Good Spirits News

Photo Album: Cocktails 1862-1962

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:45:50 GMT

Cocktails 1862-1962

1862 How to Mix Drinks

1869 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks

1869 The New Mixing Book

1876 Bartender's Guide

1880 American & Other Drinks

1882 New and Improved Bartenders Manual

1884 Modern Bartenders Guide

1884 Scientific Bar Keeping

1885 New Guide for the Hotel, Bar, Restaurant, Butler, and Chef

1885 The Art of Blending and Compending Liquors & Wines

More Photos...

Blog list: The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:56:21 GMT

The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them

7/28/08 - Cocktail Trend of the Moment: Sangria Old and New
At Boqueria, a tapas restaurant in New York's Chelsea region, the cocktail list includes an odd signature drink, the beer sangria. They combine Corona, lemon juice, pear puree and Triple Sec; pour the mixture over ice; and garnish it with fresh fruits.
7/28/08 - Cocktails to Get You Through the Summer
ABC news got in on the yearly practice of informing folks which drinks are popular this year. The ideas come from "some of America's hippest watering holes" and "are sure to quench your thirst, spice up your 'staycation' or simply help set the mood.
7/28/08 - Cool Down Summer With Mustard-ized Cocktails
Grey Poupon is here to help liven up summer libations, introducing five, exciting specialty cocktails -- all enhanced with the flavorful kick of gourmet mustard.
7/28/08 - Local bartender shares award-winning cocktai
"It's based on actually a salad that a chef I used to work with used to make that had a honey black pepper citronette, or honey pepper lemon dressing."
7/29/08 - Distilled Spirits Council Launches ProhibitionRepeal.com
Visitors will find historic recipes for Prohibition-era cocktails, uncovered by David Wondrich, a national directory of prohibition-era speakeasies still in operation, and tips for hosting a responsible Prohibition Repeal party.
7/30/08 - The Best Gin for a Summer Elixir
On the panel were myself; a cocktail historian and author of "Imbibe!" (Penguin), David Wondrich; a former bartender at Pegu Club and a spirits journalist, St. John Frizell, and mixologist and bar owner Julie Reiner.
7/30/08 - A Cocktail Book Renaissance, Too
Appreciative bartenders, who will not have to spend a month’s tips on eBay to secure copies of these books, may want to consult the toasts section of “Barflies and Cocktails” for a “toast to publishers” to celebrate.
7/30/08 - Bols Liqueurs Launches YouTube Competition
Bols Liqueurs has launched a video-themed cocktail competition called ‘Capture the Spirit of Bols Around the World’.
7/30/08 - Cocktails of yore
"I wanted to make the information in the hands of people who can start making new cocktails based on tradition," Boehm says. "As bartending is again becoming a respected profession, as it was back in the day, it's nice to have these."
7/31/08 - Cosmopolitan bar mixes it with the best
Mr Reaburn worked for a year to create the bar's cocktail list, which follows a timeline from 1806 — when the word cocktail was first defined in print. His top-selling drink is Aviation but he is chilling some champagne for when his trophy arrives.
7/31/08 - U.S. cocktails mix it up with molecular gastronomy
Bartender Eben Freeman tosses rice crispies in Kahlua, dehydrates them and repeats the process. He adds them to a vodka milk mix for a White Russian breakfast cereal.
7/31/08 - Cocktails and Cuisine: A New Twist on a Classic Spirit
"The spices in gin enhance a variety of food flavors, from sauces and pasta to meat and fish," Ott says. "It also adds its own layers of flavor and just a little bit goes a long way towards complementing whatever dish you're pairing it with."
7/31/08 - Controversial cocktail: Cairo's Grand Hyatt Hotel
Last April, Abdel-Aziz ordered that the hotel's entire stock of alcohol be destroyed without providing any advance notice to the Hyatt International. "Nearly $300,000 were poured down the drains following a decision that violates Egypt's hotel rules."
8/1/08 - A little Hanky-Panky in London
Charles Hawtrey challenged Coley - her nickname - to create a new drink for him, and when she presented the man with a mixture of gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet Branca, he reportedly exclaimed, "By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!"
8/1/08 - Edible cocktails are hot at The Mansion and The Club
Campbell concoctions include liqueur-infused ice cubes that change the flavor of the drink as they melt; a plated scoop of tangy margarita sorbet (xanthan gum helps keep it firm); and his personal favorite, cotton candy champagne.
8/2/08 - The Weasel: High spirits
With many authors, the brevity of life-span is all the warning you need about following a writer's footsteps to the bar: Ring Lardner (Manhattan) 1885-1933; James Agee (Whiskey Sour) 1909-1955; Raymond Carver (Bloody Mary) 1938-1988.
8/2/08 - Planter's Punch: What the Fuss Was About
I doubt that in England anyone drank Planter's Punch naked. But the drink was no less popular there, thanks to the marketing savvy of Fred Myers & Son. In 1924, the rum concern built a Planter's Punch Bar.
8/3/08 - Well, It’s Not Champale
There are five drinks on the menu; Champagne figures into three of them. “We like easily quaffed drinks,” Mr. Calvert said. “Nothing too heavy, and nothing too sweet. With Champagne, you get that nice dry effervescence.”
