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The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft
An original book on the craft of mixology is a rare gem. Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan’s breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders—both professionals and amateurs alike—not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own.
For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula.
In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you’ll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders’ wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you’ll feel as though you’re behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare.
With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.
For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula.
In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you’ll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders’ wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you’ll feel as though you’re behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare.
With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 29, 2023
Where the first edition of this book is a bartending classic and a delightful accidental time capsule that preserved the state of cocktails as of the mid‐1990s, this updated manual is an odd mix of then and now. For the most part the changes are for the better: Mr Regan may still advocate free‐pouring, but he’s added a new, prominently placed essay addressing harassment in the workplace. Mr Regan retains his liberal use of personal anecdotes, and while many still involve close friends, most of those that are new spotlight prominent cocktail theorists and writers like Dave Arnold and Jim Meehan. Some of the editing has gotten worse (I found one sentence that was unchanged except for a comma that was wrongly introduced), but the substantive changes are admirable.
Similarly, the cocktail recipe section is improved inconsistently. Numerous saccharine drinks with cringe‐inducing names like Angel’s Tit have been remove, and newly introduced drinks include some present‐day staples like the Aperol Spritz, but a larger fraction are pet creations of Mr. Regan and his favorite bartenders. Many popular‐again classics like the Boulevardier and the New York Sour remain inexplicably absent, and the few cocktails that appear in both editions are inconsistently handled. The Pegu Club and the Sidecar, sibling cocktails of the daisy family, were both spec'd in the first edition using Gaz's questionable 4:2:1 sour ratio. The former has been brilliantly rectified under the guidance of Audrey Sanders, but the latter apparently had no champion of its own and remains unchanged.
I tip my hat to Mr Regan, who clearly threw himself into this second and improved edition and spared no elbow grease, but given that neither edition’s recipe section is a trustworthy reference, I favor the charm of the timecapsule first edition. That said, the heart of Joy is Mr Regan’s hard-earned knowledge of working behind the bar, and thankfully those kernels of wisdom come through well in both editions.
Similarly, the cocktail recipe section is improved inconsistently. Numerous saccharine drinks with cringe‐inducing names like Angel’s Tit have been remove, and newly introduced drinks include some present‐day staples like the Aperol Spritz, but a larger fraction are pet creations of Mr. Regan and his favorite bartenders. Many popular‐again classics like the Boulevardier and the New York Sour remain inexplicably absent, and the few cocktails that appear in both editions are inconsistently handled. The Pegu Club and the Sidecar, sibling cocktails of the daisy family, were both spec'd in the first edition using Gaz's questionable 4:2:1 sour ratio. The former has been brilliantly rectified under the guidance of Audrey Sanders, but the latter apparently had no champion of its own and remains unchanged.
I tip my hat to Mr Regan, who clearly threw himself into this second and improved edition and spared no elbow grease, but given that neither edition’s recipe section is a trustworthy reference, I favor the charm of the timecapsule first edition. That said, the heart of Joy is Mr Regan’s hard-earned knowledge of working behind the bar, and thankfully those kernels of wisdom come through well in both editions.
October 12, 2018
This book, 14 years old at the time I'm reading it, has not aged well. Like a sci-fi yarn set in a moon colony full of cigarettes and blonde secretaries, what what meant to be a forward-looking work has become an accidental historical relic. The recipes include an excess of 1990s dross while omitting a number of classics that have since the book's publication become staples. The subtle denigration of jiggering (except in the case of the margarita for some reason) is vexing. The various histories are told with some flair, but enough apocrypha since overturned by David Wondrich is present that it's probably safer to bypass these pages entirely.
And yet…there is a rigor (or at least an attempt at rigor) here that may be yet unequaled. Mr Regan's data-driven taxonomy of cocktails doesn't always hit the mark, but there's a clearly thoughtful structure in a place where other bar manuals merely sort by base spirit or throw in the towel altogether and go alphabetically. His table of liquor densities may be irrelevant in a post-pousse-café world, but its presence underscores his dedication to drilling for new veins of relevant knowledge.
