Bartending Books

Michael Jackson's Complete Guide To Single Malt Scotch

Michael Jackson

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 By: Running Press Amazon Marketplace: 32 new & used starting at $16.77

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

He's written shamelessly for more than a decade and a half about his passion for 12- and 15-year-olds. He's described his dalliances with loves named Heather and Peat and some three dozen named Glen. His name is Michael Jackson. Relax. We're talking here about the Britain-based, award-winning drinks and spirits writer and author of, among other classic reference works, Michael Jackson's Beer Companion.

In Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch, devotees of the dram can peruse the latest revised edition of the 1989 work. In 336 pages brimming with maps, photos, and informed overview of factors such as geography and flavor components--even proximity to the sea--Jackson sketches the evolution of Scotch whisky, from the prebottling days, when shopkeepers like Johnnie Walker and the Chivas Brothers would create their own blends for sale, to the late-1960s and 1970s' surge of individual distilleries marketing their own bottlings. Lamentably labeling the former as a time when "orchestrations drowned out the soloists," Jackson provides some sweet sheet music of his own: 294 pages are devoted to an A-to-Z review (including full-color labels and tasting notes) of more than 800 singles from "every Scottish malt distillery that has ever witnessed its product in a bottle." It's the perfect book to take to your local liquor store next time you're trying to navigate the high shelf of Scotland's highlands, lowlands, and islands. You may laugh at Jackson's description of Auchentoshan Select's "oily" nose with "hints of citrus zest" or Aberlour 10-year-old's "mint-toffee" bouquet. But you'll be laughing out of the other side of your haggis when you actually smell them. All the notes are well researched and designed to appeal to Cardhu-carrying connoisseurs, as well as those who'd just like to know more about Bowmore. In his introduction, the author describes a whisky's finish as "a crescendo, followed by a series of echoes. When I leave the bottle, I like to be whistling the tune." Scotch drinkers will find plenty to wet that whistle in Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch. --Tony Mason

The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes

Dale Degroff

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $16.55

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Cocktails are bigger than ever, and this is the first real cookbook for them, covering the entire breadth of this rich subject. The Craft of the Cocktail provides much more than merely the same old recipes: it delves into history, personalities, and anecdotes; it shows you how to set up a bar, master important techniques, and use tools correctly; and it delivers unique concoctions, many featuring Dale DeGroff’s signature use of fresh juices, as well as all the classics.

Debonair, a great raconteur, and an unparalleled authority, Dale DeGroff is the epitome of Perfect Bartender, universally acknowledged as the world’s premier mixologist. From Entertainment Weekly and USA Today to the Culinary Institute of America and the nation’s best restaurants, whenever anybody wants information or training on the bar, they turn to Dale for recipes, for history, for anecdotes, for fun—for cocktail-party conversation as well as for cocktails.

That’s what The Craft of the Cocktail is—the full party, conversation and all. It begins with the history of spirits, how they’re made (but without too much boring science), the development of the mixed drink, and the culture it created, all drawn from Dale’s vast library of vintage cocktail books. Then on to stocking the essential bar, choosing the right tools and ingredients, mastering key techniques—hints worthy of a pro, the same information that Dale shares with the bartenders he trains in seminars and through his videos. And then the meat of the matter: 500 recipes, including everything from tried-and-true classics to of-the-moment originals. Throughout are rich stories, vintage recipes, fast facts, and other entertaining asides. Beautiful color photographs and a striking design round out the cookbook approach to this subject, highlighting the difference between an under-the-bar handbook and a stylish, full-blown treatment. The Craft of the Cocktail is that treatment, destined to become the bible of the bar.

The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft

Gary Regan

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $16.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

An original book on the craft of mixology is a rare gem. Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan’s breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders—both professionals and amateurs alike—not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own.

For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula.

In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you’ll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders’ wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you’ll feel as though you’re behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare.

With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.

How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well

Eric Felten

Amazon Price: $13.60 List Price: $20.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Agate Surrey Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $11.56

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A fascinating look at the history of the cocktail 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I love this book. But then again, I am addicted to his WSJ column and it is for that reason alone that I still retain my subscription. For those of you who are regular readers of Mr Felten's WSJ column, rest assured there is a significant amount of new material in this book. Although it contains no new drink recipes, it appears to include everything that didn't make it past the WSJ editor. In other words, there are new stories and anecdotes for each cocktail supported by Mr Felten's extensive research. I have read the book several times and look forward to reading it several more. Well done Mr Felten.