8/4/08 - Recycle your jelly and canning jars for supercheap cocktail glasses
It's appalling what some people will pay for nice drinkware these days. A mojito glass for $15.95? Are you joking? But there's a solution -- right in your cupboard.
8/5/08 - The Five Best Bottles of Absinthe
We’re talking real, honest-to-Satan absinthe, not some lame-ass substitute. One or two and there’s no way you’ll cut your ear off. But these things go down easy, and if you overdo it, all bets are off.
8/5/08 - Cocktails go green
Katz calls the high-minded mixology method he espouses "Greenmarket-inspired," a nod to NYC¹s open-air farmers markets. Wednesday night, he will conduct a sold-out seminar at the Astor Center on what he calls "the new wave of responsible drinking."
8/6/08 - Eichardt's cocktail maestro at top of his game
34-year-old Dan is also being promoted as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – one of the seven great hopes in New Zealand bartending – at this week’s Auckland International BarShow where he will give a presentation about working with rum.
8/6/08 - Master mixologist teams up with Bulldog Gin to create two Chinese-inspired drinks
With the 2008 Beijing Olympics set to begin Friday, there's no better way to kick off the opening ceremonies, or toast a favorite athlete's win than with a cocktail that honors the home of this year's Summer Games -- Beijing.
8/6/08 - Bartending competition salutes D.C.'s original cocktail
An unlikely event honoring Washington history took place this week: a cocktail competition between eight local bartenders at Bourbon in Adams Morgan. The event paid homage to one of the District's oldest, intoxicating inventions - the Gin Rickey.
8/6/08 - Beantown Bartender Battle: Gin, Juice at Green Street
We found a table piled with gleaming cocktail shakers, cans of Barritt's ginger beer, copious bottles of gin, Pimm's No. 1, and our favorite saints, Germain and Elizabeth.
8/7/08 - Cocktails with a bite
"People are pleasantly surprised that they are getting cocktails they think are familiar, but they end up having completely different tastes - and they are good."
8/7/08 - Hunting for Oakland's signature cocktail
Van Kleef nominated the VanOakhatten. The drink, he said, is based on the recipe passed down to him from an 85-year-old hunchback who has been drinking in every funky, dirty dive bar across California.
8/7/08 - Behind the Glass: Honolulu’s bar scene
“Instead of using sugars, we’re saying, let’s use honey… or we’re doing things in-house like making our own ginger ale so the drinks aren’t as processed and you get the natural flavor out of them."
8/8/08 - 42 Below Cocktail World Cup
Warm foams seem to be the next step in the evolution of molecular techniques, which originated with Michelin-star-recognised Spanish chef, Fernando Adria, owner/chef of El Bulli in Spain.
8/8/08 - Cocktails just a text away
A young Scots entrepreneur is hoping for another shake up of the drinks industry by launching a new text message cocktail service. Ryan Coutts founded the Text4Cocktails service, which sends recipes direct to a mobile phone.
8/9/08 - 2 parts VODKA, 1 part SCIENCE
The two women, who club frequently, had never heard of molecular mixology and looked perplexed when the gin and tonic gelee was presented to them. But after gamely slurping up the jellied concoction, Wen Jia said: 'It's like jelly for adults."
8/9/08 - Bainbridge residents take a flyer on a Small Screen
Kimball and his partner/investor, engineer Brian Dressler, launched the online video business a year ago with The Cocktail Spirit, a 48-part series that features cocktail expert Robert Hess and cinematographer Chris Mosio.
8/9/08 - Italian Sodas? Tutto Bene!
Far and away, the Italian soda that shows the most promise as a cocktail ingredient is the bittersweet citrus drink called chinotto (pronounced key-NAW-toh).
8/9/08 - A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Whiskey Go Down
Ice is an essential part of the julep recipe, plenty of the crushed variety in a metal julep cup creates that perfect frost that is essential to a traditional mint julep.
8/11/08 - Barmaid mixes a cracking cocktail
A barmaid from Reading has raised a glass to say cheers after reaching the final of the De Kuyper Cocktail Cup 2008. Michelle Temple, from the Pitcher & Piano in Friar Street, entered the competition with her smooth and fruity ‘Apricot Sundown’.
8/11/08 - Sir Mix-a-lot gives us a liquid feast
"My roots lie in the cocktail classics and methods of the late 19th and early 20th Century, which is fused with the flavours and techniques of today's global cuisine. I am going to use a lot of Indian spices — cinnamon, cardamom, ginger."
8/11/08 - Cocktail Question: Do You Have a Shaker Face Too?
To properly mix certain cocktails, bartenders must shake vigorously. Each person has his or her own style: It may be a slow rocking motion that picks up speed within a few seconds, or sometimes it's an instant head-banging session.
8/12/08 - Bartender in the cocktail mix
“Gone are the days where vodka reigns supreme — now we’re looking at the intricacies of separate spirits, the underlying flavours, the underlying aromas, and what we try to do is accentuate those nowadays.”
8/13/08 - Award-winning Madrono cocktail is a unique twist on the classic Sherry Cobbler
It was no surprise to find that a sweet drink called Madrono -- laced with fresh strawberries -- would be named winner in this past year's U.S. Sherry Cocktail Competition. It's a twist on the classic Sherry Cobbler cocktail, say the experts.