Unless you're planning to write your own cocktail manual or open an authentic '90s bar, The Joy of Mixology is probably a much less valuable book than the newly released Meehan's Bartender Manual . But there is certainly a great deal to admire here.
Update: A revised edition was released in 2018.
And yet…there is a rigor (or at least an attempt at rigor) here that may be yet unequaled. Mr Regan's data-driven taxonomy of cocktails doesn't always hit the mark, but there's a clearly thoughtful structure in a place where other bar manuals merely sort by base spirit or throw in the towel altogether and go alphabetically. His table of liquor densities may be irrelevant in a post-pousse-café world, but its presence underscores his dedication to drilling for new veins of relevant knowledge.
Unless you're planning to write your own cocktail manual or open an authentic '90s bar, The Joy of Mixology is probably a much less valuable book than the newly released Meehan's Bartender Manual . But there is certainly a great deal to admire here.
Update: A revised edition was released in 2018.
September 11, 2022
I really loved the first section about history, and I found the glossary / detailed explanations very helpful and comprehensible. However, I can't say I agree much with the author's own personal advice regarding customer service - in particular, the notion that the customer is always right the first time, and that if a customer complains that there isn't enough liquor then you should give more (but explain that next time you can only give your standard pour.) As much as I enjoyed parts of this book, the suggestions that bartenders should look for "how love can prevail" in the bar felt naive and a bit patronising.
November 3, 2021
I have a tattoo at the back of my spine with coordinates of a (now defunct) London cocktail bar institution, where I spent many a time imbibing in my 20s. (Luckily it’s been replaced by a decent enough cocktail bar and not a brothel). A bartender cum friend gave me a signed copy first edition of this book when the bar closed in 2016.
Informative, slightly reflective and absolutely a hoot to read through and serve as a guide once you’ve mastered three or four of the non-classics.
Informative, slightly reflective and absolutely a hoot to read through and serve as a guide once you’ve mastered three or four of the non-classics.
January 9, 2022
Un libro fundamental para vivir y conocer el maravilloso mundo de embrutecerse con alcohol.
10/5
10/5
Want to read
June 28, 2022SAZERAC
FAMILY: ORPHANS || The Sazerac Company of New
Orleans pins down 1850 for the creation of this drink
and says it was served at the Sazerac Coffee House in
the French Quarter. Stanley Clisby Arthur, author of
Famous New Orleans Drinks & How to Mix ’em, wrote
that Leon Lamothe was the bartender who first made
the drink. He suggests that Lamothe merely added the
absinthe component to the cocktail of brandy, sugar,
and Peychaud’s bitters that Peychaud himself is credited
with serving as early as 1838. That brandy was the
original base liquor is agreed upon by the Sazerac
Company, which has a photograph of an early bottling
of premixed Sazerac Cocktails. On the label, these words
can be found: “Sazerac Cocktail, Prepared and bottled
by Thomas H. Handy, Limited, Sole Proprietors.
Guaranteed…under the food and drugs act, June 30,
1906. Martini.” We don’t know exactly when this bottle
was issued, but we can be sure that it was prior to the
onset of Prohibition in 1920; and already, cocktails other
than a mixture of gin and vermouth were being referred
to as Martinis, a phenomenon that’s usually attributed to
the 1990s.
We aren’t quite sure when straight rye whiskey
replaced the brandy in this drink, but it’s possible that
the phylloxera blight that devastated European vineyards
that began just before the 1860s, and continued until
the mid-1870s, had something to do with it. The
Sazerac Company’s records indicate that the change
occurred during the 1870s.
The ritual of making this drink involves chilling an
old-fashioned glass with crushed ice, muddling sugar into
the bitters in another glass, adding ice and whiskey to
the bitters, and stirring the mixture to chill and dilute it.
The ice is then discarded from the first glass, the glass
is rinsed with absinthe and filled with fresh crushed ice,
and the chilled whiskey is strained into the absinthe-rinsed glass.
Finally, a twist of lemon is added,
though some old recipes dictate that the twist not be
dropped into the drink—just its oils should be released
onto the drink’s surface.