Editorial Review:

Based on the popular feature in the Saturday Wall Street Journal, How's Your Drink illuminates the culture of the cocktail. Cocktails are back after decades of decline, but the literature and lore of the classics has been missing. John F. Kennedy played nuclear brinksmanship with a gin and tonic in his hand. Teddy Roosevelt took the witness stand to testify that six mint juleps over the course of his presidency did not make him a drunk. Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Chandler both did their part to promote the gimlet. Fighting men mixed drinks with whatever liquor could be scavenged between barrages, raising glasses to celebrate victory and to ease the pain of defeat. Eric Felten tells all of these stories and many more, and also offers exhaustively researched cocktail recipes. How’s Your Drink is an essential addition to the literature of spirits and a fantastic holiday gift for husbands and fathers.

Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar Featuring the Origina

David Wondrich

Amazon Price: $16.29 List Price: $23.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Perigee Trade Amazon Marketplace: 54 new & used starting at $1.05

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Required Reading for any Cocktailian 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The cocktail has had a glorious 200 year history, much of which unfortunately has gone unheralded for far too long. Thankfully, one of the most diligent cocktail historians of today's milieu has taken it upon himself to rectify this problem.

Using the illustrious "Jerry Thomas" (famous bartender from the mid 1800's and author of the first known bartenders guide) as a focal point, Mr. Wondrich introduces us to the birth and evolution of the cocktail as well as a variety of other categories of "mixed drinks" from that era. With insightful, and often witty explanations he steps carefully through both the drinks and the attitudes of the time which formed the foundation for all that was to follow.

Cocktail recipe books, which cram as many recipes as possible within their pages, are a dime a dozen. To truly understand the cocktail, whether you are a bartender or bar-attender, requires that you have a grasp of the history which preceded our current landscape. For this reason, this book is perhaps the most important book of its kind, and fills a huge void which has surrounded this topic for virtually its entire history.

Editorial Review:

A lively, historically informed, and definitive guide to classic American cocktails.

Cocktail writer and historian David Wondrich presents the colorful, little-known history of classic American drinks-and the ultimate mixologist's guide-in this engaging homage to Jerry Thomas, father of the American bar.

Wondrich reveals never-before-published details and stories about this larger- than-life nineteenth-century figure, along with definitive recipes for 100 punches, cocktails, sours, fizzes, toddies, slings, and other essential drinks, plus twenty new recipes from today's top mixologists, created exclusively for this book.

This colorful and good-humored volume is a mustread for anyone who appreciates the timeless appeal of a well-made drink-and the uniquely American history behind it.

The Bar and Beverage Book

Costas Katsigris, Chris Thomas

Amazon Price: $75.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $24.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

BEST BAR BOOK EVER 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 18 people found this review helpful.

THIS BY FAR IS THE BEST BOOK WRITTEN FOR BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT, BARTENDING, AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR BAR OPERATIONS. IF YOU OWN ONLY ONE SUCH BOOK ...THIS IS IT.

WOW!!!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 13 people found this review helpful.

I SEARCHED FOR YEARS TO FIND A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT/MIXOLOGY. THIS IS IT!! END OF SEARCH.

A great value!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 19 people found this review helpful.

This book is deffinatly one you should buy if your starting a bussines, in this feald.

Editorial Review:

This revised Fourth Edition of The Bar and Beverage Book has the most up-to-date material you need for managing a beverage operation, including bar equipment, sanitation and bar setup, inventory control, and the importance of planning for profit. This edition features added coverage and expert advice on responsible alcohol service; marketing methods; staffing; the latest spirits, wine, and beer; management practices; and current updates in regulations.

Camp Cooking: 100 Years

The National Museum Of Forest Service History

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Gibbs Smith, Publisher Amazon Marketplace: 32 new & used starting at $4.88

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Features:

• More than just a cookbook
• Legendary recipes for Dutch oven meals, open-fire dishes & other specialties
• Dozens of recipes, photos and anecdotes
• Great for the beginner or Pro!

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Outdoor Cooking -> Camping & Hiking

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Must Have 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Absolutely the best camp cookbook I have had yet. Recipes are simple and easy to understand. Ingredients can all be found at any supermarket, even small ones. The breakfast section alone is worth the price of the book.(These cooks really liked a big breakfast) The book is durable and there are enough recipes to last the average camper years before having to repeat a meal. Most meals will feed 4 to 6 easily and the additional stories, tips and photos are a great bonus!