8/13/08 - Breaking tradition: An invented cocktail with a real scotch touch
The cocktail is called a Smoky Speyside Teahito. Scotch is more frequently thought of as a cold-weather drink but this combination of smoke, tea and mint is as refreshing as a cool spin in a kilt on a hot summer day.
8/13/08 - How to make your own cocktail onions
Some growers swear by specific varieties; ones known to produce a wonderful flavor even in a small package. Such varieties include Snow Baby and Purplette. Northwest growers blend the two concepts: they pick "short day" varieties such as Wonder of Pompeii.
8/13/08 - 42Below Cocktail World Cup Finalists Announced
“I was just so impressed with the overall standard and calibre of all the drinks across the competition,” said judge and proprietor of Melbourne’s 1806, Sebastian Raeburn.
8/13/08 - Marriott Unveils New Mixology Program
The Marriott Hotel Group has launched a new mixology program that focuses on using freshly squeezed juices and unique or indigenous ingredients. A global initiative, ‘The Bar Arts: Liquids, Classic to Cool’ program applies the same concepts to cocktails.
8/13/08 - Bartending class will soon count for chemistry EM credit
Some students are already combining bartending classes with strenuous physical education classes, creating an interdisciplinary degree that would create drink-mixers in the mold of Tom Cruise's character in "Cocktail."
8/13/08 - Expanding thirst for bourbon
At the Hemingway Bar at the Hotel Ritz in Paris, Kentucky bourbon is the choice for one in five cocktails, head bartender Colin P. Field said, although it trails vodka and cognac in popularity.
8/14/08 - Tippling for Travers
Approximately 140 recipes were submitted for the Times Union's Toast to Travers cocktail contest, launched last month to find a signature drink for the Travers Stakes, the biggest event of the season at the Saratoga Race Course.
8/14/08 - It's so good, you'll be bowled over
Laura Panter of The Martini Club in Toronto says the punch revival, most apparent right now in London, is part of a larger retro cocktail movement around the world.
8/15/08 - Boozing the big screen
With Friday's release of the Napa-based, wine-themed "Bottle Shock," it's a good time to cite the good, the bad and the blotto in movie lore. Let's call these the Tipsy Awards.
8/15/08 - Cocktail Observations: Ginger Is the New Mint
For a few years, back in the late 1990s, mint seemed like it was about to become a fifth taste thanks to the popularity of the mojito (let's not get into whether umami is the fifth taste). Today, however, the taste de jour seems to be sexy, spicy ginger.
8/16/08 - A sip of Europe without the trip
If your bank account has been siphoned off at the gas pumps and your frequent-flier mileage account (like mine) is hovering around 330 miles, you might have to forgo the trip across the Pond and make a few drinks right here at home.
8/16/08 - An Olympic Cocktail
Ahead of the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Calif., some entrepreneurs sold warm-up jackets emblazoned with the interlocking ring logo on the front and "Olympic Drinking Team" on the back. Organizers of the games were not amused.
8/16/08 - New Orleans Is Proud to Put Its Long, Complex Past on Display
The museum itself, is too compressed and omits much European influence. But its collection of tankards and bottles, its recipes and photos of barmen, its Prohibition memorabilia and its relics of ’50s bachelor-pad paraphernalia evokes a pleasant tipsiness.
8/17/08 - You Can’t See It to Believe It
The sensory cocktails work like this: order the daiquiri, and you’re tucked into a semiprivate spot where you sip your drink blindfolded while listening to 18 minutes of Cuban music on an iPod. All the while, a waitress spritzes you with a cigar mist.
8/16/08 - Racing fans sipping 'Travers Cooler'
Tony and Gloria Falco's recipe was chosen from 140 entries. The cocktail will be sold on track, in commemorative Travers glasses and in select downtown restaurants during Travers week.
8/17/08 - Stocking the bar
Sure, you can make a mixed drink -- say, a gin and tonic or rye and Coke -- with little more than a judicious eye and a steady hand. But to make a proper cocktail, you need the proper gear.
8/17/08 - Welcome back to the cocktail party
"That's quite a drink," ad executive Don Draper tells the department store heiress he's wooing in the hit TV show Mad Men. Indeed, it is quite a drink: a rum-soaked mai tai served in a tiki glass topped with a towering, Carmen Miranda-esque garnish.
8/17/08 - The Met's Liquid Work of Art
“I wanted to capture the child like spirit of the piece, so I used colored cubes of Jell-O,” says Thierry. He adds vodka, tequila, triple sec, rum, gin and Sprite to the cubes to create a drink that tastes like a sweet Long Island iced tea.
8/19/08 - Cocktail judges not stirred
Victorian mixologists Gerard McAlpine and Greg Sanderson made the cut for the Cocktail World Cup final with their respective creations Honey Husk Hammer and West Island Ginger.
8/19/08 - Junior Merino Mixes Magical Drinks That `Taste Like a Painting'
"Avocado is not used behind bars because people think it's too creamy or that it's a vegetable,'' he told me as he sliced. "But it's a fruit. The mescal is very smoky and goes well with the avocado's creaminess.''
8/19/08 - Blind drunk gets new meaning at Sydney cocktail bar
