Reddit reviews The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique (Cocktail Book with Cocktail Recipes, Mixology Book for Bartending)
We found 34 Reddit comments about The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique (Cocktail Book with Cocktail Recipes, Mixology Book for Bartending). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
By Jeffrey Morgenthaler with Martha Holmberg.The Bar Book is the only technique-driven cocktail handbook out there.Breaks down bartending into essential techniques, and then applies them to building the best drinks.More than 60 recipes illustrate the concepts explored in the text.Topics range from juicing, garnishing, carbonating, stirring, and shaking to choosing the correct ice for proper chilling and dilution of a drink.
Jeffrey Morgenthaler's book is a great starting point.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bar-Book-Jeffrey-Morgenthaler/dp/145211384X
Can't believe no one has said The Bar Book by Jeff Morganthaler, aka /u/le_cigar_volante
From the official Amazon description: Written by renowned bartender and cocktail blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler, The Bar Book is the only technique-driven cocktail handbook out there. This indispensable guide breaks down bartending into essential techniques, and then applies them to building the best drinks. More than 60 recipes illustrate the concepts explored in the text, ranging from juicing, garnishing, carbonating, stirring, and shaking to choosing the correct ice for proper chilling and dilution of a drink. With how-to photography to provide inspiration and guidance, this book breaks new ground for the home cocktail enthusiast.
Here's some high praise from a mutual friend:
"...my favorite drinks book of the year is The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. Mr. Morgenthaler, a well-regarded Portland, Ore.-based bartender and blogger, notes that a great cocktail requires a combination of three elements: recipe, ingredient and technique. He admits that the first two have been well-plumbed in existing books, then lasers in on the third. Just learning how to make his ingenious but simple "MacGyver Centrifuge" with cheesecloth and a salad spinner to filter fruit juices is nearly worth the cover price." - Wayne Curtis, The Wall Street Journal
You're either making things up as you go along or working off bad information. No need to be embarrassed about it, so long as you try to get it right rather than just going with it. Posting here with a question like this is a great step and should be supported rather than just being scoffed at...
I'll direct you to this post by Dave Arnold, and recommend you read his follow-ups as well.
TL;DR:
Thermodynamic equilibrium exists for a given combination of alcohol and water. You can get there faster by shaking than stirring, but how you shake won't make much of a difference so long as you use sufficient ice. The texture will be different due to aeration.
Also, check out his just released book Liquid Intelligence or Jeffrey Morgenthaler's The Bar Book if you would like a nuanced and researched discussion of cocktail science.
Dude, that's fantastic news. This comment immediately got me subscribed for updates.
Some other source recommendations off the top of my head...
Tiki drinks:
General cocktails:
...that's... not a bad list to get started. Good luck! I'll be interested to follow along with development.
Think autumn flavors... apples, ginger, baking spices, coffee, maple syrup, etc
Here are some suggestions, courtesy of Jeff Morgenthaler's The Bar Book
Flannel Shirt
13/4 oz/50 ml Scotch
11/2 oz/45 ml fresh apple cider
1/2 oz/15 ml Averna amaro
1/4 oz/7.5 ml fresh lemon juice
1 tsp/5 ml 2:1 Demerara syrup
1/2 tsp/2.5 ml St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake/Strain over fresh ice in old fashioned/Garnish with Orange Peel
Maple Old Fashioned
2 oz/60 ml Canadian whisky
1 tsp/5 ml 2:1 maple simple syrup (see page 78, made with maple syrup)
2 dashes Fee Brothers Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters (Angostura could be subbed here)
Stir/Strain over ice in old fashioned/Garnish with lemon peel
Autumn Leaves
3/4 oz/22.5 ml rye whiskey
3/4 oz/22.5 ml apple brandy
3/4 oz/22.5 ml sweet vermouth
1/4 oz/7.5 ml Strega liqueur
1 dash Cinnamon Tincture (Angostura could be subbed here)
Stir/Strain over ice in old fashioned/Garnish with orange peel
Revolver
2 oz/60 ml dry, spicy bourbon
1/2 oz/15 ml coffee liqueur
2 dashes Orange Bitters (Feegan's is a good option here)
Stir/Strain up/Garnish with flamed orange peel
Are you just bartending casually at home or are you looking to do it as a job in the future?
