Liquor and Wine Books

...shake your 'tini?

I was pleased to receive this book recently as a gift and couldn't wait to peel back the front cover and begin seeing what it had in stock for me. The book was a perfect companion as I'd just gotten a set of 4 martini glasses and a shaker/strainer and was eager to put them to good use. But since my nose was too buried in this concise little text, I didn't have any need for the hardware yet. Since "Shaken Not Stirred" also offered conventional and more modern drink recipies - in an effective layout - I was perfectly willing to go back to it to look up a couple of drink recipes once I'd read up on my background info on the drink. I feel like I am now a true martini aficianado and much better informed!

The book was put together by the authors of a website by the same name, who launched their site on Halloween of '95. Soon, they had gotten many suggestions to put the book together - and it turned out to be an unqualified hit. There are many reasons to like this book, it's easy to read and the words flow, plus its something I'd want to read more than once. But perhaps my favorite part about this original idea for a book (it purports to be the first bar book expressly dedicated to the martini, and backs it up by research done by the publisher) is that it's not just a recipe book or just a list of bars. In other words, all you probably ever need to know in a tight little package. It was also neat finding out I'd already visited some of their best "martini lounges" in my city within the pages, but was eager to try the places I hadn't heard of. I'd recommend this volume to anyone interested in mixing their own drinks, or even wanting to learn a little bit more behind the whole martini or "Swingers" culture.

Now then, care for a cocktail? ;)

This book not only has some great recipes for varied martinis in it (I think I hear my gin calling me now!) but it gives great history and background to the drink and the ingredients and the characters and places that have made the martini an example of elegance and simplicity in potables!

Get it, find a recipe, make one up, then sit down and sip and read more.

A wonderful intrduction to the world of the martini with hints and tips on subtle variations. We're already planning trips to the martini lounges listed.....

I don't consider myself to be a big drinker, but the Martini is so cool and this book represents it in every aspect. It's just a really cool book to leave around the apartment so people can spy it when they drop by. I'm going to find one of those Martini lounges!

This is a great little book. It has great martini recipes as well as martini-stories from the authors and others... martini lore, history. Totally fun if your into the martini thing.

The recipes were fun and interesting..some a bit too esoteric for me...but I liked reading them anyway. And like that they are interspersed with the text instead of in a separate recipe section. There are some fun martini quotes too..

The only drawback, I think, and its minor..is that I just hate the feel of the paper. The cover is fine but the pages feel cheap and grainy to me. Harsh, even... It may be a pleasure to read but it isnt really one to hold. Seems to me a smoother paper would be better, altho probably alot more expensive.

That said...its a fun fun book. Easy to read, in a fiction way, as opposed to a non-fiction way. It has flow sometimes lacking in non-fiction.

Looking at all the other reviews for the Grog Log, I see nothing but five stars awarded to this nifty little book, and I am not going to break with precedent.

For the uninitiated, "tropical", "exotic" or "tiki" drinks are part of a subgenre that the more snobby elements of the cocktail world would refer to as kitsch. A succesful mainstream cocktail book presents itself as emmaculately as a James Bond tuxedo (see Dale DeGroff). A successful tiki drink book on the other hand presents itself as a hawaiian shirt. The hook however, is that a good tiki drink is no less sophisticated as a mainstream cocktail...and truth be told...it is usually more complex.

Unlike some of the other tropical drink recipe books, Grog Log is no frothy collection of colorful cocktail photos with some syrup-heavy recipes thrown in. Instead, like good tiki bartenders, Jeff Berry along with Annene Kaye have created a sophisticated concoction. Grog Log is equal parts (1) overview of the tiki drink movement, (2) reproduction of the uniquely crude, tacky, and delightful visual style of the classic tiki bar era, and (3) substantive recipes of the drinks themselves. This last element sets this book apart from others as "THE" authority on tiki drinks (along with its companion volume "Intoxica").

For the most part, to fully appreciate these recipes, you need to have a taste for rum and preferably a liking (or love) of citrus fruits. Fear not, because after sampling an authentic Mai Tai, it is hard not to meet both requirements.

Finally, at the time I write this, the book appears to be out of print and is fetching some high prices in the used market. Again fear not: as an FYI, Beachbum Berry states on his website that: "Our publisher plans to reprint the Grog Log [and Taboo Table] this summer."

This is the end result of research and testing (that must have been rough) into the classical exotica cocktails of the past. I haven't had a bad drink out of this book yet. No corners cut. Many of the drinks have hard-to-find ingredients. But that's the right thing to make the drinks correctly. I can't praise this book enough. It belongs in every Tiki Bar on this fair planet.

