s drinks right your home with over 100 easy, delicious drink recipes inspired by the Disney Parks.

Raise a glass to bringing the magic of Disney straight to your home with The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book. From coffee and tea to milkshakes and slushies to mocktails and cocktails, this book features over 100 of your favorite beverages from the happiest place on Earth. Recipes are taken straight from your favorite restaurants and cafes throughout the Disney Parks and resorts. You’ll learn to make delicious, unique drinks without waiting in line including:
-Coffees and teas, like Frozen Cappuccino from Joffrey’s and Teddy’s Tea from Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
-Fruity drinks and slushies like Frozen Sunshine from Beaches and Cream and the Goofy Glacier from Goofy’s Candy Company
-Mocktails and cocktails like the Sparkling No-Jito from the Tambu Lounge or the La Cava Avocado from Mexico in Epcot
-And dessert drinks like the Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake from 50's Prime Time Café or the Dole Whip Float from Aloha Isle

Perfect for Disney fans everywhere who want to experience those familiar flavors right from the comfort of their home, The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book has all the recipes you’ll need to make luscious libations worthy of the Mouse himself.

 

Lovecraft Cocktails: Elixirs & Libations from the Lore of H. P. Lovecraft by Mike Slater [amazon][bookshop]

75 drinks, potions, concoctions, and offerings for your next haunted housewarming or Samhain soirée.

The author and the illustrator behind the best-selling Necronomnomnom have summoned another glorious grimoire―this time featuring cursed cocktails. These boozy and punny recipes pay homage to Lovecraftian horror themes and monsters with titles such as the King in Jell-O, Pink FlaMi-Go, and Sunken Island Iced Tea. Further libations include the Hell Residente, Moscow Ghoul, the Root Beer of All Evil, and the Bloodbath & Beyond. The book provides “Virgin Sacrifices” for the coachman designated to drive everyone back from the séance, or for anyone not wanting to imbibe the devil’s water.

There are 75 delicious and malicious recipes, each gorgeously illustrated, mercilessly tested, and hilariously written. Recipes appear in the form of cryptic rhymes and arcane rituals but are always easy (and fun) to follow. Bibulous and ridiculous, Lovecraft Cocktails will bring delight and fright for Halloween, the holidays, and beyond.

 

The Unofficial Harry Potter-Inspired Book of Cocktails: Fantastic Drinks and How to Make Them by Rhiannon Lee, Georgia Hingston  [amazon][bookshop]

With simple instructions and insider bartender know-how, The Unofficial Harry Potter-Inspired Book of Cocktails is the perfect guide of spell-tacular spirits for age-appropriate witches and wizards. The seventy-five potions and elixirs featured in this book are cocktail classics that have been given a magical makeover using unique ingredients such as activated charcoal, popping candy, and dry ice, transforming the mundane mixed drink into a bewitching brewed beverage.

Charm guests with color-changing concoctions, fizzing cocktail bombs, and flaming creations, including:
Butterscotch Beer
Nearly Legless Nick
Expecto Martini
Hex on the Beach
Tom Riddle-Collins
And more!
Whether you’re a witch, wizard, squib, or muggle, everyone can enjoy that magical feeling of finding their perfect sip with The Unofficial Harry Potter-Inspired Book of Cocktails.

 

The Martini: Perfection in a Glass by Matt Hranek  [amazon][bookshop] 

Sophisticated, evocative, and delicious, the martini will never go out of style. Appearing in countless movies—for example, any one of the Bond films—it’s one of the most popular and well-known cocktails of all time. Making a martini is simplicity personified, the classic recipe requiring just two ingredients (not counting the garnish): gin and vermouth. And now man-about-town Matt Hranek is here to tell us everything we need to know about the iconic cocktail. Like Hranek’s The Negroni, The Martini will give readers insight into the drink’s nineteenth-century-origins, as well as the tools for making 35 simple variations of the drink—a combination of recipes from the author, recipes from experts/bartenders around the world, and iconic versions that any martini fanatic needs to have on hand.