Editorial Review:

The National Museum of Forest Service History presents a charming cookbook that celebrates decades of camp cooking by countless Forest Service agents in the field. Featuring legendary recipes for Dutch oven meals, open-fire dishes, and other tasty outdoor specialties used daily in the early days of the Forest Service, Camp Cooking: 100 Years has dozens of recipes, photos, and anecdotes that tell the whole history of these brave and hardy individuals. Dedicated ranger's wives prepared meals with limited resources as they accompanied their husbands in the field, often supplementing cooking with k-rations cooked over an open fire. In rustic and remote locations, delicious, time-tested creations were prepared and served, including Dutch Oven Beer Bread, Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Pioneer Night Stew, and Creamy Pumpkin Pie.

Running a Bar For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

Ray Foley, Heather Dismore

Amazon Price: $14.95 List Price: $21.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $11.75

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Have you ever thought of owning your own bar? Did you ever stumble into an overpriced watering hole and think how much better it could be if you ran the place? Or maybe you walked into your dream bar and realized that running one was the dream job you’ve always wanted?

With Running a Bar for Dummies, you can live your dream of operating your own establishment. This hands-on guide shows you how to maintain a successful bar, manage the business aspect of it, and stake your place in your town’s nightlife. It provides informative tips on:

• Understanding the business and laws of owning a bar
• Developing a business plan
• Creating a menu, choosing décor, and establishing a theme
• Stocking up on equipment
• Choosing and dealing with employees
• Handling tough customers
• Controlling expenses, managing inventory, and controlling cash flow
• Getting the word out about your place
• Preparing for your grand opening, step-by-step

This guide cues you in on how to keep your bar safe and clean, making sure everyone is having fun. It warns you about the pitfalls and no-nos that every owner should avoid. There are also helpful resources, such as contact information for State Alcohol Control Boards and Web sites with valuable information.

Bartending For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

Ray Foley

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $5.30

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Underwhelmed 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

My first experience of the For Dummies books was Chess For Dummies and Wine For Dummies. Bartending For Dummies does not measure up. This book has decreased my faith in the For Dummies brand.

Well, the title doesn't lie. 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

If you're a home bartender, this is the book for you! It has has everything for people who want to impress friends or just enjoy the craft of mixology. Has a large recipe section.

I am a bartender and it was recommended to me from a friend and I am dissapointed. Having been a bartender for a while, I already knew most of the information included in this book and actually disagreed with a thing or two. But, like all things in life, take it for what it is. If you are a home bartender or a commercial one starting out this is for you! Carefully explains everything from different types of glassware to different types f liquor and mixes. LEARN WHAT SOUR MIX REALLY IS! It will help you greatly. For experienced bartenders, I would recommend instead the Joy of Mixology (attacks the subject from a history-evolution standpoint) and the Bartender's Black book (great recipe book) instead.

Editorial Review:

1,000 + recipes and great party tips

Get the latest bar buzz on how to host, mix, shake, pour, and more

Want to concoct the perfect cocktail? From today's popular Mojitos and Martinis to classics like Manhattans and Margaritas, you'll be able to sip and entertain with a special twist. Get the scoop on everything from liquors, wine, and beer to Scotch, tequila, the latest tools of the trade, and more.

Discover how to:

• Stock a bar
• Mix exotic specialties and hot toddies
• Experiment with new flavored rums, vodkas, and cordials
• Garnish and serve drinks like a master mixologist
• Cure hangovers and hiccups

The Savoy Cocktail Book

Harry Craddock

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Pavilion Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $12.33

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

My new bible 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Whether you're a cocktail veteran, or just starting out, the Savoy Coctail Book is an absolute must-have companion to any bar. It's got loads of recipes for favorites like Manhattans and Rob Roys, and even a few new ones (Millenium cocktail), not to mention that nifty bookmark that's attached so that you don't lose your place while mixing. This is one page-turner I can't put down. Mmmmmm!

Editorial Review:

Synonymous with style, elegance, and sophistication, the Savoy is unsurprisingly also the birthplace of some of the most famous cocktails in the world. During the 1920s and 1930s, Prohibition-dodging Americans visiting London for tea-dances and cocktails made the bar at the Savoy their home. Here they were entertained by legendary American barman Harry Craddock, inventor of the White Lady and popularizer of the Dry Martini. Originally published in 1930, the Savoy Cocktail Book features 750 of Harry's most popular recipes. It is a fascinating record of the cocktails that set London alight at the time—and which are just as popular today. Taking you from Slings to Smashes, Fizzes to Flips, and featuring art deco illustrations, this book is the perfect gift for any budding mixologist or fan of 1930s-style decadence and sophistication.