Sazerac aficionados have come up with various
changes in the methodology of making this classic drink,
and not wanting to be left out, I’m going to prescribe
that the Sazerac be served straight up in a champagne
flute—or a cocktail glass, if you must—simply because
newcomers to the drink might be more tempted to try
it if the glassware is a little more elegant. If you’d like
to sample the original drink made with cognac, select a
dryish bottling such as Hennessy or Hine, rather than
fruitier brandies like Courvoisier.
3 ounces straight rye whiskey
¾ ounce simple syrup
2 to 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Absinthe, to rinse the glass
1 lemon twist, for garnish
STIR AND STRAIN into a chilled, absinthe-rinsed
champagne flute. Add the garnish
FAMILY: ORPHANS || The Sazerac Company of New
Orleans pins down 1850 for the creation of this drink
and says it was served at the Sazerac Coffee House in
the French Quarter. Stanley Clisby Arthur, author of
Famous New Orleans Drinks & How to Mix ’em, wrote
that Leon Lamothe was the bartender who first made
the drink. He suggests that Lamothe merely added the
absinthe component to the cocktail of brandy, sugar,
and Peychaud’s bitters that Peychaud himself is credited
with serving as early as 1838. That brandy was the
original base liquor is agreed upon by the Sazerac
Company, which has a photograph of an early bottling
of premixed Sazerac Cocktails. On the label, these words
can be found: “Sazerac Cocktail, Prepared and bottled
by Thomas H. Handy, Limited, Sole Proprietors.
Guaranteed…under the food and drugs act, June 30,
1906. Martini.” We don’t know exactly when this bottle
was issued, but we can be sure that it was prior to the
onset of Prohibition in 1920; and already, cocktails other
than a mixture of gin and vermouth were being referred
to as Martinis, a phenomenon that’s usually attributed to
the 1990s.
We aren’t quite sure when straight rye whiskey
replaced the brandy in this drink, but it’s possible that
the phylloxera blight that devastated European vineyards
that began just before the 1860s, and continued until
the mid-1870s, had something to do with it. The
Sazerac Company’s records indicate that the change
occurred during the 1870s.
The ritual of making this drink involves chilling an
old-fashioned glass with crushed ice, muddling sugar into
the bitters in another glass, adding ice and whiskey to
the bitters, and stirring the mixture to chill and dilute it.
The ice is then discarded from the first glass, the glass
is rinsed with absinthe and filled with fresh crushed ice,
and the chilled whiskey is strained into the absinthe-rinsed glass.
Finally, a twist of lemon is added,
though some old recipes dictate that the twist not be
dropped into the drink—just its oils should be released
onto the drink’s surface.
Sazerac aficionados have come up with various
changes in the methodology of making this classic drink,
and not wanting to be left out, I’m going to prescribe
that the Sazerac be served straight up in a champagne
flute—or a cocktail glass, if you must—simply because
newcomers to the drink might be more tempted to try
it if the glassware is a little more elegant. If you’d like
to sample the original drink made with cognac, select a
dryish bottling such as Hennessy or Hine, rather than
fruitier brandies like Courvoisier.
3 ounces straight rye whiskey
¾ ounce simple syrup
2 to 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Absinthe, to rinse the glass
1 lemon twist, for garnish
STIR AND STRAIN into a chilled, absinthe-rinsed
champagne flute. Add the garnish
August 8, 2019
The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan is a fantastic cocktail reference book. The book groups cocktails into families which makes them easier to comprehend in relation to each other, as well as sets a foundation for the reader create his or her own drinks with similar compositions. The book also contains helpful information tables such as one that lists spirits and liqueurs in order of density, which could be invaluable to anyone who wishes to attempt a layered (a.k.a. Pousse-Café) drink. I will definitely be keeping this book around for any time I need to refresh on basic mixology theory or find a classic recipe.
I am not a bartender by trade, nor is it the late 90's or early 2000's, and thus the chapter about service was not quite applicable; however, I did find it amusing to read about and imagine Regan's idealized, yet antiquated version of the 90's bartender. The first chapter discusses history of the, using Regan's own vernacular, "cocktailian" craft, and though it had interesting tidbits and anachronisms galore, I found it somewhat too dense and a bit of a slog to get through. Regardless, this book is one of the most renowned about the topic, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in mixology.
