2014 Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award Winner2015 Spirited Awards Top Ten FinalistDuring Prohibition, while Al Capone was rising to worldwide prominence as Public Enemy Number One, the townspeople of rural Templeton, Iowa—population just 428—were busy with a bootlegging empire of their own. Led by Joe Irlbeck, the whip-smart and gregarious son of a Bavarian immigrant, the outfit of farmers, small merchants, and even the church monsignor worked together to create a...

Nine countries, forty producers, and ten classic cocktailsRum, traditionally relegated to cloying cocktails or tropical- themed novelty drinks, is undergoing a global renaissance. In bars and distilleries across the world, rum is being defined as a dynamic, complex, and versatile drink. New to the scene of connoisseurship, rum is a spirit of possibilities, inviting imaginative bartenders and mixologists to leave their marks on this burgeoning movement.In Th...

This book is a backstage pass into the world of small-scale distilling of whiskies, gins, vodkas, brandies, and more. The reader, the ultimate spirits aficionado, will learn how water and grain are transformed into the full range exquisite, timeless liquors. There are few books available that explore the actual craft of distilling in such detail. Most of the other spirits books chronicle the historical side of the distilling world or focus on the flavors of various vintages. Our book will ...

A gripping biological detective story that uncovers the myth, mystery, and endangered fate of the world’s most humble fruitTo most people, a banana is a banana: a simple yellow fruit. Americans eat more bananas than apples and oranges combined. In others parts of the world, bananas are what keep millions of people alive. But for all its ubiquity, the banana is surprisingly mysterious; nobody knows how bananas evolved or exactly where they originated. Rich cultural ...

Pour a stiff drink and crack open this comprehensive guide to everything there is to know about the world’s greatest whiskeys. Exploring the traditions behind bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and even Japanese whiskey, you’ll discover how unique flavors are created through variations of ingredients and different distilling techniques. With advice on how to collect, age, and serve whiskey, as well as suggestions for proven food pairings, you’ll be inspired to share your knowledge and invite your fri...

Accidental Chef is a sobering account of what it's really like to be a professional chef, not the glamorized, sugar-coated depictions we see on cable television. This book offers a glimpse of what it really like to work in a hotel patry shop and a busy restaurant. When you read Accidental Chef you can't help feeling that you right there with Charles in the kitchen. Through his vivid descriptions you'll be able to imagine the sights, sounds and smells of a real kitchen. Accidental Chef puts...

**JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • SPIRITED AWARD WINNER • “This indispensable book is the definitive volume on one of the cocktail world’s most fascinating and complex genres.”—Jordan Mackay, co-author of Secrets of the SommeliersWINNER: 2017 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION BOOK AWARD, BEVERAGEWINNER: 2017 SPIRITED AWARDS (TALES OF THE COCKTAIL): BEST NEW COCKTAIL & BARTENDING BOOKA colorful journey into the lore and legend of tiki, from its birth in Depression-era Americ...

Now revised, updated, and with new recipes, And a Bottle of Rum tells the raucously entertaining story of this most American of liquorsFrom the grog sailors drank on the high seas in the 1700s to the mojitos of Havana bar hoppers, spirits and cocktail columnist Wayne Curtis offers a history of rum and the Americas alike, revealing that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the booming sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stra...

An indispensable follow-up to his classic Complete Book of Mixed Drinks, Anthony Dias Blue presents The Complete Book of Spirits, a comprehensive collection of history, lore, and tasting tips, along with recipes for select cocktails. Here, in one concise and easy-to-use volume, is all the information a consumer needs to shop, mix, and sip like a spirits expert.From bathtub gin to mojito madness, Blue brings the dynamic history of the spirits industry alive, demonstrating that spiri...

While some may wonder, “Does the world really need another flavored vodka?” no one answers this question quite so memorably as spirits writer and raconteur Jason Wilson does in Boozehound. (By the way, the short answer is no.) A unique blend of travelogue, spirits history, and recipe collection, Boozehound explores the origins of what we drink and the often surprising reasons behind our choices.In lieu of odorless, colorless, tasteless spirits, Wilson cha...

"Just give me all your chocolate and no one gets hurt!" Billions of us worldwide understand what it means to scream those words. We feel lost-even unhinged-without chocolate's pleasures. And if chocolate is the music that makes our days brighter, fine chocolate is the symphony-the richest, most complex form in the chocolate universe. The most important movement in that symphony's centuries-old existence is now beginning. And that future is... what? A world of gray monochromatic flavor, or ...

How to make Mojito? What wine goes with seafood? What is the proper way of drinking plum brandy? Find answers in this comprehensive guide. Over 500 cocktail recipes. AudienceWeather you are a novice to cocktail mixing or an experienced bartender this collection of recipes will indulge your senses and make a lasting impression on your guests.FEATURES:- Detailed explanations of each recipe - Alcoholic beverages history, culture, and drinking styles - Fully illustrated - Be prepared for your ...