The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes (Hardcover)

by Dale DeGroff (Author) "I learned about cocktails much the same way I learned to tend bar..." (more)
Key Phrases: gin fizz, premium brands, flamed orange peel, United States, New York, Dash of Angostura (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
The cocktail goes in and out of fashion, and home bartenders need to replace their mixology recipes regularly to account for newly invented cocktails and rediscovered old ones. The Craft of the Cocktail, by Dale DeGroff, surpasses ordinary bar guides by not only providing directions for nearly every imaginable mixed drink but also serving as a trove of cocktail lore. After presenting a brief history of the bartender's art, DeGroff gives a history of each of the major liquors. He discusses drink-mixing techniques, including a thoughtful, dispassionate resolution of bartending's enduring dispute: shaking versus stirring. The inventory of mixed drinks is suitably comprehensive, and a concluding glossary aids readers with definitions of otherwise unfamiliar terminology. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description
Cocktails are bigger than ever, and this is the first real cookbook for them, covering the entire breadth of this rich subject. The Craft of the Cocktail provides much more than merely the same old recipes: it delves into history, personalities, and anecdotes; it shows you how to set up a bar, master important techniques, and use tools correctly; and it delivers unique concoctions, many featuring Dale DeGroff’s signature use of fresh juices, as well as all the classics.

Debonair, a great raconteur, and an unparalleled authority, Dale DeGroff is the epitome of Perfect Bartender, universally acknowledged as the world’s premier mixologist. From Entertainment Weekly and USA Today to the Culinary Institute of America and the nation’s best restaurants, whenever anybody wants information or training on the bar, they turn to Dale for recipes, for history, for anecdotes, for fun—for cocktail-party conversation as well as for cocktails.

That’s what The Craft of the Cocktail is—the full party, conversation and all. It begins with the history of spirits, how they’re made (but without too much boring science), the development of the mixed drink, and the culture it created, all drawn from Dale’s vast library of vintage cocktail books. Then on to stocking the essential bar, choosing the right tools and ingredients, mastering key techniques—hints worthy of a pro, the same information that Dale shares with the bartenders he trains in seminars and through his videos. And then the meat of the matter: 500 recipes, including everything from tried-and-true classics to of-the-moment originals. Throughout are rich stories, vintage recipes, fast facts, and other entertaining asides. Beautiful color photographs and a striking design round out the cookbook approach to this subject, highlighting the difference between an under-the-bar handbook and a stylish, full-blown treatment. The Craft of the Cocktail is that treatment, destined to become the bible of the bar.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (October 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609608754
• ISBN-13: 978-0609608753
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,833 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Master Craftsman shares his wisdom, June 23, 2003

By	G. Roukas "Buzzworthy" (NY, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I took a course with Dale and found out first hand what it takes to make a truly great cocktail--and found out how bad most cocktails in bars really are. This book not only tells how to create really memorable drinks for yourself and guests, it also delves into the history of the various spirits and how they've been combined by savvy bartenders to create classics old and new. I've read through it several times, lapping up classics like the sidecar and DeGroff signature drinks like the Ritz. If you like cocktails, this is an amazing book. Nobody cares about getting the best results like Dale.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine cocktail book from one of the great bartenders., August 23, 2005

By	J. B. Moore - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dale DeGroff is to blame for setting me off on a quest for the perfect Sazerac.

While it lasted (and I can testify that its demise had nothing to do with the quality of the drink and food) DeGroff's Blackbird bar/restaurant in Manhattan was a place I enjoyed going when I could spare the time and cash. When you got DeGroff into the realm of the bitters-tinged cocktail, his subtly aromatic, complex, and a little bit dark and twisted drinks were a treat for the nose and tongue, even as his urbane presence and stylish economy of motion made it clear you were in the presence of a Real Bartender. I still remember the first Sazerac I had there, and the way it unfolded to my senses.

Although in the ensuing years, when it comes to that particular drink, I've developed a slight preference for the simpler perfection of the classic (just rye, Peychaud's Bitters, simple syrup, Herbsaint) Sazerac, I still enjoy the plot twists in the story told by DeGroff's fancified (half-and-half rye and cognac for the liquor, and half-and-half Peychaud's and regular old Angostura handling the bitters requirement) version, and I follow his glass-preparation instructions whichever version I make.

This is all an illustration of the true lesson to be learned about bartenders' references: there is no single book which will tell you everything there is to be learned about mixing drinks. You need to go out and taste what people are mixing, and you need to have several books on hand whose recipes you can read, compare, imagine, try, synthesize, extrapolate. DeGroff's The Craft of the Cocktail, despite having come out as recently as 2002, is clearly one of those essential references you need on your shelf. It's just a bonus (or perhaps, to some, an annoyance) that the book is so lavishly-produced that you could choose to leave it on the coffee table for guests to enjoy when you're not using it yourself.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any pretender or contender, June 16, 2003

By	"robert26874" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

First of all, I am just a pretender, and I have no intention of ever becoming a professional bartender. With that said, this is definitely one of the best books I have picked up, and definitely the best bartender book I have ever seen. It contains vivid pictures of everything that Mr. Degroff is trying to explain and he gives great tips on everything from knowing what glassware and alcohols to have in your bar to unbelievable mix drink recipies. For those who do not drink, it even contains an unbelievable non-alcholic drink (the citrius cream). This book also makes a great coffee table book. Vistors that come by cannot keep their hands off of it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to bartend for fun or professionally.