Jefferey Morgenthaler's book is great:https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Book-Elements-Cocktail-Technique/dp/145211384X
You'll want to get a jigger, I recommend oxo's graduated jigger, a barspoon, a mixing glass, a strainer, a set of shaker tins (get a small and a large, and seriously splurge for koriko not the other bullshit)
Those are all of the essentials, beyond that everything is fairly unnecessary but there are tons of other things you can buy. I guess a vegetable peeler could be handy for peels but you can just use a sharp paring knife for zest garnishes.
For glassware you can spend as much or as little as you want, depending on how much you care about appearance. When I first starting making drinks at home I had glasses for every variety of drink. I still have those glasses, but basically use these for everything, regardless if it's shaken stirred or whatever. Gimlets taste delicious out of them, manhattans taste delicious out of them.
One little handy thing I've found is these seagram's bottles. Buy a 6 pk of the little glass club soda bottles. Once you use the soda, rinse them out and they're perfect for storing syrups, juices, etc. Plastic caps won't deteriorate like metal will in other styles of bottlees. They're short so they fit in weird parts of your fridge, hold enough syrup for plenty of drinks, etc etc.
You said that you do not want a paid bartending gig, and that's good, because very few places will hire a person from bartending school, ANY bartending school. Those schools are a rip off.
But, you said that you just wanted to learn some bartending skills. You're in luck because that's easy . Pick up some good books on bartending and read them, make drinks, and share those drinks with your friends.
Jeffrey Morganthaler just put out a really good book on the craft of bartending, and I highly recommend it ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/145211384X?pc_redir=1405569504&robot_redir=1). Read this first.
Look at how much money and time I just saved you! Plus, you'll learn a lot more useful information.
Good luck!
Jeffrey Morganthaler's fantastic new book on cocktail techniques has a great little section on this (page 158). When dry shaking, he says to align your tin/glass (tin/tin) centrally, rather than at a slight angle as you usually would when sealing a boston shaker. He says this gives a better seal, as the tins wont contract as they would with ice.
I recommend reading Death & Co and The Bar Book.
The author of The Bar Book has this website you can check.
When I was learning (in a similar environment that OP described), I had a mentor teach me. I believe that is by far the best way to learn in any industry whether it be in the kitchen, behind the bar, on a construction site, etc.
In lieu of a mentor, there are several books worth picking up to bring up your knowledge, with the combination of internet research:
-Craft of the Cocktail
-Death & Co.
-Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails
-Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique
-Imbibe!
-The Drunken Botanist
-The Curious Bartender
-The Joy of Mixology
Some helpful links:
-Kindred Cocktails
-The Spirits Business
-Good Spirit News
-Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Blog
-Jamie Boudreau's Blog: not updated but still has good info.
The Bar Book - Jeffrey Morgenthaler teaches no bullshit techniques, recipes, and the reasons behind those techniques and recipes.
Liquid Intelligence - Dave Arnold goes full on science nerd on the art of making perfect cocktails.
Death and Co. - Excellent modern classic recipes.
Smuggler's Cover - Pretty much the only Tiki book you'll need nowadays.
Meehan's Bartender Manual - I just bought this as a present for someone, been flipping through it, really nice new book from Jim Meehan.
A Bar Above is pretty good, their podcast is good as well.
Morgenthaler's Blog, his Playboy stuff and his Food Republic stuff is worth checking out (as is his book. Go buy his book.)
Weirdly for some but Jamie Oliver's Drinks Tube can be a good resource, better than almost all drinks videos out there and a decent range of stuff. It's meant for the 'home bartender' but there's plenty there to learn, once you sift through the Bacardi product placement.
Go pick up the book 12 Bottle Bar by the Solmonson's, work your way through that, then pick up The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and work your way through that. Then if you want to get all crazy on recipes get the PDT app on your iPhone or pick up the PDT or Death and Co books if you don't have an iPhone. Then if you want to get crazy with techniques... Pick up Liquid Intelligence
Brand suggestions?
Bourbon - Old Granddad or Buffalo Trace
Scotch - Famous Grouse Blended and Laphroaig 10
Irish Whiskey - Bushmills
Brandy - Paul Masson VSOP
Cognac - Jacques Cardin VSOP Cognac
Vodka - Tito's
Gin - Aviation/New Amsterdam and Tanqueray
Tequila - All the Espolon stuff for Blanco, Reposado, Anejo
Mezcal - Del Maguey Vida
Rum - Flor De Cana 4 year+Plantation 5 year+Myers (people may scoff at Myers, but it's a signature style in a way, good for the price too)
Vermouth - Dolin Dry Vermouth and Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Keep them in the fridge after opening!)
Bitters - Angostura, Regan's Orange bitters
Others - Campari, St. Germain, Benedictine, Pernod Pastis, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Non-alcoholic - Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Fever Tree Ginger Beer, Fever Tree Tonic Water, Fever Tree Seltzer, Eggs, Cream, Orange Blossom Water
Watch small screen network's videos, read jeffrey morgenthaler's blog, and keep an open mind.
Don't know if I missed anything.
https://www.amazon.ca/Bar-Book-Elements-Cocktail-Technique/dp/145211384X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=the+bar+book&qid=1571369884&sprefix=the+bar+&sr=8-1
The Bar Book is a great book.
I don't really have any specific rules, per say, other than drink what you like. If you read enough around here, you'll notice that vodka doesn't exactly get put up on a pedestal by many. I personally find I use gin in almost any situation that calls for vodka so I don't really sweat which brand I have in the house (currently Tito's).
As for tequila, it's not so much about avoiding gold tequila (my house tequila is the lunazul reposado which is a gold tequila), it's making sure that you're using a quality 100% de agave tequila. Most brands that produce tequila this way will let you know somewhere on the label, but brands like espolon, lunazul, milagro are all safe bets. Otherwise, they're making the tequila from some percentage neutral grain spirit (typically distilled beet sugar) and adding tequila flavoring.
Read around here and on specific spirit subreddits to get further recommendations. I also recommend picking up a beginners cocktail book to give you an idea of which elements of your bar to stock first and prioritize what to buy later. 12 Bottle Bar focuses on what bottles to buy to make an array of classics. Bar Book is more focused on helping shape your technique and palate.
I am 100% all for the pursuit of knowledge behind the bar. I believe it's a great way to show initiative to get behind a craft bar, elevate your cocktail game, and just to learn something cool. Feel free to message me if you have questions on where to get started, what to do after you've read some of these books, what to expect when you're working your way up, etc. I'd be more than happy to lend some helpful advice!
Here are some of the books I'd recommend:
"The Bar Book" by Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I'd start here if you're interested in and are brand new to craft cocktails. Morgenthaler's Bar Book is threaded with great insight on what and why certain techniques are used behind the bar and is riddled with beautiful photography.
"Imbibe!" by Dave Wondrich
Hands down, the first book you should read if you want to get into the lore behind craft drinks. It opens up with the story of our great forefather, Jeffrey Thomas, and then continues to discuss the various eras of bartending and what they represent, as well as the drinks within those eras.
"Craft Cocktails at Home" by Kevin Liu
If Bar Book is your high school Geometry, Liu's, "Craftcocktails at Home" is your college Linear Algebra class. Provides you with hard science on what exactly going on in the glass if we shake VS stir or the happenings in an egg-based drink. Awesome read.
"How's Your Drink" by Eric Felten
Felten runs through history and entertains with stories behind some of the biggest drinks in cocktails. Did you know the Vesper (a vodka/gin Martini hybrid of sorts) was created in a Jame's Bond book and was named after the sultry villain? That President Theodore Roosevelt loved himself a good mint julep and even had his own mint bed to supply himself plenty when he wanted one? Fun read.
"Drunken Botanist" by Amy Stewart
Alcohol is derived from things. This is the best book that talks about those things. Agave, Juniper, Barley, Cinchona Bark. Understand the drink from a Botanist's point of view.
"Bitters" by Brad Thomas Parsons
Bitters are an incredible way to add both aromatics and flavor into a cocktail. This book will help you not only understand what they are and what they do, but will kickstart your own bitter brewing process if desired. Homemade Orange Bitters kick ass.
Barsmarts
Last but not least, Barsmarts is a great online tool to help rundown the basis of what we with cocktails. It goes through the various spirits, a brief look at cocktail history, and even has a "drink builder". Definitely worth the $30.
Book-wise, I'd recommend picking up the Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler. It's pretty easy to find recipes online and there's no shortage of great classic and craft cocktail books, but the bar book covers techniques that would otherwise take a lot of time and experience to pick up.
The Bar Book by Morgenthaler.
https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Book-Elements-Cocktail-Technique/dp/145211384X
You’re welcome! If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler ( u/le_cigare_volant ). It’s emphasis is on technique with some science and history thrown in while discarding a lot of the pretentiousness that comes with this stuff.
This is a good read for any bartender IMO https://www.amazon.com/dp/145211384X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5Cb6AbNZ0SHGG
I'm not sure there's going to be a concrete answer for this.
Mostly it's just because of a change in drinking tastes in the last five years or so. A lot of cities are seeing a reemergence of the classic American cocktail. As the Millennial generation continues to age (graduate school, settle into work, explore social bar scenes), many are less interested in two ingredient collins drinks and more interested in craft cocktails. Because of this desire for more "artisan" drinks, there has been a growth in craft beers and liquors. We're seeing more and more small batch gins, whiskeys, tequila, vodkas, etc. With this growth comes clubs, and conventions where craftsmen, brewers, distillers, and hobbyists can get together to share knowledge and have a good time.
If you're interested in cocktails there are resources like The Savoy Cocktail Book, [The Bar Book] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/145211384X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), and The Drunken Botanist.
Most of my knowledge comes from an interest in cocktails after years of working as a server and more recently as a bartender.
This is the Rum Old Fashioned from Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Bar Book. In the book, Jeffrey uses homemade orange bitters (the recipe for which is also in the book). I haven't gotten around to making those yet, so I used Angostura Orange instead.
Jeffrey also specifies 12-year-old rum for the recipe, but I suppose you could use any good sipping rum for this cocktail.
To expand on this a bit, here's an excerpt from Jeffrey Morgenthaler's excellent new book with a few more examples of matching the sweetener and bitters to the spirit to make an old fashioned.
Here's what I'd buy if getting a home bar set up quickly with good stuff but not spending a ton.
Beefeater gin, Tito's vodka, Angostura 7yr rum or Barbancourt 8yr, (I don't know tequila, sorry), (don't get TN whiskey) Old Grand Dad Bourbon (get the 100 proof if possible), Rittenhouse Rye, Johnny Walker black scotch (JW black is very middle of the road, but I'm assuming you are not an accomplished scotch drinker), (I wouldn't bother with Irish Whiskey unless you particularly like it, and definitely don't bother with Canadian).
You should also get: Angostura bitters, Orange bitters, sweet & dry vermouths (Nolly Prat is fine). You may want to consider some liqueurs that are common in cocktails, such as Contreau (needed for Margaritas), Campari (Negronis), Absinthe (Sazeracs), etc. I always have a bottle of green Chartreuse, but it's not cheap. You will also want limes, lemons and oranges for garnishes and juice. You will need sugar, you can usually use cubes or you can make a simple syrup. Keep the syrup and the vermouths in the fridge. If you don't have one, you may want a basic bar tools set.
I would recommend getting The Bar Book to learn techniques and some good recipies as well. Start with classic cocktails, learn them well, and go on from there: the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, the Martini, the Daiquiri, etc.
Good luck!
One of my current favourite cocktails is arguably a "Reverse Manhattan with absinthe instead of bitters".
/r/Cocktails
Liquid Intelligence is fascinating if you're a science/chem type.
The Bar Book and similar books.
The piece of equipment that I decided wasn’t being used enough in my kitchen is my mandolin. I got it in a 4 blade set from Oxo. In order to really delve into it, I decided to make 3 dishes which featured the mandolin. First, I decided to make these mini-potatoes Anna. These were really easy and incredibly delicious. The paper-thin potato slices were melt in your mouth bites of deliciousness. I next wanted to make some kind of chip, but didn’t want to use potatoes again. Instead, I made these baked beet chips. I liked them because I didn’t have to fry anything. They took way longer than expected to crisp up (like 30 minutes or so) but ended up tasting a lot like potato chips with a slightly earthier flavor. Finally, for my main course, I wanted to make something with zucchini noodles. I have been trying to make more vegetable dishes and this seemed like a great opportunity to try this out. I went with this zucchini lasagna recipe. I did make a number of changes to the dish, as suggested by many of the commenters. To start, I added a couple cloves of garlic into the onions. Instead of a 28 ounce can of tomatoes, I went with a 15 ounce can, and then started adding things. I added a handful of minced sun-dried tomatoes, an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce, a squeeze of tomato paste, a squeeze of chili pepper paste, and a large splash of the pasta sauce I had in my fridge. I also added some parmesan and mozzarella to the ricotta layers and topped the thing with some mozzarella. This was delicious and I will definitely be making it again in the future.
For my MetaTheme, I wanted to finally use the Boston Shaker that I have had in my bar cabinet for a couple of years now. This also let me use another piece of underused equipment, my Hawthorne Strainer. Because I was going to use the shaker as my theme equipment, I needed a cocktail that really featured the shaker. In my mind, that means a cocktail with an egg white in it (which needs a dry shake). I decided to go with a Whiskey Sour because it is one of my favorite drinks, when done well, and I somehow haven’t done it in the 93 weeks I have been making cocktails to go with my theme dishes. I had to crack out two different books for this one. I used Liquid Intelligence for the recipe but needed my Bar Book to learn the technique behind using a Boston Shaker. This was a great recipe with the right balance of sweet, sour, and smokey.
They teach you the "easy way", and by easy way I mean using sour mix and taking shortcuts like that. There are plenty of good resources online and amazing cocktail books you can buy that have the original recipes for classic cocktails, as well as the proper way to do things behind the bar.
Learn from reputable sources and from good bartenders. If you're interested here's a couple good reads:
As far as knowledge goes, you can learn a lot from reading and studying. For me personally, I love this kind of stuff and I'm constantly trying to learn as much as I can so I could hardly say it feels like actual studying. As for technical skills, learn from people better than you. No matter how good you get, there is always someone out there you can learn from. A lot of how I work I've picked up from watching great bartenders, everything from small stuff like the way I carry a bottle to the way I move behind the bar has come from watching, learning and implementing it into how I bartend.
Outside your list, but I would recommend a couple books if they don't already occupy your shelves:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bar-Book-Elements-Technique/dp/145211384X
and
http://www.amazon.com/The-PDT-Cocktail-Book-Bartenders/dp/1402779232
This book will get you about 90% there as far as technique.
Awesome! Let me know how you like it, or if you got any questions. While you're buying stuff, if you like his blog, pick up Morgenthaler's new book its amazing.
I haven't done cocktails, but I've pulled sodas from the same tap system as my beer.
It will go better if you have a regulator that allows you to set multiple pressures. Soda/cocktails are carbonated at much higher volumes than beer. If you're just serving it solo, it'll work fine.
in Jeffrey Morgenthaler's recent book, he goes through his process for making large amounts of mojitos for a group. He does make a mint simple syrup, but there are a few abnormal techniques he uses to do it. I would pick up a copy of his book and do what he says. He's a smart guy and the book is great.
http://www.amazon.com/Bar-Book-Elements-Cocktail-Technique/dp/145211384X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462814437&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=moregenthaler
The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler