According to the Distilled Spirits Council, a trade organization for the industry, several restaurants have responded with cocktails that can be ordered to go and are legal in more than 30 states. Liquor stores sell hard seltzers, as well as canned cocktails from Canteen and Cutwater, among other brands.
But there has also been an increase in home bartending, as evidenced by the publication of several books on the topic in the previous six months.
These five books by authors who are new to the world of cocktails are created specifically for home cooks and bartenders, in contrast to the previous generation’s frequently complex cocktail literature. Each seeks to make it easier for you to enjoy artisan cocktails at home without needing to earn a doctorate in mixology.
Natalie Migliarini and James Stevenson, who left Seattle five years ago to travel and document the world of wine, beer, spirits, and liqueurs, wrote “Beautiful Booze: Stylish Cocktails to Make at Home” (Countryman Press). The warm and opulent photos were taken at a New Orleans apartment that was rented out.
The book evolved from a blog with the same name, and the recipes are straightforward (sometimes requiring just three ingredients), aesthetically pleasing, and well-executed. In order to create a book that is as entertaining to read as it is to drink from, the authors renamed traditional drinks and added a clever twist.
John DeBary spent many years working in the bar industry in New York City. About a year before the publication of his book, “Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails” (Clarkson Potter), the wine and spirits author also introduced the non-alcoholic aperitif Proteau. I can relate to the title since, regardless of the suggested pairings, I have always offered the same counsel.
DeBary provides recipes for both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, some of which have catchy names and no pretense whatsoever. The writing is informative and simple. You can learn everything about making drinks here, even if you have no prior experience. You’ll learn advice and fresh concepts even if you currently consider yourself an expert home bartender.
Additionally, taste is a personal preference when it comes to brands. Although I encourage sampling new spirits, when you first start out, stock up on your preferred brands.
Use the spirits you already know and love, adds Migliarini, and you’ll adore the drink.
Here are some tips for creating a simple home bar:
STRAIN SPIRITS
Gin, vodka, blanco tequila, white rum, bourbon, rye, Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, cognac, and vermouth are essentials (choose your favorite brand).
Nice-to-haves include flavored spirits like Ketel One Botanical, Citadelle, aged tequila (reposado, anejo, or both), aged rum, Plantation Stiggins Pineapple Rum, and Laphroaig, a smokey Scotch whiskey. your preferred single-pot still Irish whiskey; your preferred single-malt Scotch whiskey Japanese bourbon
