It’s well-known that creating high-quality cocktails is about more than throwing a few ingredients in a glass and serving it up. We all need a few good books we can turn to to learn more about our craft or reference a good recipe. Here are our top picks.
We recommend you pile them high on your coffee table.
The Joy of Mixology, Gary Regan
A must-read book for any cocktail enthusiast, this coffee-table book has a genius way of categorising cocktails, so they are easy to remember and provide inspiration for creating your own.
Regan believes in free pouring and provides plenty of personal anecdotes to make for an enjoyable read.
This book is about far more than just cocktail recipes. You’ll learn a lot about the history of mixology, customer service in hospitality and key jargon to help you sound pro.
After reading this book, you’ll have a much clearer understanding of the industry and the science behind mixology.
The Savoy Cocktail Book, Harry Craddock
One of the most influential cocktail books of all time, if this is not already a part of your repertoire, then now’s the time to get it!
First written by Harry Craddock of the Savoy Hotel in London in 1930, it has 750 recipes in it, all of which were born out of prohibition necessity.
There’s a little bit of history behind the cocktails and a section about wines that will help you broaden your alcohol knowledge. You’ll learn about different cocktail styles and make your own notes, which can be especially useful if you’ve chosen to adapt a recipe to suit your own palate.
You can’t really call yourself a mixologist if you don’t have this book on your shelf.
Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, Ted Haigh (aka Dr. Cocktail)
The spiral-bound spine of this cocktail book is a genius touch that allows you to leave the book flat on the bar as you make your cocktail, so you can easily follow one of the many fantastic recipes inside.
You’ll also learn a little about the history of each cocktail, all of which are categorised for ease of finding and choosing a recipe. And the colour pictures guide you in how your drink should look.
Each cocktail comes with a great description, so you understand why the recipe works. And there is so much to learn that you’ll keep reading even while you’re sipping on the cocktail you’ve just made!
Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions, Alex Day, Nick Fauchald and David Kaplan
Like many other cocktail books, this one categorises cocktail recipes by family, but it is the uniqueness of design that makes it a wonderful coffee table book.
And once you understand the root of a recipe and why it has been designed the way it is, you are encouraged to play around with your own version, so that every drink you make satisfies your personal preference.
You’ll learn a little about technique too, which can help you up your cocktail game, and there’s some advanced mixology stuff in there, with sections on clarified juices and acids, to name just a few techniques.
I’m Just Here for the Drinks, Sother Teague
There’s a story behind every drink and this book gives you them all in a way that is easy and enjoyable to read. Each chapter is dedicated to a key spirit, so you can work around the ingredients you have in your cocktail cabinet.
Teague explains how spirits are made, simplifying the distillation process and explaining nuances in things like whiskey. And if you’ve ever wondered why you shake some cocktails and stir others, you’ll soon know exactly what each cocktail needs.
If you’re looking for cocktail education, this could be the book for you—you’ll get deep into the subject of ingredients and come out of your reading experience with a head full of knowledge.
The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, Dale DeGroff
From setting up your bar to mastering the classics and creating your own cocktails, this book has it all. With over 500 recipes to delve into, it is rich in mixology knowledge, going beyond the basics to ensure your service is impeccable.
And of course, the book comes from a bartender who is internationally recognised as one of the very best. DeGroff has built up a reputation for excellence and draws on his own experience in this book, dropping in anecdotes and information from his nights behind the bar.
If you’ve ever considered taking a bartending course, this book includes everything you would learn and more, making it the perfect accompaniment to your craft.
Meehan’s Bartender Manual, Jim Meehan
Whether you’re looking to open your own bar, or you just need advice on becoming the best bartender ever, this book is here to help.
One of the most thorough books on the market, it is almost 500 pages long, with 100 recipes and information on hospitality and life beyond the bar.
A lot of what you’ll find in this book can be found in any of the millions of other cocktail books in the world, but there’s a lot of good stuff that you won’t want to miss, especially if you work in hospitality.
It’s a good meaty book that will look great on your coffee table.
A Good Drink: In Pursuit of Sustainable Spirits, Shanna Farrell
Sustainability is a buzzword thrown around a lot lately, so if you want your bar to truly be an eco-friendly place for people to drink, this book needs to be on your coffee table.
You won’t cover all bases in A Good Drink but it’s a great place to start, showing you how to bring in sustainable measures in your mixology and giving you the inspiration you need to go beyond the obvious.
There are high-level suggestions, like teaming up with sustainable farmers, to lower-level suggestions like reducing food waste. The book is 160 pages long and packed full of useful tips. Your journey to sustainable bartending starts here!
Liquid intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail, Dave Arnold
A technical exploration of some of the best cocktails you’ve ever enjoyed, Dave Arnold’s book is fast becoming a must-read amongst mixologists.
It goes into the details of cocktail-making, helping you to make perfectly clear ice or froth the ultimate egg whites.
Once you understand the science behind cocktail making, everything else seems to fall into place. And if you want to get adventurous, there are pages on fat washing, milk washing and nitrous infusing.
This is a fascinating read for every bartender and the perfect topper for your pile of coffee table books!
Are there any books we’ve missed? Let us know your must-have mixology books.
