(Part 2) Best alcoholic drinks books according to redditors
We found 340 Reddit comments discussing the best alcoholic drinks books. We ranked the 118 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
You can make dozens of delicious country wines with minimal outlay and very little effort. Every year we make blackberry wine, elderberry wine, rhubarb wine, strawberry wine(trip to the pick-your-own) and elderflower 'champagne'. You just get a cheap fermenting bucket, sterilise it, throw in a bunch of sugary fruit/veg, add yeast and wait.
Get this book if you're interested
General
Bourbon
Scotch/Malt
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Drinking-Distilled-Kingsley-Amis/dp/1596916281?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
That's the most interesting weird cocktail book I found.
Okay, you've caught me; there's beer and wine books, too. Here's what you're looking at:
I run a cocktail bar, and I've been meaning to share my library for some time, but I have a knack for lending my books out to friends and colleagues so I keep waiting for it to be complete. Then I realized my collection keeps growing and will never be complete, so I may as well just share a snapshot of it.
Top row:
Sippin' Safari: In Search of the Great "Lost" Tropical Drink Recipes... and the People Behind Them by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry
Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: From the Alamagoozlum to the Zombie 100 Rediscovered Recipes and the Stories Behind Them by Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh
The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft by Gary "Gaz" Regan
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
The World Encyclopedia of Beer by Brian Glover
How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Beer Right the First Time by John J. Palmer
Jigger, Beaker and Glass: Drinking Around the World by Charles H. Baker, Jr. (aka The Gentleman's Companion Volume II)
Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher
Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch by Michael Jackson
The Ultimate Guide to Spirits & Cocktails by Andre Domine
New Classic Cocktails by Mardee Haidin Regan and Gary "Gaz" Regan
The Book of Garnishes by June Budgen
World's Best Cocktails: 500 Signature Drinks from the World's Best Bars and Bartenders by Tom Sandham
The Complete Book of Spirits: A Guide to Their History, Production, and Enjoyment by Anthony Dias Blue
Cocktails & Amuse-Bouches for Her & For Him by Daniel Boulud and Xavier Herit
Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar by David Wondrich
Middle Row:
Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers
The New and Improved Illustrated Bartenders' Manual; or: How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style by Harry Johnson (Espresso Book Machine Reprint)
Michael Jackson's Bar & Cocktail Companion: The Connoisseur's Handbook by Michael Jackson
The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance by Greg Koch, Steve Wagner & Randy Clemens
The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy by Jim Meehan
Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons
A Taste for Absinthe: 65 Recipes for Classic and Contemporary Cocktails by R. Winston Guthrie & James F. Thompson
The Bartender's Guide to IBA Official Cocktails by Jenny Reese (Espresso Book Machine Printing)
Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl by David Wondrich
The Home Distiller's Handbook: Make Your Own Whiskey & Bourbon Blends, Infused Spirits and Cordials by Matt Teacher
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions by Hiroshi Nagashima
What to Drink with What You Eat: The Difinitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers by Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page
The American Cocktail: 50 Recipes that Celebrate the Craft of Mixing Drinks from Coast to Coast by The Editors of Imbibe Magazine
The ABC of Cocktails by Peter Pauper Press
How to Make Your Own Drinks: Create Your Own Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks from Fruit Cordials to After-Dinner Liqueurs by Susy Atkins
How to Make a World of Liqueurs by Heather Kibbey & Cheryl Long
The World Atlas of Whisky by Broom is a good start imo.
Here it is on Amazon:
The World Atlas of Whisky: New Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1845339428/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UhWvDbXHP5M5D
This book has a recipe for it.
City Tavern would be your best bet but looking on the website now, it doesn't seem to have it.
Also ask the folks at Art in the Age this book is recent from them and they might know more.
Any good bartending class would answer the majority of these questions, or a good general purpose alcohol book. In fact, I'd recommend this one.
Have you actually started the class yet?
Kahlua and Cream is equal parts Kahlua and regular cream (it's in the dairy aisle) over ice.
The saying goes "Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you're in the clear." but it's a myth. Either one first is fine, the key is moderation.
Again, the key is moderation. Don't drink a whole bottle of wine and then start doing shots. Ease from one to the other slowly. And remember to hydrate frequently. A little food wouldn't hurt either.
If you want chocolate, drink chocolate. There's no specific time or day to drink it.
Fill your flask with something good and high proof. Whiskey, vodka, etc. Keep fruit juices and carbonated beverages far from your flask, and empty/wash/drain it weekly.
Again, go slowly. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, a bit of food, and your tummy will be fine.
Also, I noticed your comment karma is dangerously low. I had to approve your post by hand, so you might want to raise that up a bit soon.
This is the only one I own. It's a bit out of date since the author passed away, but I refer to it frequently.
The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom is my go-to gift book for a whisky lover. Beautiful photography and agreeable writing. I've bought it twice as a gift, each time very well-received.
I have that one too and really like it.
http://smile.amazon.com/Cider-Hard-Sweet-History-Traditions/dp/1581572077/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1457138715&sr=8-4&keywords=cider
That's a good one
My wife got me this book a few years ago, and it's been a great guide for my experiments (I don't really follow the recipes, but do refer to timelines, ratios, etc).
In the safety section of that book, they never warn about poisoning yourself - it does warn against using lead glass for long-term storage and about accidentally making CO2 (and bottle bombs) by adding sugar - so you're probably fine.
I've never done a fresh fruit infusion for that long, so you might have a really syrupy concoction (some of the book's recipes call for 3-month infusions to make cordials). Also, the apple might be WAY too bitter if you had a cinnamon stick in there for 10 weeks. And the habaneros will probably be absolute fire. Try a teaspoon or so before you pour a whole glass.
I did a fresh blueberry infusion for about a week that came out great, but I also recommend giving it a shot with dried fruits. Dried peaches in Buffalo Trace for about 10 days makes a dynamite whisky sour.
Here's a few sources to get you started:
Midwest Grape Production Guide
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/fruitpathology/Bulletins/mw_grape_12aug05%20S.pdf
Sunlight Into Wine (this is a classic that nearly every viticulture student reads)
https://www.amazon.com/Sunlight-Handbook-Grape-Canopy-Arrangement/dp/1875130101?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
From Vines to Wines
https://www.amazon.com/Vines-Wines-5th-Complete-Growing/dp/1612124380/ref=pd_sim_14_10?ie=UTF8&dpID=51nfgvc6%2BeL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=FY1P8X9AZ464ADRVAKHA
Grape Disease Management Guide
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/fruitpathology/organic/PDF/OSU-Organic-Grape-Diseases.pdf
Cover cropping in vineyards is on the rise (as it is across the agricultural world) If you're interested here's an article that covers some basics:
http://www.practicalwinery.com/septoct04/septoct04p22.htm
Practical Winery is a great resource with many good articles. And here is a great book on cover cropping:
https://www.amazon.com/Cover-Cropping-Vineyards-Growers-Handbook/dp/187990635X?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Edit: One more winemaking book that has been very helpful for me. The Winemaker's Answer Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Makers-Answer-Book-Solutions/dp/1580176569/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464790148&sr=1-1&keywords=winemakers+answer+book
Second question: How much do you want to spend? I can point you to a bottle of AH Hirsch 16 year for $1200. It's not worth 1/10 that, but I highly doubt your friend has tried it!
http://www.amazon.com/Bourbon-Reserve-Straight-Distilled-ebook/dp/B008076O6E
This is a better book.
Saw the author and illustrator at The Rosenbach back in May. Got myself a signed copy. There's a recipe for Fish House Punch inside. The lecture event had some, it was strong but good.
For mead "the compleat meadmaker" by Schramm is considered the bible and IMO is just an awesome all around brewing guide. This guy
https://www.amazon.com/Cider-Hard-Sweet-History-Traditions/dp/1581572077
Is an excellent cider primer. The sidebar also has some good links.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jekkas-Complete-Herb-Book-Association/dp/1856267415/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504455888&sr=1-3&keywords=Jekka
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Preserves-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-2/dp/0747595321/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504455955&sr=1-1&keywords=pam+the+jam
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgerow-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-7/dp/140880185X/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F3VYXKB4NNCVEYAJEQ0K
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Booze-River-Cottage-Handbook-No-12/dp/1408817934/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2YHRTEAT811G23JYQSDR
I love these ones as they give you a target to go out and find stuff. They'll have links to other books that the authors use. All three are the best in their field(!) on foraging and using foraged items to make wondrous delights. Yesterday I also picked up
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hedgerow-Cookbook-delicious-recipes-wild-ebook/dp/B00PPHWYNO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504456311&sr=1-1&keywords=The+hedgerow+cookbook
Everyday Drinking by Kingsley Amis. It's my favorite cocktail book. Required reading for my bar staff.
Not quite what I was looking for, but... I found a used one on Amazon for $4.27, and at that price, I might as well buy it.
Playboy's Host and Bar Book published in 1983. It's for one of my friends who's in bartender training. It has a little bit of a Miami Vice thing going on, too.
Note, you probably want to take all that tracking garbage off the end of your Amazon links. It's enough to list:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0993298605/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1845339428/
For beginners, I would also recommend Tasting Whiskey:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1612123015
I got the recipe from this amazing book about making Booze.
