& FREE Returns

FREE delivery Saturday, April 30

Or fastest delivery Tuesday, April 26. Order within 22 hrs 18 mins

In Stock.

As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

[{"displayPrice":"$27.00","priceAmount":27.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"27","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"pV05ZiJ1iD1AlhnncQqYd6kV3R%2B7N%2B5iCZf5RMJRQAYiFuPQ6YU%2BL3SkQKqjhADGUooE%2BUWDnwBt3DzfnOAufQMZU5n6GecN4IDUqQoqhx1Xo7WESPCv0U9I7bthaYvTomfSWftpxJV7pW9pDk1bSg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$14.54","priceAmount":14.54,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"54","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"k4jJAqGQlpK3NqpNssYYaBQR%2BZ%2Bbts4lm%2FTLAuOIICoGCwcflksd7fUeiHHM6DvlR8q6vticCGg6F99xByfxT5z8Tv3pma%2BaAfaIpimMGAsW21bWdl3ARZymjlpNPZUy4%2FKqGOzoIHtB0EvzMI1Y957ctpUrb2WXT%2BGu%2BI5JgJbR0UZ8JIhL1t2CjG6L2Jpe","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$27.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Saturday, April 30 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Tuesday, April 26. Order within 22 hrs 18 mins

Used: Good | Details

Sold by THB Electronics

Fulfilled by Amazon

Share <Embed>

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$20.09
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: allnewbooks

Added

Not added

$32.44
& FREE Shipping

Sold by: GrandEagleRetail

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See this image

Follow the Author

Robert Simonson

A Proper Drink: The Untold Story of How a Band of Bartenders Saved the Civilized Drinking World Hardcover – Deckle Edge, September 20, 2016

by Robert Simonson (Author)

92 ratings

Editors' pick Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$6.99

—

Hardcover, Deckle Edge

"Please retry"

$27.00

$17.95

$8.74

Enhance your purchase

A narrative history of the craft cocktail renaissance, written by a New York Times cocktail writer and one of the foremost experts on the subject.

A Proper Drink is the first-ever book to tell the full, unflinching story of the contemporary craft cocktail revival. Award-winning writer Robert Simonson interviewed more than 200 key players from around the world, and the result is a rollicking (if slightly tipsy) story of the characters—bars, bartenders, patrons, and visionaries—who in the last 25 years have changed the course of modern drink-making. The book also features a curated list of about 40 cocktails—25 modern classics, plus an additional 15 to 20 rediscovered classics and classic contenders—to emerge from the movement.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Ten Speed Press
Publication date

September 20, 2016
Dimensions

6.53 x 1.19 x 9.33 inches
ISBN-10

1607747545
ISBN-13

978-1607747543
See all details

Frequently bought together

Brad Thomas Parsons
207
Hardcover
55 offers from $5.58
Alex Day
2,243
Hardcover
in Whiskey
65 offers from $20.18
Dave Arnold
1,792
Hardcover
67 offers from $15.60
Sasha Petraske
374
Hardcover
11 offers from $26.89
Martin Cate
2,864
Hardcover
in Pacific Rim Cooking, Food & Wine
58 offers from $11.20
Robert Simonson
140
Hardcover
49 offers from $7.12

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A smart, engaging, and fine chronicle of how far we’ve come as a drinking nation. Best enjoyed with a cocktail in hand.”
—Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You for Smoking and Wry Martinis

“This spirited study of the craft cocktail renaissance sheds light on a determined culture that is every bit as colorful—and at least as intoxicating—as that of food and wine. Cheers to Robert Simonson for this riveting and thirst-inspiring accomplishment.”
—Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and founder of Shake Shack

“A candid and entertaining look at the tastemakers, bars, and spirits that have made your drinks so damn good over the last twenty years. Robert Simonson is a brilliant writer and an intrepid reporter, with a quick wit and a gift for language. This book is a fascinating chronicle of failed business deals, unlikely successes, and dedication to craft that has changed how America drinks—for the better.”
—Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist

"[A] brilliant new book […] anyone, anywhere calling themselves a bartender should feel duty-bound to read."
—Alexander Barlow, DRiNK Magazine

“Over the last dozen years, much of the action in American culinary arts has transpired behind the bar. Robert Simonson captures this extended historical moment, when we moved toward a more thoughtful approach to drinking and, by extension, living.”
–Brett Anderson, restaurant critic for the Times-Picayune

“If you want to understand why you’re drinking a cocktail called ‘Are You
Figsperienced?’ and not, say, yet another Fuzzy Navel, Robert Simonson’s wide-
ranging, deftly characterized A Proper Drink is an essential place to start.”
—David Wondrich, author of Imbibe! and Punch

“Simonson does an admirable job of getting his arms around an ever-morphing subject, showing how a single bar or bartender can have a butterfly effect in an industry that’s constantly evolving. No matter which side of the bar readers are on, they’re sure to work up a powerful thirst.”
—Publishers Weekly

"From prominent drinks writer Robert Simonson comes an answer to the question all cocktail lovers have asked themselves: How did we end up with a craft cocktail revival, anyway? Simonson dives head first into this question and interviews over 200 movers, shakers (forgive me), and doers in the 25-year march to better cocktails. While this book leans more toward cultural history than a barman's how-to, Simonson does offer a list of 40 cocktails that epitomize the craft movement as we now know it."
—Hillary Dixler, Eater

"Simonson adds to his already impressive collection of books (and an app) with this explainer of the current booming craft cocktail scene, which starts with T.G.I. Friday’s and ends with current hubs like Pegu Club and Smuggler’s Cove."
—Abby Reisner, Tasting Table

"[...] what sets the season apart is the number of new books that already feel iconic—from Robert Simonson’s expertly reported narrative history of the cocktail renaissance, A Proper Drink [...] Perhaps the best narrative book on cocktails and their attendant culture since William Grimes’ forward-looking 1993 book, Straight Up or On the Rocks, this is firstly, drinks aside, simply a great story—an exhaustively researched tale of how we got from sour mix to the neo-speakeasy, all propped up by Simonson’s obvious narrative gifts."
—PUNCH

"With insight and often unflinching candor, Simonson weaves a boozy tale of the revived cultural phenomenon. And should you find yourself thirsty along the way, a few dozen recipes are included for good measure."
—Penelope Bass, Imbibe

"... for an excellent, extensively detailed explanation [of 'the explosion of well-stirred booze in the modern American bar'], I highly recommend Robert Simonson's book, A Proper Drink."
—Kevin Alexander, Thrillist

About the Author

ROBERT SIMONSON is a cocktail and drinks writer for the New York Times, a six-time Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award nominee, and the author of The Old-Fashioned. One of the leading authorities on spirits and cocktail culture in the United States, he also writes for Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Imbibe, Edible Manhattan, Edible Brooklyn, Saveur, Eater, PUNCH, and more.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ten Speed Press (September 20, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1607747545
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1607747543
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.38 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.53 x 1.19 x 9.33 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #358,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #202 in Whiskey
- #456 in Cocktails & Mixed Drinks
- #533 in Alcoholic Spirits

Customer Reviews:
92 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Robert Simonson

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Robert Simonson is a journalist and historian who writes about cocktails, spirits, bars and bartenders, both past and present. He writes primarily for the New York Times, where he has been a contributor since 2000, but is also regularly published in Imbibe, Saveur, Lucky Peach, Whiskey Advocate, New York magazine, Food & Wine, Eater and Punch, where he has been a contributed editor since 2017.

Simonson's first cocktail book, "The Old-Fashioned: The World's First Classic Cocktail," was published in May 2014 (Ten Speed Press). "A Proper Drink" (Ten Speed Press, 2016), was the first comprehensive cultural history of the modern cocktail renaissance. He was a significant contributor to "The Essential New York Times Book of Cocktails," released in October 2015. His next book, "Three-Ingredient Cocktails," published by Ten Speed Press in September 2017, was nominated for a James Beard Award. His latest book, "The Martini Cocktail," was published in September 2019. His writings have been nominated for a Spirited Award a total of eleven times, and two IACP awards. He won the Spirited Award for Best Cocktail Writer in 2019.

Also a travel writer, his work appears frequently in the Travel section of the New York Times.

In February 2016, with Martin Doudoroff, he released the app "Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance," which collects, for the first time, in one place, all the recipes for all the modern classic cocktails of the current era. In 2019, Doudoroff and he collaborated once again on "The Martini Cocktail" app. In 2018, he collaborated with Cocktail Kingdom, the barware purveyor, on a set of vintage Old-Fashioned glassware.

Prior to his career as a liquor journalist, he wrote extensively about theatre for many years, for the New York Times, Variety, Time Out New York, The Village Voice and others. He was the editor of Playbill.com from 1998 to 2006. He wrote four books about the theatre and a couple dozen plays between 1995 and 2012.

A native of Wisconsin, he has lived in New York for nearly three decades--most of those years in brownstone Brooklyn--with his son and wife.

Customer reviews

5 star		78%
4 star		14%
3 star		4%
2 star		4%
1 star		1%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Mike B

Good read

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2020

Verified Purchase

The book was full of great information. I wish that it had a more chronological approach overall but it was a great read nonetheless. The addition of some visuals would’ve also been a nice touch; which bartenders started where and where they went who they influenced and where they continued on to. Something like that would’ve been interesting to see.

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

Thank God for Robert Simonson! He has detailed the cocktail revolution of the 21st C in amazing detail. This should be required reading for young bartenders, just so they might get some idea of how bleak the cocktail scene was before the likes of Dale DeGroff, Jonathan Downey, et al.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

A Proper Drink is a great read!

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

I bought this book and liked it so much, I ordered 10 copies to give to friends and family who were interested in cocktails too! They loved it, especially the ones who have had the opportunity to visit some of the bars over the past month or so since receiving it.
Personally, I loved learning about the history of the cocktail movement - something I never knew about before.
I've been trying the recipes out on my friends, who are budding cocktail enthusiasts too.
I highly recommend this!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

sheila irvine

Not interested.

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2020

Verified Purchase

Returned the book.

Helpful

Charles K. Cowdery

We Are Living in the Golden Age of Cocktails. This Is How It Happened.

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2017

Verified Purchase

Simonson's book is exactly what it claims to be, "the full, unflinching story of the contemporary craft cocktail revival." It is an amazing accomplishment, both for its prodigious journalism and the strength of its writing.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Susan K. Bardes

Purchase was a gift.

Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2017

Verified Purchase

This purchase was a gift.

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

The perfect gift for the bartender in my life

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017

Verified Purchase

Husband loved and cruised thru reading it and keeps "Cliff Clavin'g" it with random fun facts being thrown out.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Amazon Customer

Liquid intelligence

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

So happy I was able to buy this book. Capturing stories about history of bartendering and bars themselves. Strongly recommend to anyone with interest in barkeeping.

Violetta

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent service. Great book.

Son of Karl

Looking forward to reading this just shame about the product quality.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2020

Verified Purchase

I’ve ordered this twice now (sent the first back) and each time there has been a product issue (see pic), real shame. Been looking forward to reading this for a while. Can’t review what the book is like because I never started it.

Katinka

Kwaliteit teleurstellend

Reviewed in the Netherlands on October 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

Geen idee of de pagina's zo scheef horen maar de kwaliteit is erg teleurstellend. Inhoud is wel goed.

Translate review to English

Robert Agouri

A great read on the history of the craft cocktail revival

Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2016

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed this book on how all the elements of the craft cocktail bar scene came together in London, NY, SF and LA. Also looking forward to trying the recipes.

See all reviews