So you enjoy a dram or two, but do you know how whiskey is made? Do you understand how to nose and taste whiskey, and can you tell the difference between regional and national varieties? Pour yourself a measure, take a seat, and let Know It All Whiskey take you on a journey from the very first distillers to the latest brands around the world.
Know-It-All Whiskey demystifies the origins, history, production, and varieties of one of the world's favorite spirits. Compiled by whiskey experts, this beginner's guide serves up all you need to read the message in the bottle in 50 small nips--or rather, with 300 words and an image.
Entries explain everything from the history of whiskey production, including the ins and outs of the whiskey trade, to which foods to pair and which whiskey festivals to visit. Distilled with spirited graphics and supported by glossaries and biographies of key figures, here's how to enjoy whiskey--or whisky--from the single malts and blends of Scotland to their acclaimed Irish, North American, and Asian counterparts.
It's a quandary shared by adventurous and indecisive drinkers alike: What should I drink tonight?
Here to answer that question is Be Your Own Bartender. Through more than a dozen flowcharts, the book poses a series of questions designed to lead readers to their ideal drink. With more than 151 original recipes, there's a cocktail for every mood, taste, and occasion.
Are you after something tequila-based or gin-based? Do you like gin or really like gin? Are you ready to break out the muddler? And is your night winding down or just getting started? Whatever the answers, Be Your Own Bartender leads you to your destination--a cocktail effectively designed just for you. With some drinks that are truly adventurous and others that are friendlier to the cocktail novice, every recipe is created with the home bartender in mind.
Divided into chapters by spirit--with bonus flowcharts for brunch drinks, holiday parties, and true cocktail nerds--Be Your Own Bartender is the best way to discover the perfect cocktail for you, in a journey as user-friendly as it is fun.
Author Cassandra Reeder has created authentic real-life drinks and cocktails inspired by your favorite fantasy drinks. So, if you've found yourself craving Shimmerwine from Firefly, Black Frost Beer from Buffythe Vampire Slayer, Swanky Panky from Bob's Burgers, or Butterbeer from Harry Potter, you're about to quench your thirst in a galaxy far, far away.
Featuring more than 60 original cocktail recipes, you'll also learn edgy cocktail tricks, such as creating a "shimmer effect" in your liquor, giving a sparkle rim to your glass, and adding fire or mist to a cocktail, along with concocting simple syrups and ice-cube effects. Easy step-by-step instructions and fun-themed photos make these creative recipes perfect for your next party, season premiere get-together, or your standing reservation for a party of one. And for all you designated drivers, don't despair: The
Geeky Chef has plenty of imaginative tricks for making these yummy drinks alcohol-free.
Whether you're thirsting for adventure or just need your mana restored, The Geeky Chef Bartender has you covered
One hundred forty-four proof, notoriously addictive, and the drug of choice for nineteenth-century poets, absinthe is gaining bootleg popularity after almost a century of being banned. Due to popular demand, Absinthe: History in a Bottle is back in paperback with a handsome new cover. Like the author's bestselling The Martini and The Cigar, it is a potent brew of wild nights and social history, fact and trivia, gorgeous art and beautiful artifacts. As intoxicating as its subject, Absinthe makes a memorable gift for anyone who knows how to celebrate vice.
When the days grow longer and the air gets crisp, it's time to gather with friends for drinks that'll put a rosy glow on your cheeks. In Winter Cocktails, Mar a del Mar Sacasa and Tara Striano share more than 100 seasonal recipes for cold-weather cocktails, like Hot Buttered Rum, English Christmas Punch, Pumpkin-Bourbon Eggnog, Irish Coffee, Coquito, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, the Old-Fashioned (and the New-Fangled ), Mama's Remedy, and the Kentucky Baby.
Detailed, in-depth chapters cover hot toddies, mulled wines, and mulled ciders; spiked hot chocolates, eggnogs, coffees, and teas; punches and pitchers for serving a crowd; and chilled winter cocktails that have a magical warming effect. Foolproof recipes for infused liquors, simple syrups, and from-scratch ingredients like Fresh Tomato Juice and Homemade Sour Mix make it easy to craft drinks from the bottom up. Plus, you'll find ideas for elegant cocktail party bites that make pairing drinks and snacks a snap. Party prep is a breeze thanks to guides to pantry and fridge basics, the well-stocked bar, must-have tools, serveware, and glassware, plus tips for sourcing local and hard-to-find ingredients. Beautiful and instructive step-by-step photos explain essential techniques like muddling, prepping garnishes, making ice molds, and opening champagne. Whether you're throwing a party, lounging at a ski lodge, camping on a mountain, or just curling up with a good book on a blustery night, Winter Cocktails is sure to make the season bright.
--Jeffrey Morganthaler, author of The Bar Book and Drinking Distilled
In Bourbon Curious: A Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker, award-winning whiskey writer and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Fred Minnick creates an easy-to-read interactive tasting journey that helps you select barrel-aged bourbons based on your flavor preferences. Using the same tasting principles he offers in his Kentucky Derby Museum classes and as a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Minnick cuts to the chase, dismissing brand marketing and judging only the flavor of this all-American whiskey.
Bourbon Curious groups bourbon into four main flavor profiles--grain, nutmeg, caramel, and cinnamon. While many bourbons boast all four flavor notes, one delicious sensation typically overpowers the rest. This book reveals more than 50 bourbon brands' predominate tastes and suggests cocktail recipes to complement them. In addition, Minnick spends some time busting bourbon's myths; unraveling its mysteries; and exploring distiller secrets, disclosing the recipes you won't find on a bottle's label.
This updated edition contains all the best new bourbons and revised tasting notes on any bourbons that have undergone a substantial change since the original edition. And like good-tasting bourbon, Bourbon Curious is approachable to all
Would you like to better appreciate fine distilled spirits? Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies is your complete guide to selecting and enjoying this family of noble beverages, flavor by flavor. From whiskey, rum, and brandy to vodka, gin, and cordials, this handy reference traces the history of distilled spirits, explains how they are made, and shows you how to evaluate, serve, and savor them.
Ever wonder why the Irish spell it "whiskey" and the Scottish "whisky"? This friendly book tells you as it reveals where the first whiskeys -- or "dark" spirits -- originated and how they came to the United States. It also explores the origins of clear spirits and the different varieties of each. You'll compare American and European vodkas, see how to make the new and improved all-purpose Martini, and follow the spread of flavored rums across the globe. A slew of sidebars give you fascinating tidbits of information about these spirits. You'll also discover how to:
- Become a sophisticated taster
- Shop for the best spirits
- Select the right mixers
- Use spirits in cooking
- Make ten classic cocktails
- Choose and taste cordials and liqueurs
- Know the nutrients in one serving of each type of distilled spirit
- Present spirits to guests
- Set up tasting events at home
This thorough guide also features recipes for cooking with spirits, offering menu choices such as entrees, vegetables, and desserts that all include at least one type of spirit. Complete with an appendix of craft distillers across the United States, Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies will give you the knowledge and hands-on guidance you need to become a connoisseur of such greats as fine Scotch, Bourbon, and Cognac in no time