Included are the author’s own version, always with gin (never vodka), served ice cold and dry with a twist of lemon (or, on very rare occasions, like when he is hungry, an olive); the Martinez (circa 1849), named for the city of Martinez about 25 miles northeast of San Francisco, where some say this all began; a lime martini, a nod to Hranek’s father, who loved a gin and tonic; and New York City legend Russ & Daughters Cafe’s own martinis, “The Lower East Side” and “The Smoked Martini.” There will be details on ingredients, methods (to shake or to stir?), garnish, equipment, glassware; where to get the best martini around the world, and more. Beautiful original and archival photography make this an irresistible gift for anyone who loves to enjoy a martini.

 

Witch's Brew: Magickal Cocktails to Raise the Spirits by Shawn Engel, Steven Nichols [amazon][bookshop]

Drink deliciously and magickally with this exquisite compendium of potent mystical beverages, with witchy wisdom from author Shawn Engel and expertly crafted cocktails from mixologist Steven Nichols.

For thousands of years, witches young and old have concocted mysterious potions to heal, to divine the future, to get in touch with the energies of the planet—and just to have fun. In this enchanting compendium of 40 drink recipes, mystical maven Shawn Engel shares her thoughts on what to imbibe for power, energy, and amusement. Written in tandem with the award-winning cocktail writer and developer Steven Nichols, this collection presents a broad range of drinks for every purpose. Whether it's a trio of beverages celebrating the energies of the maiden, mother, and crone (with notes of pomegranate, fig, and smoke respectively), or an eminently sippable mint-based money magick brew for prosperity, this book is a party with a purpose. Not only are these drinks fun and shareable, they also contain ingredients with ancient magickal significance. For example, the “Keep it Hexy” is not only a delicious vodka-based cocktail perfect for kick-starting a memorable evening, it also contains black pepper to return a hex to sender, sage to cleanse an evil eye, and blackberries for protection. All recipes include energetic properties and plenty of information about magickal ingredients and why they've been used to address certain ills for millennia; some even come with invocations and rituals to amplify their power.

 

Mixology and Murder: Cocktails Inspired by Infamous Serial Killers, Cold Cases, Cults, and Other Disturbing True Crime Stories by Kierra Sondereker [amazon][bookshop]

From terrifying serial killers to baffling cold cases and secretive cults, murderinos can’t get enough of true crime. Now, you can have yet another way to dive into these horrifyingly true stories with a first-of-its-kind cocktail book that gives a new meaning to the phrase “bad and boozy.”

Inside Mixology and Murder, you’ll find 75 step-by-step drink recipes alongside the terrifying stories that inspired them, from must-know cases like JonBenét Ramsey and Ted Bundy to lesser-known stories like the Ant Hill Kids cult and the Circleville Letter Writer. This cocktail book is your go-to resource for true crime info and delightfully boozy drinks, including:
Fugitive Fizz
Sazer-Ax Murderer
The Perfect Lime (Mojito)
Amityville Amaretto
Colada Confessions
In Cold Blood Orange
And More!

Mixology and Murder is the perfect gift for any true crime junkie who knows that, sometimes, the best way to deal with the excitement of a serial killer finally getting caught or the frustration of finding out that case is still unsolved is a good, strong drink.

 

Holiday Cocktails: Over 100 Simple Cocktails to Celebrate the Season by Editors of Cider Mill Press [amazon][bookshop] 

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with a cup of cheer. With over 100 recipes, Holiday Cocktails makes it easy to greet your family and friends in a manner that suits the season. Whether you’re expecting a big crew of people at the annual holiday gathering or you’re looking for something to enjoy as you quietly sit and appreciate the lit tree, you’ll find a drink that’s effortless to prepare, allowing you to remain focused on the magic. From decadent classics like Egg Nog to joyful serves like the Christmas Martini, these cocktails prove there’s no place like home for the holidays.

 

Kentucky Moonshine by David W. Maurer   [amazon][bookshop]

When the first American tax on distilled spirits was established in 1791, violence broke out in Pennsylvania. The resulting Whiskey Rebellion sent hundreds of families down the Ohio River by flatboat, stills on board, to settle anew in the fertile bottomlands of Kentucky. Here they used cold limestone spring water to make bourbon and found that corn produced even better yields of whiskey than rye. Thus, the licit and illicit branches of the distilling industry grew up side-by-side in the state. This is the story of the illicit side―the moonshiners' craft and craftsmanship, as practiced in Kentucky. A glossary of moonshiner jargon sheds light on such colorful terms as "puker," "slop," and "weed-monkey."