$18.27 Exactly!
first item
second item
proof
Thanks for the contest! <3
Assuming you're in North America, I'd recommend Cider, Hard and Sweet: History, Traditions, and Making Your Own as the place to start. It has information on both cidermaking and general cider appreciation.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008076O6E
:)
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.ca
amazon.com.au
amazon.in
amazon.com.mx
amazon.de
amazon.it
amazon.es
amazon.com.br
amazon.nl
amazon.co.jp
amazon.fr
Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.
Free until the end of November 7
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZMLTTG9
I too am a scotch drinker. Here are some of my favorite books on the subject:
Guide to Urban Moonshining
How to make whiskey
The Complete guide to single malt scotch
Some of them are about making whiskey but they go into details on the history and background of different whiskeys which i found very interesting. My favorite of the 3 is the urban moonshining one.
I haven't used one before but you could also get him a nice water dropper for whiskey and/or a glencairn glass.
I thought I'd stop back by and recommend the New Wine Lover's Companion. I've since exhausted the information contained within, but it's frequently provided exactly the right amount of info on an obscure varietal, or just led me to know what to search for on the internet. I used it mainly as an enthusiast, when I was learning about different wines and what to look for, and found it perfect for that task. It doesn't read like a narrative, but rather more like an encyclopedia. I remember starting by reading an entry, and then being led further and further toward different subjects that were referenced in a description.
Anyhow, good luck in your endeavor. My brother-in-law lives close by, and I've been meaning to visit Seattle, so if I do I'll look up the shop. Plus it would save shipping costs from Garagiste!
The Japanese whiskeys are just a weird state now...
It's pretty much a general consensus that the Japanese whiskeys are wonderful and great (I know some people may not agree, but it's extremely hot now...) From a few website I can find like this:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/02/20/single-malt-whiskey-from-japan-the-next-big-thing/#7766324a5b15
They were selling at $50-$60 a bottle back in 2013 according to this article.
Years ago before 2013, they were selling for $35-$40 a bottle. I cannot verify that because I only started collecting booze in late 2014. So why are they selling for $100 for the 12 year stuff now when 5+ years, they were supposedly $35-$40? Are they really that scarce?
The answer is no, they aren't that scarce. Suntory is just a smart company and created an increased demand and effectively increased the price of all their whiskeys from around $40 a bottle to $100 and the majority of people discovering this didn't know it. They started winning awards, "getting discovered more" and everyone read that the Japanese whisky/scotch are "beating" the Scottish and that the Scottish need to step up their game, mainly coming from this book from Jim Murray:
> For the first time since the “Whiskey Bible” was first published in 2003, not a single top-five whiskey came from Scotland. Murray called it a “wake-up call” for Scottish distilleries, according to the Independent. Ouch
http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Murrays-Whisky-Bible-2014/dp/0955472989
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/05/japan-beats-scotland-to-win-worlds-best-whiskey-title/
The winner of that year was the Yamazaki Sherry Cask, which is extremely rare and costs thousands of $$$. So everyone is "discovering" japanese whiskey and Suntory knew how to exploit the public. You cannot get the Sherry cask, so everyone is looking for "Yamazaki." They cannot get it, but they can get Hakushu.
Suntory had enough money to buy Jim Beam... Their flagship whiskeys are not scarce if they can buy a major American Distillery.
This year, now Crown Royal won with Northern Harvest Rye... the same award.
http://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/drinks/the-best-whisky-of-the-year-is-crowned-20151120
What does this mean?
It means that award winners get hyped like crazy. It also might mean distilleries could buy awards by paying a guy off like Jim Murray if it means they can sell their product at a higher price. We don't know this, but it's very possible
It means when you win an award, you get a bunch of free press and everyone wants to try your booze. You can create an extra demand by limiting your booze supply and slowly increase the price over time.
Usually the award winners are great, but distilleries exploit this like crazy so they can sell their product at a much higher price if they play their cards correctly. Japanese are the hottest thing in the booze world now and the Japanese know when they have a good thing going, they will exploit it.
As soon as more people figure this out, the hype train will probably end, but it's hard to know if the price will drop back down, or just stay at the higher levels.
So, what I will say to you is just this...
Drink the whiskeys, enjoy them. Know that some distilleries will take advantage of their press and create a fake supply/demand by limiting their release. Don't buy into award winners as much as you should. Find things you like by doing tastings. Gauge how much you enjoy it compared to the price. And really... just enjoy the damn booze, that's what really matters.
Wishart, Michael Jackson is fairly popular. I like the first title.
As for inspiration. Since the last years that I drink whisky I buy faster than I drink. There's usually something to get before I empty a bottle. It's not like I read a lot of books or magazines about whisky, but I am active on some fora (a very active Dutch forum mostly) where people have suggestions. Or just because I run into some store that has some whisky that I'm interested in. I've passed 'the very beginning' trying to find my taste, but when you're still in that 'phase': try to find samples or minis. I don't know about other countries, but in the Netherlans and Belgium there are many people selling samples. That's a way to try some old or expensive whisky, simply get very different ones, etc.
This is mine http://www.amazon.com/Playboys-Host-Book-Thomas-Mario/dp/0872233286
It is a great read, and if you like the history of the cocktails and a wildly dated/interesting perspective on the don-draper lifestyle from a very earnest perspective instead of a retrospective modern cocktails with stupid names and more soda than liqour are not here, but it is loaded with a hundred manhattan, rob roy, old fashioned variations, real drinks, real cocktails, many forgotten, and a great activity for a weekend to ressurect some of these forgotten classics. Drink archaeology!
The main issue is the book is far too upper-class, ridiculously so, humorously posh. Absolutely not "playboy" as it is thought today. This book gives detailed instructions on the proper glassware for various dinner party functions and the expectations of gracious hosting. But it is written in such a great way I read it from front to back. Yes, I read a cocktail book from front to back, much of it aloud to anyone in earshot, every couple sentences sparked a discussion it was so funny/weird/out of time.
I recommend it as a quirky interesting gift in addition to a modern recipe book, and with it's $1 amazon price... easy to do.
This book of alcoholic popsicles A book full of boozepops, it doesn't relate more to alcohol than that!
Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses
If you can find a copy of it, "Absinthe: A Sip of Seduction" has a list (though obviously not complete) of absinthe oriented bars around the world.
http://www.amazon.com/Absinthe-Sip-Seduction-Contemporary-Guide/dp/B005DIB3RI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396780897&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=absinthe+sip
May want to also try the Wormwood Society and Fee Verte forums.
I have this
Surround yourself with people that are as enthusiastic about it as you. It will make it so much easier to study and retain information if you have people around you that you can talk to about it. As far as books go, I use 3.
Exploring Wine for extensive base knowledge of laws and history.
The World Atlas of Wine for maps of every wine producing area in the world.
Wine Lovers Companion for glossary terms and definitions.
If you can afford to, a subscription to Guild Somm will be so incredibly helpful. Wine law is updated as it comes out, news and podcasts about latest trends in the industry, lots of like minded folks to discuss stuff with. It's a fantastic tool.
Lastly, don't get intimidated. It's a big BIG BIG world of wine, larger than most people assume, but it's beautiful once you're immersed in it.
This is my still: https://brewhaus.com/gin-series-high-volume-complete-moonshine-still/
It is modular, but in this case was running in reflux mode with the gin basket.
I'll read the links you included carefully, but I must be misunderstanding you concerning the reflux still temperature never changing. Because the boiling point of water is higher than alcohol, as the alcohol turns to vapor and is recondensed into product eventually enough alcohol has evaporated that water begins to boil off at a higher rate and the resulting steam is hotter than the concentrated alcohol was. It remains steady at 176°F for a LONG time before slowly climbing to 190°F and then quickly rising to 196°F. Every run I have done has been this way, and it matches the description provided in this excellent book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/194301504X/ref=yo_pop_rec_gc_1/157-6009250-3809616?ie=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=194301504X&amp;pd_rd_r=11YPE3CT9G12ZEGMRNQM&amp;pd_rd_w=owtaE&amp;pd_rd_wg=bZpge&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=11YPE3CT9G12ZEGMRNQM
Best winemaking book I own is The Winemaker's Answer Book
Some other nice, maybe less known, books that would make good recommendations IMO would be the older Whisky Classified - while I don't necessarily agree with the classification, it's an interesting work/approach although with some flaws and not entirely comprehensive or up to date. I believe Malt Maniac wrote the following abougt it The value of this book lies in figuring out what's wrong.
Another interesting book is The Science and Commerce of Whisky, providing a good and somewhat more in-depth than the popular science approach explanation of aging and distilling.
http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Murrays-Whisky-Bible-2014/dp/0955472989
Look at the picture though. Old guy wearing fedora = classy and cool. Young guy wearin fedora = Nerdy neckbeard
Not to thread hijack but I'm pretty interested in this as well. Is there a good video that goes in depth of a distillery's production process? I checked out while I was at B&N:
http://www.amazon.com/The-World-Atlas-Whisky-Distilleries/dp/1845335775
and it was informing but it's kind of hard to wrap my head around the whole distilling process without a visual guide or seeing it at first hand.
Admirable. I am new to this, but have done a lot of experimenting with gin and European-style schnapps based on 'The Artisan's Guide to Craft Distilled Spirits: Small-Scale Production of Brandies, Schnapps & Liquors' by Bettina Malle & Helge Schmickl