"I actually had a heat lamp at one point, and a tray of sand so that people could think they were on the beach, but that was a bit too far," Collins said.
8/19/08 - Cocktails for the storm
Only time will tell if any Fay will be the worst of the season, which ends on November 30, but one thing is for sure-- while everyone else is stocking up on water, batteries and a generator, Metromix is gathering cocktails to protect us from ourselves.
8/19/08 - 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup, Queenstown, New Zealand
This annual competition brings together 15 determined bartender teams who compete over a period of five days to earn the coveted title as the World Champions of the Cocktail World Cup.
8/20/08 - There's nothing ho-hum about rum drinks
"There’s a general misconception of what classic rum cocktails, daiquiris especially, really are," says Tim Staehling, Bar Manager at the Hungry Cat restaurants in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
8/21/08 - Spirits & Cocktails: Drinks are getting larger
"Certainly consumers need to understand what a standard drink is,” Hawkins says. “They need to know what those actual amounts are, and they need to understand what equals one drink.”
8/21/08 - From behind the easel to behind the bar
"You guys ready for cocktails in the morning?" asked university alumna Gina Chersevani, thrilled at the prospect of entertaining guests despite the early hour.
8/21/08 - A guide to perfect summer sippers
"The Great Idea," combined Cabin Fever Liqueur, champagne and tangerine and cranberry juice. "It tasted kind of like a fruity pancake."
8/21/08 - Drink Away Your Carefully Planned Future With the Trust Fund
Sierra Zimel, cocktailian of the Seasons Bar and Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, has a competitive pedigree, voted "Best Mixologist" by San Francisco Magazine and placing third in last year's Travel + Leisure Beverage Arts Challenge.
8/21/08 - Hooch Heaven: 4th Annual Great American Distillers Festival
Maybe the world is going global, but if you want to stay hip you've got to stay local. "I think consumers enjoy knowing they can drink something that was made down the street."
8/21/08 - Drink: Barbara Lynch's new bar
"One of my focuses is looking into history," he says, so expect obscure cocktails from eras past to get new life here. The glassware and other bar paraphernalia is vintage, found at flea markets.
8/22/08 - Culinary art in a glass: Red Feather's Kevin Kelpe takes his cocktails seriously
"We dipped into a dark period of massive liquor company madness, all the energy drinks and high fructose corn syrup. It was a dark period of beverage drinking. I keep comparing the change that's happening to the microbrewery movement of the early '80s."
8/22/08 - Something fishy about peach drinks
I thought I'd just make sure that "pesca" means fish. Oh. It means "peach." "Fish" is pesce. Here, then, we have the Peach of Milan, and the Crazy Peach. We'll get to fishy cocktails some other time.
8/22/08 - Review: Cocktail recipe apps for the iPhone
“Cocktails are now so numerous,” the journalist H.L. Mencken wrote 60 years ago, “that no bartender, however talented, can remember how to make all of them, or even half of them.”
8/22/08 - James Langan wins cocktail challenge
James won with his offering 'La Vie en Rose' consisting of Hennessy, strawberry liqueur, apple juice and fresh lime juice topped with Moet Champagne (very chilled), garnished with strawberry, mint leaf, cumin and orange zest.
8/23/08 - Bizarre ’tails
The classic disasterpiece as far as the look (and name!) is concerned is the Brain Haemorrhage, rightfully chosen by the US Bartender’s Guide (2007) as the ‘century’s worst cocktail’. Just a look at this shot sends my stomach into a downward spiral.
8/23/08 - Wine: summer cocktails
I hate lurid, wishy-washy, sickly-sweet Mickey Mouse cocktails, complete with rainbow colours and dyed fruit that reeks of suntan lotion. Alcohol is the thing in every cocktail, and far better to opt for one full-strength, full-flavour glass.
8/24/08 - The signature cocktail: How to craft your own wedding drink
With all the exotic ingredients and historic references you could get carried away with flavor combinations. Solomon cautions against going too far. "You want people to say, I never thought about this, but don't push outside your guests' comfort zone."
8/24/08 - New drinks on the runway
"You'd be amazed at the variety of colors," said Courtney Locklear, who helped devise the drink and recently changed her title from bartender to eco-mixologist. It fits, since the emphasis at Croc's is on the environment and the cocktails on the "green".
8/25/08 - International Cocktail Bar Event in Havana
Bartenders from fifteen countries are participating in the Santiago Policastro and the Edgar Rodriguez in Memoriam 12th Pan-American Cocktail Bar Competitions, in this capital city.
8/25/08 - Singapore searches for new Sling in cocktail boom
There's a new drink in town and it's called the Tiffin Punch, The Champ or the Dark Angel -- and its out to get the Singapore Sling. These are just some of the concoctions by bar "mixologists" looking to usurp the status of the city-state's signature.
8/26/08 - Gin Blossom: Bridget Albert keeps it “Market-Fresh”
She moved to Las Vegas, where she met Tony Abou-Ganim, then the head mixologist for the Bellagio. She was inspired by his success and talent, and approached him, saying, “I will cut your limes and schlep your garbage. I just want to learn.”

