The Best Bar Books
As
you've probably discovered,
there are tons of bar books available. Unfortunately, most aren't
worth the paper they are printed on. Being an author myself I'd
like to say that sometimes it's not the authors fault because
publishers have the power to edit the book any way they see fit
for whatever reason. Other times the problem is that they are
written by people that have never tended bar, haven't tended bar
in many years, or have never truly studied the history and art
of cocktails. And many are written by editors of publishing houses
that rehash and face-lift books that they own the rights to.
The
books on this page are some of the cream of the crop
that
any serious bartender should own.
They are not in any particular order. These books are written
by real life bartenders, drink historians, and the top passionate
cocktail culture people on the planet. Any serious self-respecting
bartender should have all of these books in their bar book collection/library.
Clicking on the books will take you to amazon.com.
NOTE:
With so many books always coming out, it's challenging for me
to keep this page updated, so you can visit other reptuable sites
to see their lists.
•
Books for the Cocktailian Library of Robert Hess
•
The CocktailDB Library
•
Cocktail Kingdom.com
The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything
You Need To Know To Be A Master Bartender by Dale
DeGroff.
Every bartender should have this
book in his or her collection. It’s sleek modern meets
art deco with its arsty type and angled text. Also, the
most famous bartender in America wrote it. |
 |
 |
The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate
Guide to the Bartender's Craft by Gary
Regan.
Not only is the information in this must have bar book married
with historic and modern, the look and feel follows suit
by using a modern yet common font that’s justified
throughout most of the book. It’s also printed on
paper that gives the feeling that you may be reading a book
that’s 100 years old. |
Esquire Drinks: An Opinionated & Irreverent
Guide to Drinking by David Wondrich.
David
Wondrich is funny, informative, and clever. This man knows
how to write. He pieces words together in a way that paints
an elaborate picture in your mind. The pages are slick, colorful
and filled with well thought out graphic details that would
make any graphic artist drool. Most bartenders will only make
about 25 of the 250 cocktails in the book, but that doesn’t
matter because the researched history makes up for it. Also
the square shape of the book is oh-so-cool. |
 |
 |
The Martini Companion by Gary
Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan.
This little book is elegantly packed with big information
about the Martini, gins, vodkas, vermouths and more! A straight
up read for the serious bartender thirsty for more. |
Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails
by Ted Haigh
a.k.a. Dr. Cocktail
Bartenders
that take pride in their craft should own this book because
the wealth of cocktail history it provides is priceless. Also,
I love the retro/vintage look inside. |
 |
Miss Charming's Guide for Hip Bartenders and Wayout
Wannabes: Your Ultimate One-Stop Bar and Cocktail Resource
by Cheryl Charming
Yes,
this is my 5th published book. Yes, I sent then 150,000
words and they cut it to 75,000. Yes, they said it would
be a hardback filled with images. However, the publishers
lied to me.
Everyone that has talked to me has loved it because it's
the first book that really tells you what it's like to be
a bartender in the real world. It's great for beginners
to pros. My sister even called me up one day and said, "I
didn't know there was so much to know about bartending!
This book kept me up all night!"
Other
reviews come from Dale DeGroff, Gary Regan, Tobin Ellis,
Doc Eason, Dean Serneels, and JB Bandy. They can be seen
at the
amazon link in the images.
|
 |
|
Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations,
Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist
by A.J.
Rathbun
This is a fantastic cocktail book that you can keep on your
coffee table. It's big, thick, heavy and filled with creative
writing. I love cocktail books that give you history. |
Killer Cocktails: An Intoxicating Guide
to Sophisticated Drinking by David Wondrich.
Most
bartenders, won’t make most of the cocktails in this
book out in the real world, but the pleasing words and graphics
cleverly trick you into learning lots of cocktail history.
Plus I just love this authors writing style. The book presented
in top spiraled-calendar type form. Unique! |
 |
 |
Mixologist: The Journal of the American
Cocktail
This
"never before" published book series started in
2005. It includes articles and works from the most noted cocktail
authorities on the planet, people. All serious bar culture
people should collect these books that are sure to be something
very special and valuable for many generations to come. Jared
brown and Anistatia Miller are the publishers and editors. |
Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century by
Paul Harrington and Laura Morehead
.
In
1998, the Internet was in it's infancy for 99% of the public.
Paul Harrington was the first to introduce a very colorful
and informative cocktail website. Sadly, it’s no longer
around (the last seen page was in March 2005 and if you go
to www.archive.org
and type in www.cocktailtime.com in the Way Back Machine,
you’ll be able to view several of the pages). Don’t
faint when you see the price of the book on Amazon because
it’ll cost between $100-$150. Do I think it’s
worth it? Well, if you’re a serious collector of cream
of the crop cocktail books then, yes. |
 |
 |
Diffords Guide to Cocktails
by Simon
Difford
These
guides started in 2001. Simon Difford is passionate about
cocktails and it shows in his big, thick, and glossy colored
pages of fab cocktails. Every year he out does himself. I
love looking at the beautiful cocktails. |
Miss Charming’s Book of Bar Amusements by
Cheryl Charming.
Toot!
Toot! This is my first book. Inside are 80 fun bar tricks
rated easy to hard to bring a smile to you guests face. Every
bartender should have a coupla tricks up their sleeve!
|
 |
 |
Vintage Bar Ware by Stephen Visakay
A wonderful
collector book covering the golden ages of cocktail shakers.
Loaded with history and tidbits! A book for all true cocktail
culture collectors. |
The Bartender’s Guide: How to Mix Drinks or
the Bon- Vivant’s Companion by Jerry Thomas
The first known bartender book first in 1862 by the Granddaddy
of bartending, Jerry Thomas. When you think about all the
traveling this man did, it’s short of amazing. I mean,
I know people in the 21st century that have never even set
foot out of their own state! This man was so passionate about
cocktails in a time when there were no airplanes, air conditioning,
ATM’s, or any of the modern conveniences we have today.
|
 |
 |
The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book by
A.S. Crockett.
First
written in 1935 and is based on the cocktails made at the
Waldorf-Astoria Bar before prohibition. It’s interesting
to read what people were freely drinking before they were
forced to go to secret speakeasies or flee the country. Great
historic knowledge for all bartenders. |
 |
The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948)
by David Embury
Okay,
I have to admit that I’ve never seen or read this book.
However, almost every cocktail historian recommends it. The
reason I haven’t read it is because of the price. Used
versions sell from $189 to $250. It’s most definitely
a true collector’s item |
Miss Charming's
Top 20
I was asked for my personal
top 20 all time bar & cocktail-related books
that I personally like and why. To me, these
books are meaty. Some are historical must-haves to understand
the relationship of where we are today in the cocktail world.
Others are rich in research, and others in research and luscious
graphics. Some are downright clever and creative and then there's
the light-hearted to balance it all out.
-Not in any particular order
1
99 Ways to Open
a Beer Bottle Without A Bottle Opener – Brett
Stern
You can't help but smile when flipping through this book.
It was out of print for awhile and has just popped back
up as a cult fav...so the price jumped too.
|
 |
2
Alcoholica Esoterica: A Collection Of Useful And Useless
Information As It
Relates To The History And Consumption Of Booze –
Ian Lendle
3
Big Shots: The
Men Behind The Booze, The Real-Life Stories of Jack Daniel,
Captain Morgan, Jim Beam and many more.
– A.J. Baime |
 |
4
Miss Charming's Book of Bar Amusements – Cheryl
Charming (my 1st book)
5
Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century
- Paul Harrington
6
Diffords Guide to Cocktails - Simon Difford
7
Esquire Drinks: An opinionated & Irreverent Guide
to Drinking - David Wondrich
9
How To Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion
– Jerry Thomas
10
Killer Cocktails - David Wondrich
11
Miss Charming's Book of Bar Amusements - Cheryl
Charming
12
Miss
Charming's Guide for Hip Bartenders and Wayout Wannabes:
Your Ultimate One-Stop Bar and Cocktail Resource
-Cheryl Charming
|
|
13
Mixologist:
The Journal of the American Cocktail
14
off the eaten path: inspired recipes for adventurous cooks
- bob blumer
I just love the creativity. |
 |
15
The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need To Know
To Be A Master
Bartender – Dale Degroff
16
The Joy of Mixology - Gary Regan
17
The Martini Companion: A Connoisseur’s
Guide – Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin
Regan
18
The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book – A.S.
Crockett
19
The Ultimate A-To-Z Bar Guide – Sharon Tyler
Herbst & Ron Herbst
This book is like a big glossary with everything listed
alphabetically. |
 |
20
Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails -Ted
Haigh
Cocktail Library Downloads