This book will spoil you into never ordering a cocktail out again. Beachbum Berry has been featured in the New York Times and other publications for his work in unearthing these fabulous drink recipes from the tiki era. The drinks are tasty, and stout. Not the watered down junk versions you've had in modern bars. This spiral bound, lay flat while you mix book will transform you into a cocktail chef. The owner of my local package store says I have the best stocked bar in town since buying this book. Lots of fun finding out about new ingredients and trying new tastes.

THANKS BEACHBUM BERRY!

I am a cocktail snob and emmersed in tiki culture and the Atomic Age. Get this fantastic tome, a bottle of Falernum and Orgeat and your bar stuff, plus my Grogalizer found on my Swank Pad site and you are making the best cocktails on earth. No one should be without this book!

Joe Bob Briggs from UPI called this "the best bartender's guide for tropical and rum drinks ever published". That, my friends, is an understatement. Forget those fancy and useless trendy tiki books that have to be gussied up with Shag illustrations and glossy printing, if you've already bought those: use 'em as coasters for the wonderfully entertaining and informative "Grog Log". From a pair who can navigate the tikiphyte through the Singapore Slings and arrows of the sugary crap that give tropical drinks a bad name. Easily worth 5 times the cover price, "The Grog Log" and the follow-up "Intoxica!" are the only Tiki drink books you'll ever need or want.

If you're a 35-50 hour a week bartender and are tired of your liquor rep schlepping garbage hooch on you so he can surpass his salary cap, use this guide and hope these items are available in your state.
He is the Michelin guide of booze.
What's more, use his adjectives to steer your clientele towards good taste instead of the big ad campaign brands.

This book will save you money the very first time you visit the liquor store! Especially if you like to try new stuff like scotch and rum. Excellent descriptions of all the most commercially available booze in this book guide you toward the bottles you'll enjoy the most.

I've already helped a handful of my friends with this book over the phone. It's a total blast to read them the descriptions :) and they're always happy with their purchases!

i think of it like an Encyclopedia Liquoria

I'm compelled to echo the thoughts of those before me. If you fancy yourself a fan of spirits, then you must keep this book within reach of your bar! Heck, I'd put it in the glove compartment of my car if I thought it would fit!

It goes without saying you should also consider subscribing to the author's quarterly Spirit Journal. Don't wait another ten years to get the reviews when you can receive new ones every few months, not to mention the always excellent featured article!

To Life!

JP

Kindred Spirits 2 was worth waiting for! We use them constantly in our liquor stores. Since we can't taste all the products, we let Paul Pacault do the work for us. We wore out the original Kindred Spirits and anxiously awaited the second volume with all the new products included. A must have! Our customers love this book and we suggest they get one of their own. You will love the descriptions! Thanks Paul.

encyclopedic, thorough, with a little humor thrown in.

a must-read before you buy any spirit.

my palette is not nearly as good as f. paul, but i try to focus on each glass of spirit with his analytic approach, and use his tasting notes to try to train my palette, educate my nose and taste buds.

i don't always agree with him, but i can use him as a pretty consistent barometer of what i will or won't like.

most important point: let that glass of high class booze "air -out" for 10-15 min before you even start drinking. it does really help with bringing out more subtle tastes.

one negative point: still need those 1997-2000 reviews

Great book if you ever wanted to know how and where the names of some of the most popular booze came from. ie. tanqurey, capn morgans, JD, Vermouth, ect

This is a great book especially for those of us in the industry; i.e. THE BARTENDERS! If you are always looking for trivia to present to your guests at the bar then buy this book and hit them with some fun facts about what they are drinking. I always wondered why BEEFEATER gin got that name and how the character on the label came to be called a "Beefeater".
The book is wriiten in down to earth lingo without a lot of tech talk. It is a thoroughly entertaining addition to a mixologists' reference library.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found the contents informative and entertaining. I have expanded my liquor cabinet greatly due to reading this book. In fact, it made me want to run out and buy a bottle of Booker's at 1:00am on a work night. This book is an excellent way to learn more about the origins of your favorite spirits.

What a great read. Educational, humorus and really informative. Sometimes with the PR, you aren't always sure what's what, but Baime gives you all the good stuff. I ended up purchasing 5 copies for gifts for the holidays.