Blog list: Cocktail Competitions

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:27:33 GMT

Cocktail Competitions

Vinos de Jerez Cocktail Competition
Finals: January 14-16, 2009
Absinthe Cocktail Grand Prix
Deadline: December 31, 2008
Domain de Canton Competition
Deadline: October 1, 2008
42Below Cocktail World Cup
Finals: September 9-13, 2008

Blog list: Upcoming Events

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:14:53 GMT

Upcoming Events

March 28, 2009 - 10th Annual Whiskies of the World Expo and Artisanal Spirits Fest
January 12, 2009 - Cocktails with Bobby Gleason
Presented by Bobby Gleason In: New Orleans, LA
December 1, 2008 - Classic Holiday Tipples
Presented by Tony Abou-Ganim In: New Orleans, LA
November 7-9, 2008 - Tastings NYC
November 3, 2008 - The ESSENTIAL Cocktail: Classic Favorites, New Ingredients, Modern Techniques
Presented by Dale DeGroff In: New Orleans, LA
October 19, 2008 - Elements of Mixology: The Cocktail Lab
September 18, 2008 - Blend Your Own Whisky with John Glaser
September 17-18, 2008 - Sydney Bar Show
September 16-21, 2008 - Kentucky Bourbon Festival
September 11-13, 2008 - Spirits of Mexico
September 10, 2008 - Whisky on the Hudson
September 9-13, 2008 - 5th Annual Cocktail World Cup
September 4, 2008 - The 2008 Classic Martini Challenge
August 29-September 1, 2008 - Slow Food Nation
August 27, 2008 - Elements of Mixology: The Cocktail Lab

Custom List: Summer 2008 Cocktails

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:45:08 GMT

Summer 2008 Cocktails

Wild Blossom
The winning cocktail from the Dept. of Consumer Affairs 3rd annual Sidewalk Café Drink Mix-Off.
Summer Sass Savoy Sangria
A fruity punch made with oranges, lemons, limes and cherries.
Strawberry Blonde Fizz
This summer sipper may sound sweet, but the acidity of the lime and strawberries keep things cool while the egg white helps tone down the acid.
Sleepyhead
This is another great summer cocktail combining fresh ginger, ginger ale and one of our favorite homemade syrups.
Sangrita Sin El Tomate
Orange juice, lime juice, grenadine and chili powder. What could be simpler?
The Punch & Judy
Charlotte Voisey created the "Punch and Judy" and won the 2008 Cocktail Competition when her drink wowed the judges who select the official cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail.
Pickled Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary made with citron vodka and pickle relish.
NOLitA Heat
The NOLitA Heat will be the official alcohol-removed cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail and will be served at several of their signature events.
Mint Summer Nightini
Blackberi, cucumber and mint, the perfect way to end the day.
A Milk Punch Named Desire
Recipe created by H. Joseph Ehrmann, Owner Elixir
Kiwi Mango Mojito
42 Below Kiwi vodka and mango nectar make this a tropical pleasure.
The Intercontinental
A blend of Averna, cognac and maraschino liqueur.
Honey Mojito
A mojito made with honey.
Heirloom Santa Maria
This is a great twist on that perennial summer favorite: the Bloody Mary.
Gentleman's Tee
A Southern treat made with whiskey, lemonade and tea.
The Delegate
An interesting mexican cocktail with cucumber foam.
Blakberi Blues
Made with new Stoli Blakberi vodka.
Compass Rose
Cognac, Campari & maraschino liqueur with barrel aged bitters.
The Brazilian Wax
Cachaça is a fantastic summertime spirit, and this refreshing recipe showcases it perfectly.
The Big Brown Triple Crown Cocktail
Made with Woodford Reserve and Chambord, this is a tasty way to spend a Saturday Afternoon.
American Patriot Tea
Good old fashioned sweet iced tea made with American Honey liqueur.

