New American Bartender's Handbook

I bought this originally from Urban Outfitters, but then I found it on here, and this book is a GREAT 21st birthday gift. It is so helpful, with a great introduction that includes what staples you need at your bar to what different kinds of alcohol is used for. Not to mention- the drinks are FANTASTIC. There are beautiful colored pictures, and it's a really good size to keep at your bar. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for good recipes and some help on how to make them!

Easy to learn . have more than 600 traditional and modern cocktail . explain everything such as Spirit , liquor etc . the book is really grat for bartender and for someone want to make a cocktail and to know the background of Spirits , liquor , wine , beer , etc ... REally great for the bar

I borrowed this book from the library because I wanted to get a little background knowledge on bartending. This book was a great and easy read. It shows you the different types of glasses and which type of glass holds what type of drink (there are pictures too). You learn about the basic bartender's equipment like shakers, blenders, corkscrews, and accessories and tips on what to pick. You learn about the different techniques and crafts to create that special drink and then most of the book is basically a cookbook of recipes for the 600 different traditional and modern classic cocktails. There's a little history on some drinks, like who made it or when was it created. The last chapter features some tips for preventing or curing a hangover. This is a very simple, easy-to-read book; nothing boring. Now I have a real basic idea of how bartenders make their drinks, or what those uniquweird-named drinks are really made of. Great keeper for the beginning bartender or bartender-wannabe. ;)

I'm not a bartender and don't plan on becoming one, but I received this book on my 21st birthday and have found it very helpful. I think the background information on major types of liqour is interesting. The author's comments throughout are very witty. I use the recipe index most often and have discovered some new favorites. On occassion, I have had to explain to a bartender what to put in cocktail that I have found in the book and wanted to try, although I'm not sure if that really speaks to the book or the quality of the bartenders! For the novice drinker, I think this is a great handbook. The cover is very attractive and it looks good on the bar at home too.