Take equal parts history, humor, and mixology. Shake well and pour liberally into a slim paperback. The result is "Big Shots: The Men Behind the Booze" by magazine editor A.J. Baime. More than just another bartending book, "Big Shots" details the lives of colorful characters such as Jim Beam, Jack Daniel, and Johnnie Walker, whose 19th-century exploits laid the foundations for today's corporate behemoths.
According to research by Adams Beverage Group, Americans consumed 153 million cases of distilled spirits in 2002. Yet few know the history behind their favorite drinks. Despite barroom legend, the Martini evolved from an 1880s concoction invented in Martinez, California. The French monk Dom Perignon didn't discover bubbly wine, he just made it popular. True tequila never has a worm.
Baime reveals the liquor industry's dirty little secrets (Smirnoff brand vodka is actually as American as apple pie) and answers some practical drinking questions (Just what the heck is vermouth anyway?). He also offers little-known nuggets of knowledge, some of which are surprising (Jack Daniel began making whiskey at the tender age of nine), others less so (Captain Morgan was a murderer and a rapist who drank himself to death). The book's snappy narrative has an irreverent, lighthearted tone that betrays Baime's editorial background with magazines such as "Maxim" and "Playboy."
The impact of Prohibition on the liquor industry is a recurring theme, and stories of moonshiners and rumrunners abound. When the Eighteenth Amendment was finally repealed in 1933, American distillers had to play catch up with their Canadian and European counterparts, who for a decade had quietly grown rich encouraging the smuggling of their products. A British gin maker even used packaging designed to float, so if a few cases "accidentally" fell overboard near the American coastline, they could be easily recovered by thirsty Yanks. Baime explains that thanks in part to this little trick, Tanqueray is still the bestselling gin in the U.S. today.
"Big Shots" is not a comprehensive bartender's guide. Drink ingredients are listed as a sidebar only when relevant to the main text. Differences in related liquors, such as Irish whiskey versus Scotch whiskey, are clarified for the social drinker. The author also gives a crash course on cryptic liquor terminology, such as the strange markings found on cognac bottles.
Even teetotalers will appreciate this clever little book. After all, where else can you find corporate history sharing the page with a recipe for Irish Coffee?

This is a great reference book on both early origins on distilling in America and the Beam family - who comprise a large branch of the founding families of Bourbon distilling and still have many members working at various distilleries throughout Kentucky. A entertaining read and great reference for anyone who is interested in bourbon.

What a great book! I loved it and couldn't put it down. I feel like I was right there with Pacult as he traveled around with Booker Noe. I am not a bourbon drinker, but this book made me wish I had a little bit to sip as I was reading it. Alas I finished reading the book before I could purchase some bourbon.

This book captures a truly unique American product, and a family that was integral to the creation of the industry. As I write this review, Booker Noe's death was just recently announced. The personalities of the larger than life characters like Booker are wonderfully captured within the narrative. Even if you're not a fan of bourbon (philistine!), you'll come away with a great appreciation for the definitive American spirit (both the drink and the people).

I read American Still Life this Summer. It reads like a Michener novel. I prefer reading non-fiction but most non-fiction is boring and tedious. So I was pleased when I had a chance to read this book. It's a strong testament to our American founders and to the Beams, American icons, who 'took the pain' out of the daily struggles. Great Read!

This book kept me enthralled for an entire weekend. A great look at a family that created an entire industry with a distinctly American product, Bourbon.

As the story of a facinating family, the author gently takes you through the many generations of the Beams without getting you lost in a morass of detail. You remain excited waiting for the next turn in their fortunes, and you get a wonderful look at the many personalities involved in building the Bourbon industry over time in the process.

When I think about the book from a business standpoint, Paul Pacult succeeded in conveying the patience and the passion these people have for their product, and how they manage to maintain that passion, literally over generations. In a world of managing quarter to quarter, the Beams are a refreshing change.

A very-well written, facinating look at a piece of Americana. I heartily recommend it.

Wit, wisdom, and little known facts of the world of spirits fill these pages. I have a worn out copy on my bar in my house. Guests always pick it up to glance throught it and end up putting it down hours later... A definte must for every person who enjoys spirits. Every bar should have one as well.

It may be the only comprehensive one of its kind, but when there are others it will still be the best because the author knows so much about the subject and does his homework. It is almost as good as conversation with the author himself when he's working. And that's the height of wit.

