There are so many great books out there, but these are the ones that inspired us when we were first getting started with mixology. We hope you will find that they are equally helpful to you!
Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails
By David Kaplan and Nick Fauchald
This is THE must have for a mixologist to hone their craft! Death & Co is one of the most influential bars to lead the craft cocktail movement. Since its opening in NYC in 2006, Death & Co has been a destination for serious drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts, and the winner of every major industry award—including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best Cocktail Menu at the Tales of the Cocktail convention. This book features over 500 of the bar’s most sought-after cocktails, but more importantly, provides a complete education of the science behind creating craft cocktails, including recommended spirits and step-by-step instructions for mastering mixology techniques. Like we said, if you only buy one book, this is the one.
The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks with 150 Recipes
By Megan Krigbaum
This book covers all of the classics – from Manhattan to a Pisco sours, this one is perfect for all skills levels. We were gifted this one from one of our family members and we cherished it when we were first starting out. Not only are the 150 recipes simple to follow, but they show you how to make them the “right” way with colorful pictures that guide your process.
Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions
By Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan
This book is from the same authors that sparked a movement with Death & Co. While their first book featured both classics and more complex recipes that Death and Co. serves in their bar, this book instead takes a brazen stance: “There are only six cocktails,” claim the authors, who reveal a simplistic approach to mastering cocktails using six templates that encompass all cocktails: the old fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and flip. This book is guaranteed to help you understand when to shake vs. stir, why some ingredients pair well while others don’t, and how to easily substitute ingredients to invent something new.
Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together
By Andrew Volk and Briana Volk
Created by the founders of one of our all-time favorite cocktail bars: The Portland Hunt and Alpine Club. This book features many of their award-winning craft cocktails and Scandinavian-inspired food recipes designed to be shared with friends. If you’re looking for a unique book that your mixologist friend probably doesn’t have on their shelf yet, this is it.
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs
By Karen Page
This may seem like a strange addition to this list – but let us explain. The Flavor Bible was created to be just that: the all-inclusive guide to every type of flavor for crafting culinary creations. It explains why particular flavors go well together, how to experiment with ingredients, and how to balance the sensual, emotional, and spiritual elements of an extraordinary meal or cocktail. A great one for any home mixologist or foodie.
I’m Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails
By Sother Teague
This is one of our favorites because it offers a brief history of classic and lesser-known spirits with wittiness and charm, alongside over 100 easy drink recipes you can make at home. The book details how drinking has evolved throughout history and how the joy of drinking has influenced culture. If you’re looking for a recipe book and history lesson in one, it’s an absolute necessity.
The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique
By Jeffery Morgenthaler
Are you looking to impress your family and guests with your cocktails? This cocktail recipe book teaches key techniques of bartending and mixology, breaking down bartending into the essential techniques you need to know and then applies them to building your own creations. This book includes 60 drink recipes with how-to guides for juicing, garnishing, carbonating, stirring and shaking, ice selection, and more.
The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy
By Jim Meehan
This book was created by the head mixologist at Please Don’t Tell, one of New York City’s most impressive cocktail bars that is credited with rebooting the hidden speakeasy trend in the U.S. The book contains 304 cocktail recipes for drinks served at PDT as well as behind-the-scenes secrets from the bar itself. As we’ve grown our skill set, we’ve enjoyed learning techniques from this unique establishment.
The Aviary Cocktail Book
By Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, and Allen Hemberger
To be honest, you probably won’t actually make any of the cocktails in this book at home. But it’s an artistic masterpiece and a must-have coffee table book for inspiration from one of the world’s most innovative cocktail bars – The Aviary. The book itself has 440 gorgeous pages of advanced techniques, delicious recipes, and stunning photographs. This is definitely not your typical cocktail recipe book, but it will certainly draw attention and inspire your next creation.