I realize a revised version of this book has come out more recently so this review only applies to the 2003 copyrighted edition.
I am not a bartender by trade, nor is it the late 90's or early 2000's, and thus the chapter about service was not quite applicable; however, I did find it amusing to read about and imagine Regan's idealized, yet antiquated version of the 90's bartender. The first chapter discusses history of the, using Regan's own vernacular, "cocktailian" craft, and though it had interesting tidbits and anachronisms galore, I found it somewhat too dense and a bit of a slog to get through. Regardless, this book is one of the most renowned about the topic, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in mixology.
I realize a revised version of this book has come out more recently so this review only applies to the 2003 copyrighted edition.
April 25, 2024
Everything you need to know about mixing cocktails.
Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails... Cocktails, Everybody!
My buddy who's a bartender recommended this to me when I expressed interest in learning how to mix cocktails. It's got a bunch of good cocktail recipes and historical context for most of them (if you're into that kind of thing).
Interestingly, in the first few pages, Gary describes bartenders as being "Ganymedes", a young boy (remember this) who is the immortal cupbearer of Olympus in Greek mythology. This comparison is one you would probably avoid after reading Robert Graves's take on Ganymedes.
Robert posits that Ganymedes was a character created by the Greeks/Romans much later on and "retconned" back into the mythology to legitimize their rampant pederasty. Have fun with that information.
Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails... Cocktails, Everybody!
My buddy who's a bartender recommended this to me when I expressed interest in learning how to mix cocktails. It's got a bunch of good cocktail recipes and historical context for most of them (if you're into that kind of thing).
Interestingly, in the first few pages, Gary describes bartenders as being "Ganymedes", a young boy (remember this) who is the immortal cupbearer of Olympus in Greek mythology. This comparison is one you would probably avoid after reading Robert Graves's take on Ganymedes.
Robert posits that Ganymedes was a character created by the Greeks/Romans much later on and "retconned" back into the mythology to legitimize their rampant pederasty. Have fun with that information.
November 29, 2022
A good starting book to learn about the art and joy of cocktail-making. The book informs us of history of cocktail. Then it proceeds to educate the readers on the basic and fundamental principles of working behind the bar as a cocktailian bartender. The book then ends with many classic and modern recipes of cocktails. The content of the book is easy to follow. The design of the book is classy and appealing to the eyes. Highly recommended to those who love cocktails and wanna try dipping their toes to the bartending profession.
August 8, 2023
Solid book, great history on cocktails and allows reader to gain knowledge of the craft as well as building a base foundation of knowledge that encourages further curiosity.
Only reason it’s not rated higher is I struggle to use a book to further increase skills behind the bar. The majority of the book is basic knowledge and the other half is recipes (I’d recommend regans bartender Bible for this purpose)
Only reason it’s not rated higher is I struggle to use a book to further increase skills behind the bar. The majority of the book is basic knowledge and the other half is recipes (I’d recommend regans bartender Bible for this purpose)
May 6, 2020
Aside from recipes, this book consists of the history of cocktails (as a category and individually), how-tos and supply lists, and advice on becoming a bartender. I found the histories interesting and the recipes intriguing.
September 10, 2022
Besides being a very strong book on presenting cocktail recipes it covers a lot of other interesting topics of the bartender's craft AND, surprisingly, on other more important general life ones. Some examples: how to communicate, how to manage conflicts and even how to meditate!
January 29, 2019
Enjoyable classic book on cocktails and bartending. Long and detailed, but in a good way if you are interested in the subject and lore of bartending.
August 17, 2019
Provides not only the precise ideal recipe for every classic, but a clear & comprehensive guide to fundamentals of mixological expertise
August 16, 2023
People lying about having a drinking problem. Very insightful!
October 9, 2009
Thoughtfully written cocktail book that divides drinks into related families, giving the reader a framework to create new drinks. History of mixed drinks, Prohibition, and instruction/description on barware, glassware, garnishing, and drink recipes.
