cocktail books

[iain]

I'm in the market for a good quality cocktail book. Does anyone have any recommendations? And what sets your choice about the others out there? I'm more interested in the classics than new-fangled drinks, btw.

Thanks in advance.

[Vanessa]

If it's classics you're after then you need to own the Savoy Cocktail Book. Usually in print.

v

[Marlene]

We have the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide. I've had this for 20+ years and was actually one of my textbooks in my Food and Bev course in college.

[KatieLoeb]

Dale DeGroff's Craft of the Cocktail. It's more up to date than Mr. Boston and still includes all the classic, Prohibition era and beyond drinks.

[Rail Paul]

Dale DeGroff's Craft of the Cocktail.  It's more up to date than Mr. Boston and still includes all the classic, Prohibition era and beyond drinks.

Craft of the Cocktail is a wonderful book.

DeGroff discusses alternative ingredients, and the science of delivering flavor. He also weaves in the circumstances for which a particular drink was created

[JAZ]

If you can find a copy of Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century, by Paul Harrington and Laura Moorhead, make sure to get it. (Sadly, it's out of print.) It contains great background information on classic cocktails and lots of basic info on bar equipment, mixing techniques, liquors, garnishes and mixers. It rates drinks on two scales: taste complexity and mixing difficulty, and includes a "if-you-like-this-drink-try-these-too" section for many of the drinks. No pages wasted on stupid drinks with "sex" in the title; no "shooters."

I've glanced through Dale DeGroff's book, and it looks good. I definitely plan to get it, but haven't mixed anything from it and don't know as much about it.

Michael Jackson's book on cocktails is not great. He should stick to beer and scotch.

Mr. Boston's is a good little reference book to have. It's primarily just a list of drink recipes (no commentary), but it's got a lot of those. If I were working in a bar and wanted to make sure I could look up how to make a Purple Hooter or Alabama Slammer or Sex on the Beach, this is the book I'd use.

[Marlene]

Dale DeGroff's Craft of the Cocktail.  It's more up to date than Mr. Boston and still includes all the classic, Prohibition era and beyond drinks.

That's true. And it's chattier too!

[Suzanne F]

I've got Gary Regan's The Bartender's Bible, which I find notable mainly for the cocktail names -- e.g., Presbyterian (blended whiskey, ginger ale, club soda, and a lemon twist); Brazen Hussy (vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice); Shooing away the Tribes of the Night (all sorts of stuff). I've never actually tried to make anything from it.

[nightscotsman]

If you can find a copy of Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century, by Paul Harrington and Laura Moorhead, make sure to get it. (Sadly, it's out of print.) It contains great background information on classic cocktails and lots of basic info on bar equipment, mixing techniques, liquors, garnishes and mixers. It rates drinks on two scales: taste complexity and mixing difficulty, and includes a "if-you-like-this-drink-try-these-too" section for many of the drinks. No pages wasted on stupid drinks with "sex" in the title; no "shooters."ve. It's primarily just a list of drink recipes (no commentary), but it's got a lot of those. If I were working in a bar and wanted to make sure I could look up how to make a Purple Hooter or Alabama Slammer or Sex on the Beach, this is the book I'd use.

I very strongly second the nomination of Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century. You can sometimes find it used on-line, but it's usually going for more than the cover price. However, the book was originally a web site and most of the content is still available here.

Also, be sure to read the Q & A with Dale DeGroff, wherein he answers this same question.

The Savoy Cocktial Book is classic and nice to have, but the recipes are just listed alphabetically by name, there is no index by ingredient, and no descriptions or background on any of the drinks.

[iain]

Thanks everyone - exactly what I was looking for. I think I'll pick up the DeGroff book and keep my eyes open for Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century.

I'm reading the DeGroff Q&A now...great stuff.