With a new foreword by author Wes Berry, David M. Maurer's classic history of this subject is tongue-in-cheek, but nevertheless provides a realistic look at the Kentucky moonshiner and the moonshining industry.

 

The Little Book of Gin: Distilled to Perfection by Orange Hippo [amazon][bookshop]

Gin may be the national spirit of Britain, but it is now a drink that belongs to the world. It's gone 'ginternational', if you will. Within the last decade or so gin consumption has exploded, becoming the most popular alcoholic refreshment in the world, overtaking whisky and vodka.
Following the rules dictated by supply and demand, The Little Book of Gin is here to toast gin's extraordinary 'ginaissance' in the 21st century and to celebrate everyone's tipple of choice through wit and wisdom, facts and stats in a single serving-sized compendium.
Filled to the rim with history, how to's, what for's, drinking games, cocktail recipes and serving suggestions as well as a whole host of 'gintellectual' curiosities, The Little Book of Gin is 'ginfinite' in its revelry.
The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen's lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire Winston Churchill - During WWII, British naval officers received a daily ration of gin
Gin takes its name from the Dutch word for juniper, genever. (It was the Dutch who invented gin, not the English)
Gin is the national spirit of Britain. It comes as no surprise then that gin has been having a ginaissance, in the last decade, with more bottles of the gin being sold than ever before.

 

Cheer: A Liquid Gold Holiday Drinking Guide by Mike Wolf [amazon]

Drain the stress from holiday hosting with Cheer, the essential companion for the biggest entertainment seasons of the year. From expert mixologists and hosts of the hit drinking podcast Liquid Gold comes a holiday cocktail book with 125+ beginner-friendly recipes to delight drinking enthusiasts of all kinds. Enjoy drinks designed for Halloween, the Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years', Dry January, and more.

Maximize time spent with friends and family and make the most of every holiday with these tried and true tinctures. Take an insider look at the experts' favorite recipes, tips, and pairings for beer, wine, cocktails, and coffees to give your drinks an extra dose of holiday Cheer!

 

The Little Book of Whisky: Matured to Perfection by Orange Hippo  [amazon][bookshop]

The perfect gift for anyone desiring a richer whisky experience. Some drinking buddies only ever talk about themselves. Well, not this guy. The Little Book of Whisky is here to listen, entertain and help you imbibe as many whisky-soaked titbits of wit and wisdom as possible. Whisky, aqua vitae, the water of life, the spirit of the Gods, the hard stuff - whatever you call it, has long been many people's best friend.

But now your best friend has a new best friend - The Little Book of Whisky, a tiny tome guaranteed to raise your spirits with its fine blend of whisky facts & stats, quotes & quips, and matured with whisky history and heritage. The Little Book of Whisky is a guaranteed 100 proof… of excellence. "I'm on a whisky diet. I've lost three days already." Tommy Cooper "A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime - it's not very scientific, but it helps." Alexander Fleming on how to kill a common cold If this doesn't make you want to visit Scotland nothing will. The nation is home to more than 20 million casks of maturing whisky. That's four barrels for every Scottish person. No wonder they want their independence.

 

Revelations in Air: A Guidebook to Smell by Jude Stewart [amazon][bookshop]

Overlapping with taste yet larger in scope, smell is the sense that comes closest to pure perception. Smell can collapse space and time, unlocking memories and transporting us to worlds both new and familiar. Yet as clearly as each of us can recognize different smells--the bright tang of citrus, freshly sharpened pencils, parched earth after rain--few of us understand how and why we smell.

In Revelations in Air, Jude Stewart takes us on a fascinating journey into the weird and wonderful world of smell. Beginning with lessons on the incredible biology and history of how our noses work, Stewart teaches us how to use our noses like experts. Once we're properly equipped and ready to sniff, Stewart explores a range of smells—from lavender, cut grass and hot chocolate to cannabis and old books—using smell as a lens into art, history, science, and more. With an engaging colorful design and exercises for readers to refine their own skills, Revelations in Air goes beyond science or history or chemistry--it's a doorway into the surprising, pleasurable, and unfamiliar landscape of smell.

 

The Plant Hunter: A Scientist's Quest for Nature's Next Medicines by Cassandra Leah Quave [amazon][bookshop]

Plants are the basis for an array of lifesaving and health-improving medicines we all now take for granted. Ever taken an aspirin? Thank a willow tree for that. What about life-saving medicines for malaria? Some of those are derived from cinchona and wormwood.

In today's world of synthetic pharmaceuticals, scientists and laypeople alike have lost this connection to the natural world. But by ignoring the potential of medicinal plants, we are losing out on the opportunity to discover new life-saving medicines needed in the fight against the greatest medical challenge of this century: the rise of the post-antibiotic era. Antibiotic-resistant microbes plague us all. Each year, 700,000 people die due to these untreatable infections; by 2050, 10 million annual deaths are expected unless we act now.

No one understands this better than Dr. Cassandra Quave, whose groundbreaking research as a leading medical ethnobotanist--someone who identifies and studies plants that may be able to treat antimicrobial resistance and other threatening illnesses--is helping to provide clues for the next generation of advanced medicines. In The Plant Hunter, Dr. Quave weaves together science, botany, and memoir to tell us the extraordinary story of her own journey. Traveling by canoe, ATV, mule, airboat, and on foot, she has conducted field research in the flooded forests of the remote Amazon, the murky swamps of southern Florida, the rolling hills of central Italy, isolated mountaintops in Albania and Kosovo, and volcanic isles arising out of the Mediterranean—all in search of natural compounds, long-known to traditional healers, that could help save us all from the looming crisis of untreatable superbugs. And as a person born with multiple congenital defects of her skeletal system, she's done it all with just one leg. Filled with grit, tragedy, triumph, awe, and scientific discovery, her story illuminates how the path forward for medical discovery may be found in nature's oldest remedies.

 

Smashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History of Prohibition by Mark Lawrence Schrad [amazon][bookshop]

When most people think of the prohibition era, they think of speakeasies, rum runners, and backwoods fundamentalists railing about the ills of strong drink. In other words, in the popular imagination, it is a peculiarly American history.

Yet, as Mark Lawrence Schrad shows in Smashing the Liquor Machine, the conventional scholarship on prohibition is extremely misleading for a simple reason: American prohibition was just one piece of a global phenomenon. Schrad's pathbreaking history of prohibition looks at the anti-alcohol movement
around the globe through the experiences of pro-temperance leaders like Vladimir Lenin, Leo Tolstoy, Thomás Masaryk, Kemal Atatürk, Mahatma Gandhi, and anti-colonial activists across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Schrad argues that temperance wasn't "American exceptionalism" at all, but
rather one of the most broad-based and successful transnational social movements of the modern era. In fact, Schrad offers a fundamental re-appraisal of this colorful era to reveal that temperance forces frequently aligned with progressivism, social justice, liberal self-determination, democratic socialism, labor rights, women's rights, and indigenous rights. Placing the temperance movement in a deep global context, forces us to fundamentally rethink its role in opposing colonial exploitation throughout American history as well. Prohibitionism united Native American chiefs like Little Turtle
and Black Hawk; African-American leaders Frederick Douglass, Ida Wells, and Booker T. Washington; suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Frances Willard; progressives from William Lloyd Garrison to William Jennings Bryan; writers F.E.W. Harper and Upton Sinclair, and even American presidents from Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Progressives rather than puritans, the global temperance movement advocated communal self-protection against the corrupt and predatory “liquor machine” that had become exceedingly rich off the misery and addictions of the poor around the world, from the slums of South Asia to the beerhalls of Central Europe to the Native American reservations of the United States.

Unlike many traditional "dry" histories, Smashing the Liquor Machine gives voice to minority and subaltern figures who resisted the global liquor industry, and further highlights that the impulses that led to the temperance movement were far more progressive and variegated than American readers have been led to believe.

 

Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine 2022: The new edition of the no 1 best-selling wine guide (Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book) by Hugh Johnson, Margaret Rand [amazon][bookshop]

The brand new edition of the unrivalled and bestselling annual, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book

The world's best-selling annual wine guide.

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book is the essential reference book for everyone who buys wine - in shops, restaurants, or on the internet. Now in its 45th year of publication, it has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide.

Hugh Johnson provides clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world. He reveals which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both.

This latest edition of Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book includes a color supplement: The Ten Best Things About Wine Right Now, which covers wine blending and orange wine.