Probably the most useful section of the book is the chart of drink families, which gives a lot of room for ideas you may have on drinks that you can make that you/others might like. I also found the section on Prohibition to be evocative and very interesting. I knew about how booze made its way into the country and was made IN the country at the time, but not really how people drank it.
There is no attempt to index the drinks by primary or secondary ingredients. If you look at the charts, it's not really a big problem to find yourself a drink by spirit (gin, vodka, etc.) If you know one of the secondary ingredients but not the name of a drink or if you want to know how other people have combined a secondary ingredient? FORGET IT. You just have to flip through the book. You can use the internet to get around most of that, but really, there's no reason this couldn't have a better index.
On a related note, it would be nice to even have a secondary grouping of drinks by flavor (drinks that are fruity, drinks that are savory, drinks that are nutty, etc.) I could enjoy drinking 'international sours' for a long time, but sometimes I just want something LEMONY and I want to know what is out there that is already created that is what I want. You can't neccessarily do that quickly with the book. It depends on what you are looking for, sometimes the families of drinks will help you find a drink, and sometimes not.
The book also does not teach you how to think about how and why drinks go horribly wrong and how they can be fixed or adjusted (which could be taught, I think). That is not something that has to be in the book. But if you were looking for it, it is not here.
So to recap... the focus is how to MAKE your own drink, but not to neccessarily FIND it. I would recommend the book. But I hope it will be released someday in digital format or rereleased with a better index.
Probably the most useful section of the book is the chart of drink families, which gives a lot of room for ideas you may have on drinks that you can make that you/others might like. I also found the section on Prohibition to be evocative and very interesting. I knew about how booze made its way into the country and was made IN the country at the time, but not really how people drank it.
There is no attempt to index the drinks by primary or secondary ingredients. If you look at the charts, it's not really a big problem to find yourself a drink by spirit (gin, vodka, etc.) If you know one of the secondary ingredients but not the name of a drink or if you want to know how other people have combined a secondary ingredient? FORGET IT. You just have to flip through the book. You can use the internet to get around most of that, but really, there's no reason this couldn't have a better index.
On a related note, it would be nice to even have a secondary grouping of drinks by flavor (drinks that are fruity, drinks that are savory, drinks that are nutty, etc.) I could enjoy drinking 'international sours' for a long time, but sometimes I just want something LEMONY and I want to know what is out there that is already created that is what I want. You can't neccessarily do that quickly with the book. It depends on what you are looking for, sometimes the families of drinks will help you find a drink, and sometimes not.
The book also does not teach you how to think about how and why drinks go horribly wrong and how they can be fixed or adjusted (which could be taught, I think). That is not something that has to be in the book. But if you were looking for it, it is not here.
So to recap... the focus is how to MAKE your own drink, but not to neccessarily FIND it. I would recommend the book. But I hope it will be released someday in digital format or rereleased with a better index.
March 28, 2007
I absolutely adore this book. Half of the book is committed to the history of and concepts around cocktails and their creation. This book changed my approach to mixing drinks and the categorization of drinks it provides is invaluable in understanding how drinks are related to one another and why. While the ingredients for the cocktails can be esoteric because the book attempts to go back to the original recipes (Bitters of all sorts were mixers of choice when cocktails were born), the cocktail recipes are all classic and well-balanced. The Aviation cocktail (below) is worth the price of admission alone:
_________________________________
In a shaker filled with ice mix:
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur (took me forever to find, but there's no adequate substitute)
Shake very well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
----------------------------------
This is the first cocktail I ever tasted whose complexity and depth of flavor blew me away.
_________________________________
In a shaker filled with ice mix:
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur (took me forever to find, but there's no adequate substitute)
Shake very well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
----------------------------------
This is the first cocktail I ever tasted whose complexity and depth of flavor blew me away.