Blog list: The Flowing Bowl

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:26:09 GMT

The Flowing Bowl

Video Jug: Cocktails
A collection of "how to" videos for a plethora of classic cocktails.
Tales of the Cocktail 2007
A recap of the 5th Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
The Sweet Escape - Official 2008 Grammy Awards Cocktail
Tony Abou-Ganim makes his signature drink from this year's GRAMMY Celebration, The Sweet Escape.
Rube Goldberg Cocktail Machine
Inventor Joseph Herscher from New Zealand designed this wonderful machine.
New Orleans' Best Cocktails
A series of excellent cocktail videos hosted by Chris McMillan, Nola's Ritz-Carlton Library Bartender.
Mixology101.TV
Mixology101.TV presents Bridget Albert, master mixologist for Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois, who shows you how to create spectacular cocktails.
Modern Mixologist DVD Promo
A short excerpt from Tony Abou-Ganim's instructional DVD.
Making Sazeracs with Jonathan Pogash
Just what it says.
London Times Online: How to Make Perfect Cocktails
Watch the video with Steve Harman, the bar manager of Prohibition, St Katherine’s Dock, for expert tips on getting smashed properly.
Gary Regan - The Joy of Mixology Seminar
A collection of five videos showing Gary Regan's "Joy of Mixology" seminar live in London, UK, 2006.
Fine Living Network: Great Cocktails
From flaming buckets of Champagne to microbrews loaded with vitamins to Leningrad-themed vodka parties with fur coats and hats, FINE LIVING TV NETWORK's original series Great Cocktails is an expert guide to what to drink and where to drink it.
Cointreau Bartender Enrichment Program Promo Video
Cointreau teamed up with Dale DeGroff and renowned spirits writer Paul Pacult to bring the Cointreau Bartender Enrichment Program to bartenders around the US., visiting 5 cities in 2007 and reaching over 150 influential bartenders.
Cocktails on the Fly with Alberta Straub
She’s been called a cocktail innovator, an aperitif artist and a mixologist. And with good reason. Alberta Straub (a.k.a Miss Flighty); is known for turning fresh homemade ingredients into wildly sexy, exuberant drinks.
The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess
Robert Hess gives the history and mixing techniques behind dozens of the classic cocktails, as well as interviewing leading authorities on mixology.
Brilliant Cocktails: A Video Podcast with Chris Doig
Chris Doig gives a European perspective on the science of mixology.
The Blue Blazer
David Wondrich makes Jerry Thomas' classic flaming scotch whisky.

Book List: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:52:36 GMT

The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

Tucker Shaw: A Man's Place Is Behind the Bar: Killer Cocktail Recipes
A trendy, colorful paperback recipe book containing manyof the classics. I don't always agree with the ratios of spirits used, (Mr. Tucker tends towards the sweet toothed crowd) but still a nifty little cocktail 101 book. Good Spirits Rating: **
Wayne Curtis: And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails
You'd never know there was so much history in a simple spirit. Mr. Curtis has done an amazing amount of research and at the same time made it extremely readable. If only the book came with a bottle of the stuff! Indispensable. Good Spirits Rating: ****
Harry McElhone: Barflies and Cocktails
An authentic reproduction of the 1927 edition with a new introduction by David Wondrich.
Harry Johnson: Bartenders' Manual
An authentic reproduction of the 1900 edition with a new introduction by Robert Hess.
Ross Bolton: Boothby's 1934 Reprint World Drinks and How to Mix Them
A complete reproduction of Boothby's 1934 World Drinks and How to Mix Them with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Ross Bolton: Cheerio! A Book of Punches and Cocktails How to Mix Them 1928 Reprint
A complete reproduction of the 1928 bar drink guide Cheerio! A Book of Punches and Cocktails How to Mix Them with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Mark Kingwell: Classic Cocktails: A Modern Shake
Designed in the style of a 1930's cocktail book, this volume contains period style illustrations and stories about some of the classics. Written in a modern, jaunty style, this is an easy read for cocktail nuts. Good Spirits Rating: **
Salvatore Calabrese: Cocktails by Flavor: Over 340 Recipes to Tempt the Taste Buds
Broken down by flavor profile, the few hundred cocktails included will appeal to both the mixologist and the herbalogist. Ingredients include everything from Sake to Nuts. Recipes are easy to find and often include color photos. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Ross Bolton: Cocktails by Jimmy late of Ciro's 1930 Reprint
A complete reproduction of Cocktails by Jimmy late of Ciro's 1930 Reprint with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Dominic Roskrow: Collins Need to Know? Whiskies
Whisky or whiskey? With ice or without? A peaty island malt or a mellow Lowland dram? This fully illustrated book will give you all the information and advice you need to appreciate whisky.
Simon Difford: diffordsguide to Cocktails 7 (Diffords Guide) (Diffordsguide)
The 7th edition of a book that is widely regarded by members of the drinks industry as the most complete and authoritative cocktail publication available. It contains 2,250 easy to follow cocktail recipes, each accompanied by a colour photograph.
Simon Difford: diffordsguide to Cocktails: Volume 6 (Diffordsguide) (Diffordsguide)
If on a desert island (and a fully stocked bar), this is THE one volume to have. If it's been made, it's likely here. Not only do you get the recipes, but the style of spirit and a handy rating on taste. Indispensible! Good Spirits Rating: ****
Iain Gately: Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol
From absinthe to Jay-Z's boycott of allegedly racist Cristal, from Mayan pulque to Pilsner Urquell, he covers the history and the culture of the medicinal and mind-altering product that since at least 8000 B.C. has been part of human civilization.
Kingsley Amis: Everyday Drinking: The Distilled Kingsley Amis
Along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) the book includes Amis’s musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man’s Diet, What to Drink with What, and (presumably as a matter of speculation) How Not to Get Drunk.
Food & Wine Cocktails 2008 (Food & Wine Cocktails)
A wonderful collection of cocktails that show where the industry is heading. Filled with the latest creations and trendiest ingredients, this little book also lists nightclubs, bar resources and more with full color photos. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Cheryl Charming: Frozen Drinks: An a to Z Guide to All Your Frozen Favorites
More than 800 frozen libations are detailed in this handy volume. Featuring a unique spiral binding, the book will remain open while you grab the ingredients and blend. No pictures, but loads of interesting drinks to try! Good Spirits Rating: **
A.J. Rathbun: Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist
A beautiful volume with recipes from past to present, my only complaint is unusual size, makes it hard to read. Recipes are broken down into odd categories, but an index makes it easy to find what you're looking for. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Jad Adams: Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle
Absinthe, a strongly alcoholic drink with a reputation of mythic proportions, is again in fashion, 90 years after it was banned in France and elsewhere as a cause of madness.
Eric Felten: How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well
A fun read from the Wall Street Journal columnist. Great anecdotes and history on some of the most popular and obscure cocktails of the 20th century. Nice book design too! Good Spirits Rating: ***
David Wondrich: Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the Ame
The most detailed study of early American cocktails ever attempted. Looking through the eyes of Prof. Jerry Thomas, Wondrich recreates punches, fizzes, slings and more importantly, how to recreate lost ingreidents. Good Spirits Rating: ****
Ti Adelaide Martin: In the Land of Cocktails: Recipes and Adventures from the Cocktail Chicks
Proprietors of the legendary New Orleans restaurant Commander's Palace, Ti and Lally are cocktail divas, spreading the gospel about how to make drinks properly.
Ross Bolton: Jerry Thomas Bartenders Guide 1887 Reprint
A complete reproduction of the 1887 Jerry Thomas Bartenders Guide with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Jim Murray: Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
The author has travelled around the world checking out whisky from distilleries as far-flung as Argentina and Thailand, as well as the world-leaders in Scotland, Ireland, the United States and Japan. In terms of whisky, this is the gospel!
Henry G. Crowgey: Kentucky Bourbon: The Early Years of Whiskeymaking
A rather dry, if interesting study of the early days of American Whiskeymaking. Well researched and with extensive bibliographical information, this book would be a good addition to any Bourbon lover's library. Good Spirits Rating: **
F. Paul Pacult: Kindred Spirits 2
The second volume of F. Paul Pacult's reviews of spirits. This is a massive tome with excellent insight and tasting notes. My only complaint is that there is no index or cross referencing with the first volume. Good Spirits Rating: ****
LUPEC Boston: Little Black Book of Cocktails
A fun little book by the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails. Virtually every cocktail in here is a classic or soon to be. Unique recipes from top mixologists in Boston & NYC make this a valuable booklet. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Malt Whiskey Yearbook 2008: The Facts, the People, the News, the Stories
Malt Whisky Yearbook has become an authoritative book that whisky enthusiasts worldwide look forward to each autumn. This is the third edition
Henry Besant: Margaritas!: Mix and Enjoy More Than 70 Fabulous Margaritas and Tequila-Based Cocktails
Colorful and loaded with recipes, this is the best volume I've come across for tequila based drinks. Listing unique and creative drinks with photos, the author suggests particular brands for each cocktail. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Bridget Albert: Market-Fresh Mixology: Cocktails for Every Season
This slim volume is a cookbook for the mixologist. Using the four seasons this book lists fruits, vegetables and herbs that can be used in new cocktails. Beautiful photos show the finished product. Guaranteed to spark creativity! Good Spirits Rating: **
Jared Brown: Mixologist: The Journal of the American Cocktail
Featuring works by noted cocktail authorities Christine Sismondo, Robert Hess, Gary Regan, LeNell Smothers, Gwydion Stone, Audrey Saunders, Dale DeGroff, Ryan Magarian, Darcy O'Neil, Jared Brown, and Anistatia Miller.
Juana Mavel: Pisco Cócteles & Bocaditos: Un Manual Por Tu Bar
Pisco, Cocktails & Bocaditos is a book that allows you to better understand the wealth and the versatility of Pisco, the grape brandy. (Spanish)
Charlie Paul: Recipes of American and Other Iced Drinks
An authentic reproduction of the 1895 edition with a new introduction by Dale DeGroff.
Robert Plotkin: Secrets Revealed of America's Greatest Cocktails
This groundbreaking effort highlights America’s top bartenders and their best methods for creating and preparing America’s greatest cocktails.
Jeff Berry: Sippin' Safari: In Search of the Great "Lost" Tropical Drink Recipes... and the People Behind Them
Stories culled from over 100 interviews with those who actually created the mid-century Tiki scene - people as colorful as the drinks they invented, or served, or simply drank.
Jim Hensley: Slurp: Drinks and Light Fare, All Day, All Night
A book of food and drink to last throughout the day. Lots of pretty pictures and simple recipes. No history or background on what you're ingesting, however. Still, some great new drinks and old classics are here. Good Spirits Rating: **
Noah Rothbaum: The Business of Spirits: How Savvy Marketers, Innovative Distillers, and Entrepreneurs Changed How We Drink
As with so many industries, conglomerates have soaked up the small distilleries, improving global distribution, while increasing connoisseurship spurred partly by pop culture vehicles like Sex and the City has turned on consumers to super-premium vodkas.
Dale Degroff: The Craft of the Cocktail Deck: Artful Tips and Delicious Recipes for Serving Masterful Cocktails
Two parts distinctive drinks, one part technique, with a garnish of potent personality, this deck includes fifty fabulous cocktail recipes created by the King of Cocktails, Dale DeGroff.
John D. Lamond: The Malt Whisky File
The Malt Whisky File is the most complete reference available to the whiskies of the world, including those from the distilleries of New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, and, of course, Scotland.
C.F. Lawlor: The Mixicologist
An authentic reproduction of the 1884 edition with a new introduction by Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh.
O.H. Byron: The Modern Bartenders' Guide
An authentic reproduction of the 1884 edition with an introduction by Brian Rea.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi: The New-Wave Mai Tai
This colorful book contains over 50 recipes for new twists on the old classic: try a Mai Tai-Jito, a Sassy Wahine or a Smooth Shredder. These creative cocktails go beyond what either Don the Beachcomber or Trader Vic could ever have imagined.
Ross Bolton: The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book 1935 Reprint
A complete reproduction of "The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book 1935" with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Anistatia Miller: The Pocket Recipe Guide: Museum of the American Cocktail
Filled with enough recipes to get you through a year, this book not only details the classics old & new; but also gives brief history lessons on where they came from. Great for the mixologist who wants increase their repertoire. Good Spirits Rating: ***
Valerie Mellema: The Professional Bartender's Handbook: A Recipe for Every Drink Known - Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guests
Designed for the beginning bartender, this book details bar basics. Loads of recipes, but no information on their flavour or history. A Dummy's Guide to Mixology. Good Spirits Rating: *
Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book
A reproduction of the original 1930 volume in all it's glory! Not every recipe is great or even good, but so many of the standards are here, that any mixologist worth his rimming salt will want this. Good Spirits Rating: ****
Ross Bolton: What'll You Have? 1933 Reprint
A complete reproduction of the Julien J. Proskauer 1933 What'll You Have? with a new introduction by Ross Bolton.
Charles MacLean: Whisky Tales
The history of Scotch told in a light and breezy style. Nice period illustrations are scattered throughout and the history is quite in depth. Makes for a good bedtime read with your wee dram. Good Spirits Rating: ***