A rich and varied compendium of interesting, entertaining, and thoughtful quotes on drinking, Bottled Wisdom is the perfect tonic for the ill-view that a minority in our society take toward the culture of alcohol. Best shared with a friend over a tasty beverage, this book offers humorous and thoughtful quotes. In fact, some of the best quotes are surprising in content and authorship. Just as a visit to a quality bar should be, this anthology will make you smile, laugh, and reflect on life. You will make new friends and be happy to see some old cronies in these pages. Pollman has done his homework and offers a varied and rich anthology. Reigle's illustrations are good and complement the text without overpowering the words. For the imbiber that has everything, this book is the perfect holiday gift.

Mark has done a fabulous job of collecting some classic "wisdom" as well as a whole lot of wonderful new material. I now have a habit of purchasing a copy of the book for all of my ex-U.S. co-workers (after a visit with Mark at the pub, of course) to show them that American humor and ingenuity are alive and well !! I suspect that there are a number of foolish publishers out there "cryin' in their beer" over this lost opportunity ! This book is a great gift for yourself or anyone who appreciates great wit and a tasty libation.

Mark Pollman's book, "Bottled Wisdom", is my defense against the British opinion that nothing American can possibly be as good as the "English way". Pub owners, employees and patrons here in London have been fascinated by Mark's book (ps, Mark, you may have some more new customers!) -- a thoroughly enjoyable read. One word of warning: don't read while drinking, unless your fellow imbibers don't mind being sprayed when you laugh uncontrollably!

This book is truly amazing! It is an entertaining read as well as informative. Everything is covered from the initial conception of the still all the way to recipes.

The author is a bit opinionated in a few places but doesn't come off preachy. He simply states his opinion and gives the information anyway.

Don't waste time, buy this book!

an exellent informative book on makin" moonshine easy to read tells all you would need to know. but caution, it is illegal to brew with a still

An extremely engaging book about an excellent subject! Behind each page a new jewel: be it an anecdote, a recipe, a quote, an illustration or a fact, each and every page was worth reading.

Most books about fermentation and/or distillation fall short in one area or another: some lack technical information, others lack historical facts; this book has it all and is written in a very clean and concise manner. If you are interested in makin' your own and only want to buy one book, this is it! Here is a list of the chapters to give you an idea:

Chapter 1: A Wet Goods Primer
Chapter 2: A Long And Storied History
Chapter 3: Moonshine Today
Chapter 4: Mashing And Fermenting
Chapter 5: Stills And How To Build One
Chapter 6: Distilling
Chapter 7: Recipes

To top it all, the book is attractive enough to make it a coffee table item, where I'm sure it will be the subject of many conversations.

Luis Ayala
Author & Rum Consultant
Rum Runner Press, Inc.

If you are looking for specifics into making your own whiskey, this may not be the book for you. But, if you want some basics and have fun reading them, then buy this. Easy nightstand reader that can be taken down to the basement when finished and put to good use. Good plans for making a still too.

Great book. Very easy to read. Lots of hitory and funny as well. It is funny how history of certain subjects can be filled with humor. A ton of great info. The other 2 reviews are right on the money. This is the first book I bought on distilling and so far the best all around...

I have had this book for a few years and have tried most of the recipes and they are right on the mark. You cannot fail if you follow the directions. The cookies are very tasty even the ones I was skeptical about. You will love the jazzed up taste at least that's what my guests say. The book is very well written and the techniques are easy to follow. I have all of Ms. Benedicts cook/entertaining books and I am truely a fan of all of them. I cannot wait till she comes out with another book.

This is a good collection of recipes using spirits in unusual ways. Some of the directions may be a little sketchy, but the ideas are "stimulating" and can be extrapolated to creations not suggested here. I would like to see a book with recipes for other baked goods using liquors and liqueurs.

I have made thousands of cookies in my life. I find this book a fresh new idea to Christmas baking as well as all times of the year. The techniques are easy to follow and are beneficial to everyone from begininner baker to the expert. I have sampled many of the recipes and found them delicious and have gotten rave reviews from the tasters. Ms. Benedict has a great idea and I can't wait for the next volume of sophisticated cookies. Thanks for the book and keep baking!!

The Sophisticated Cookie does an excellent job with a tricky subject: cooking with booze. While it is perhaps a fallacy that "all the alcohol bakes out;" at least most of it does, and we are frequently left with flavor that is, well, sophisticated. You might find your liquor cabinet woefully understocked for some of these delicacies; on the other hand, you might be inspired to finally reach for some of those neglected aperitifs you've been so carefully sheltering all these years. Thanks, Jeanne Benedict, for raising the humble cookie to its rightful place in the pantheon of ciusine.

Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com

I make between 100 and 150 cookies each week for the S.C. House of Representatives of which my husband is a member. This is my fifth year of making the cookies and I never repeat a recipe, so I'm always on the lookout for good cookie recipes. I made the Wild Walnut Wheels this week and they were a huge hit. I was amazed at how good the Kamikaze cookies were - who ever heard of a lime cookie? This is the first cookie cookbook I have owned that truly has some new and different recipes. Highly recommended!!!!!!!!

Before I met Party Drinks by A.J. Rathbun, I would literally host my gatherings at the bar down the street, because I was incapable of mixing anything other than vodka and orange juice in plastic cups. A.J., friend to cocktailers everywhere, took me to school with his great book, and showed me how to easily make lavish libations on a cheapskate's budget and to make 'em look like a million bucks. The Summer Beer (beer, vodka, and lemonade) is a treat, even in wintertime. The recipes have little tales about the drinks so you can really "act like ya know" when serving them up. Don't weep for the bar down the street, though. Until A.J. can fit a pinball machine in his jam-packed guide, there's always time for a occasional tavern call. Bottoms up!

I love this book! It has so much more to offer than the book I bought at Crate and Barrel for 5x the price. It's quirky and fun and filled with unusual recipes. Great selection of drinks for summer days, cold nights, casual get togethers or swanky cocktail parties. Plus it's filled with tons of hilarious footnotes that are worth quoting while you mix. My favorite drinks (not just because the names are great): the Red Carpet, the Presidential, Silk Stockings, and the Slow Comfortable Screw. You have to try the mojito. This really is the prettiest cocktail book I've seen. Perfect gift item--just tie a bow around it and add a bottle of your friend's favorite alcohol.

Ne'er have the pleasures of contemporary pleasure-drinking been so lucidly and persuasively and clearly set forth with not only the time and liver tested recipies but also the literary, social, and personal contexts of a true, rare spirit such as Mr. Rathbun, whose fine poetry is as intoxicating as the pewter cupped juleps, the spiraling highballs, and the mystifications of the orange buck, known in the southern hemisphere as le mâle orange. I am buying a copy for every (over-21) friend this Christmas.

This book is worth reading even if you don't drink! If you do, all the better. Great recipes, very inspiring commentary. Rathbun quotes Gogol on vodka, W. C. Fields on whiskey ("Always carry a large flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake") and provides plenty of good party ideas for intemperate friends.

Said friends will also find this to be a welcome gift.

I think this will be a great gift for the holidays--I plan to get several to give to family and friends. The book is slim, but packed with lots of great drinks, plus gorgeous photos! One thing I really like about the book is that it gives lots of suggestions on variations of the drinks--in case you need to mix different amounts, or don't like or have a particular ingredient. Plus, there's some good general bartending advice at the beginning of the book.

So far we've tried two of the drinks. We had some friends over last weekend and my husband made the Champagne Punch, which has light and dark rum, lemons, and champagne. It was delicious! Even one of our friends, who isn't a huge champagne fan, really loved it. We also have tried The Rebecca, another champagne drink. We actually froze the raspberries in the vodka during the day, and had the drink in the evening--the frozen raspberries were delicious, and a perfect garnish for this very pretty drink.

When I first got this book I had never made liqueurs, but the directions in this book were so easy to follow that even my first batch turned out great. Three years later I'm famous among my friends and family for making great liqueurs! Their versions of kalua, tia maria, frangelica and vanilla are some of my favorites.

This is the best Liqeur book I have been able to lay my hands on. All the ones I have tried have been a success with my friends.

This is an all-round, terrific publication. It is well written, with easy-to-understand instructions and tips. The authors have created outstanding recipes using readily available ingredients with suggestions for numerous variations. An excellent choice for first-time enthusiasts. Following the sections on to liqueur and brandy making, the authors have devoted a third portion of the publication to cooking with your creations. This modest little book is definitely well worth the price!

This book introduced me to the most unique hobby ever. The quality far exceeds what can be bought in the stores and it is very impressive to serve to guests. I've gotten requests for the cranberry liqueur for over 15 years!

This book gives a great overview on the basics of making cordials and liqueurs at home. The step by step intructions to set up and explanation of terms used in other texts and this one make it easy to start from nothing. I have only been working with liqueurs about 3 years and have won both contests I have entered using batches from recipes in this book. For SCA, members this is not a great research book, but it tells you how to make fantastic tasting stuff!