January 10, 2022
not the best
I can’t believe how many great reviews this book gets. There were some good points and a handful of interesting drinks, so I don’t feel I wasted my time. But it definitely feels like he watches a bit too much Oprah (very self-congratulatory), although it could have been worse. It’s not like he doesn’t acknowledge other orange bitters (and in fact doesn’t specify most of the time). But there was something that just irked me while reading this, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. And it’s “El” Floridita, not “La,” which I realize is weird since Florida is feminine. But even aside from that mis-gender issue, el and la both mean “the,” so why he listed “La” Floridita in the Ls, instead of the Fs is strange. Lastly I will only ever offer a 5 star rating to a bartending book that acknowledges that aquafaba is a perfect substitute for eggs for people who don’t have access to scrupulously fresh and clean eggs (or those who avoid them).
I can’t believe how many great reviews this book gets. There were some good points and a handful of interesting drinks, so I don’t feel I wasted my time. But it definitely feels like he watches a bit too much Oprah (very self-congratulatory), although it could have been worse. It’s not like he doesn’t acknowledge other orange bitters (and in fact doesn’t specify most of the time). But there was something that just irked me while reading this, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. And it’s “El” Floridita, not “La,” which I realize is weird since Florida is feminine. But even aside from that mis-gender issue, el and la both mean “the,” so why he listed “La” Floridita in the Ls, instead of the Fs is strange. Lastly I will only ever offer a 5 star rating to a bartending book that acknowledges that aquafaba is a perfect substitute for eggs for people who don’t have access to scrupulously fresh and clean eggs (or those who avoid them).
November 1, 2014
This is more than a recipe book. Gary Regan organizes drinks into families and categories so those who are interested can better understand how drinks are assembled for better balanced flavor. Constructing drinks is more than just pouring liquids. Gary Regan's research teaches the basics of mixing a great drink in an easy to understand, conversational tone. Making drinks does not have to be complicated, but it does require an understanding ingredients, standard formulas, and technique. Gary Regan is a valuable resource and teacher. This book should be on every bartender's bookshelf.
October 29, 2007
excellent history of the cocktail, ingeniously organizes cocktails so that one may understand the different genres of drinks. not designed as a reference but it is easy to dip into and out of when looking for inbibing inspiration. the recipes included are complete and balanced drinks, gary regan uses original and researched recipes and diverges from those when he feels they fall short of their potential.
December 15, 2020
I enjoyed a lot the practical chapters (recipes chapter is not something you really read for pleasure so I'm not gonna cover it). A lot of great hints for bartending. The history chapters wasn't that great - I was bored, I guess the history of cocktails isn't that exciting. When there are 4 different theories about the etymology of the word "cocktail", you know likely none of them is true and the interest is gone.
February 26, 2016
A fantastic Mixology book. In addition to the many recipes there is also a ton of good information on every aspect of mixology, whether you are a professional bartender or just like to whip up a cocktail at the end of the day. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in mixing their own drinks, without reservation.
September 17, 2019
This a must have cocktail reference book for the home bartender or one wishing to become one.
It gives all the basics of drink making. Once you learn the “drink families” bar tending becomes second nature to you.
Honestly, you wouldn’t need any other cocktail book on your shelf unless you want to keep up with modern trends or like to have colorful pictures of the finished product.
It gives all the basics of drink making. Once you learn the “drink families” bar tending becomes second nature to you.
Honestly, you wouldn’t need any other cocktail book on your shelf unless you want to keep up with modern trends or like to have colorful pictures of the finished product.
August 31, 2008
One of the best modern reference books for making cocktails, this includes excellent bonuses like the history of individual cocktails, tips on bartending, in-depth background on ingredients, and handy charts that break down families of cocktails by their ingredients.
December 12, 2012
5/5. Finally got around to reading (and more importantly, finishing) this -- one of the seminal works in the cocktail world, along with a handful of others. A must buy to be used as a reference after reading in the at-home bar.
December 1, 2013
Not enough information on spirits--almost none infact. Also, Regan seems to think bartender is boss in any establishment responsible for ousting annoying patrons, IE someone who sends back food twice. Otherwise, this book is balanced.
July 8, 2008
If you love cocktails, you'll love this book. Background history and great cocktail recipes. What's not to love?
July 14, 2008
Very informative, very entertaining. Add it too your bar, your guests will thank you.
January 11, 2009
If you only plan on reading one book on mixing cocktails, it should be this one. It covers the basics thoroughly, defines families of drinks, and provides plenty of recipes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews