Reddit reviews The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy

We have a couple great cocktail bars and high-profile bartenders (Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Jacob Grier come to mind), and a lot more underrated ones, but PDT is world-class; Meehan's PDT cocktail book is a best-seller in the genre and highly regarded among cocktail makers.

Notably, Meehan may not even be the highest-profile east-to-west cocktail bartender move this month. John Gertsen of Boston's Drink, which won so many Tales of the Cocktail awards that it got retired out of the awards process, is moving to San Francisco.

I'm curious whether the PDT/east coast-style cocktail bar will work on the west coast, though, and especially in Portland, because there's too much competition from things like beers and ciders and straight spirits (and coffee!) that the east coast doesn't have. Even places like Clyde Common and Teardrop and Metrovino, which all have cocktail programs that would work well on the east coast, do presentation, service, and hospitality a little (and sometimes a lot) differently.

And people here get wonky over other food and drink things here--we have green coffee bean shops and tons of homebrew shops, while the east coast has more dedicated boutiques for home bars and high-end liquor stores with hand-picked selections. The culture isn't there; you don't have as many cocktail snobs in Portland because everyone's put all their snob points in coffee and beer and scotch and hiking boots or whatever.

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

Here are the ones I really like and recommend (in order of importance to me):

Absolute must buy (this is my go-to for most occasions): PDT

Great for groups of cocktail enthusists and people who just want something delicious: Craft Cocktail Party

Foundational book from the man, the myth, the legend (Dale Degroff): Craft of the Cocktail

Great summer drinking with bitter aperitifs as the base: Spirtz

This book has gotten me through many a tough situations after teaching 8th graders. It has a lot of good information and practical methods. Plus, it has tons of resources in case you don't know what you'd like to prep.

This Episode’s Cocktails:

Negroni

1.25 oz Beefeater 24 Gin
1.25 oz Campari
1.25 oz Carpano Antica

Stir with ice and strain over ice in a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

> via: PDT (and Negroni Week)

Manhattan

2 oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey
1 oz Carpano Antica
2 dashes Bitter Frost Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry.

If is just a hobby, get a recipe book like the PDT or The Craft of the Cocktail. They are both pretty easy to read.

Also chech out /r/cocktails. They are a bit tough with the newbies but be patient, if you ask politely they (we) will help you.

I also find myself referencing The PDT Cocktail Book and Bitters often when trying to come up with custom, original cocktails or modified versions.

I've also found trial and error to be a great friend in crafting a new cocktail. Sometimes a specific flavor from a bitters, specific spirit or fruit juice combination can knock a recipe up (or down)

I've found the Corpse Reviver #2 to be a fantastic drink to introduce people to the wonderful world of cocktails. Something else to consider is picking up the PDT cocktail book and letting her browse for something that catches her interest. It potentially would open up your own horizons as well.

I think the PDT cocktail book is pretty close to what you're looking for: http://www.amazon.com/The-PDT-Cocktail-Book-Bartenders/dp/1402779232

Check out the Amazon previews to see if that can fill your need. The introduction is lengthy at 40 pages but the cocktails are quality.

Thanks for the cocktail list pic.

Is that the Pennsylvania Dutch/Getaway?

If you liked the cocktails, pick up the PDT book by the menu’s creator, Jim Meehan.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1402779232/

Link to the book on Amazon for convenience.

Thanks for the suggestion!

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

http://www.amazon.com/Savoy-Cocktail-Book-Harry-Craddock/dp/1862057729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413281098&sr=8-1&keywords=savoy+cocktail+book

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Spirits-and-Forgotten-Cocktails/dp/B00BBFZCYM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413281148&sr=8-3&keywords=vintage+cocktails+and+forgotten+spirits

http://www.amazon.com/Jerry-Thomas-Bartenders-Guide-Companion/dp/1440453268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413281264&sr=8-1&keywords=jerry+thomas'+bartenders+guide+how+to+mix+drinks+1862+reprint+a+bon+vivant's+companion

http://www.amazon.com/Imbibe-Absinthe-Cocktail-Professor-American/dp/0399172610/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413281403&sr=8-2&keywords=imbibe+david+wondrich

http://amazon.com/The-PDT-Cocktail-Book-Bartenders/dp/1402779232/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413281591&sr=8-1&keywords=pdt+cocktail+book

Also Bar Smarts offers an online course for $29. https://barsmarts.com/

The list is fairly long...

My suggestions:

Jeff Morgenthaler's ( le_cigare_volant) The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique

Jim Meehan's Meehan's Bartender Manual & The PDT Cocktail Book

David Kaplan's Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails

These will get you going. The rest you'll have to learn on your feet.

For creativity, find some of the classic cocktail guides/books online for free. The Savoy Cocktail Book, The Gentleman's Companion and Harry's ABCs Of Mixing Cocktails are good places to start for historical reference. Remember, just because a recipe is in an old cocktail book doesn't automatically make it a classic. It makes it vintage. The classics are the one's that stand the test of time.

Death & Co has an entire chapter on nothing but "classic cocktails".

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You will have to look elsewhere for information on the "cocktails" of the 70s & 80s. You won't find a Slippery Nipple or Sex On The Beach in any of the above books. A reasonable reference is Gary Regan's (of bitters fame) The Bartender's Bible: 1001 Mixed Drinks and Everything You Need to Know to Set Up Your Bar

I would defer to the first 4 books for any discrepancies.

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Good Luck!

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that book while amazing and is really cool to have on hand, won't help you with what alot of people are making and drinking today.

I agree with kimuran here. its probably best to get a new book the [PDT Cocktail book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-PDT-Cocktail-Book-Bartenders/dp/1402779232) is a really good book for you to get to know what the current cocktail "style" is like.

The PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan