David Wondrich’s Imbibe! traces the career and drinks of pre-prohibition bartender, and author of one of the first reference books on cocktails, Jerry Thomas. One need not know much about Jerry Thomas to enjoy the book, and the author provides a vivid description of this larger-than-life personality, and his swashbuckling around the US of the late 1800’s perfecting his craft. Wondrich also attempts to recreate and modernize The Bartender’s Guide, […] [Read more]

While not specifically about cocktails or the spirits industry, Dethroning the King is a compelling read nonetheless. The acquisition of Anheuser-Busch represented one of the largest hostile takeovers in decades, and probably would have been on the front pages of the popular press for months had there not been another series of “minor financial incidents” in late 2008. Julie Macintosh vividly recounts the family and high-level corporate players on the […] [Read more]

Daniel Okrent’s Last Call is a fabulous historical account of the rise of the temperance movement in the United States, culminating in the successful passage of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, prohibiting “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors”. This book explores this largely forgotten segment of US history, and all the colorful characters, and political maneuverings surrounding the passage and eventual repeal of Prohibition. The cast […] [Read more]

If you have a passing interest in either US history or rum, then this is an excellent read. The author walks through US history, from the pre-revolutionary days of the triangle trade, up through the Tiki Bar era to rum’s current resurgence. Each chapter begins with a cocktail from the period, and the book is well-researched and equally well-written. If you thought of rum as limited to tropical islands, Cuba […] [Read more]