Read Spirits Sugar Water Bitters How the Cocktail Conquered the World Derek Brown Robert Yule 9780847861460 Books

Product details Hardcover 208 pages Publisher Rizzoli (April 16, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 0847861465

Spirits Sugar Water Bitters How the Cocktail Conquered the World Derek Brown Robert Yule 9780847861460 Books Reviews

• I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of following Derek Brown from the original incarnation of the Columbia Room (back when it was in the original incarnation of The Passenger) to the Spirited Republic Series at the National Archives to the CR’s current home in Blagden Alley (a mandatory destination for any cocktail lover), and it’s a treat to see this book come to fruition. Over the years, many of us have learned, from Derek and his Drink Co. progeny, the intricate history of cocktails, but that all came piecemeal, drink by drink (not that I’m complaining). Now anyone making the leap from Red Bull & Vodkas to Red Hooks (which is basically me in my 20s vs. me in my 30s) can see how that evolution was made possible.
  
  Lots of great recipes here...I found myself starting to keep a list from which I can order the next time I’m at a bar worth its druthers. Also, credit to the author for pointing out cases of cultural appropriation and shining a light on the contributions of women throughout cocktail history. Minor demerit for referring to South Pacific as a play when it’s a musical (hey, if I have to be careful about what I call a martini with vodka in it - and feel bad about ordering it in the first place - I’m going to nitpick about terminology, too).
  
  The book itself is beautiful - like a space race era textbook - with wonderfully thick pages and built in bookmarks. A great addition to your home library and exceptionally gift-worthy. Cheers!
• Unfortunately for me, I left the DC area in the summer of 2009, just months before the Passenger and Columbia Room opened. But in my regular trips back to Washington, I always make a point to stop into one of Derek Brown’s latest bars. The experience of each bar is unique, but a common thread is a commitment to quality ingredients and customer service.
  
  But does being a successful entrepreneurs in the bar scene translate into being a successful author of the bar scene and its history? In Derek Brown’s case, the answer is “yes.” Here are the three reasons you should buy this book
  
  1. Research – Mr. Brown has done his homework. If the preface by the Archivist of the United States is not enough to convince you of the high quality research, just check out the list of sources in the back of the book. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cocktail book with a true bibliography, even in the well-researched books by David Wondrich (who has ten citations in this book). As an academic I applaud this.
  
  As Derek relates, many tales of the origin of particular cocktails are bogus, probably told and retold over many drinks over the years. Derek tries to get to the bottom of these stories (often myths), and is not afraid to tell the reader when there is no credible story. But his history is not just about myth-busting, as fun as that is (I see Derek has a session at the 2019 Tales of the Cocktail on “Fake Booze News”). The best history is those little nuggets that seem like bits of trivia, but actually tell a much bigger story. On such story Derek relates is of Frederic Tudor, the “Ice King,” drawing on Weightman’s book “The Frozen-Water Trade” (an excellent book in its own right). As you might guess, the history of marketing ice is closely tied to the history of cocktails, but you’ll have to buy the book to find out exactly how.
  
  2. Design – This is a beautiful book to look at. Cocktail books have become increasingly beautiful and well-designed over the years (I’m thinking in particular of “Regarding Cocktails” and “Cocktail Codex”), but this book takes it to the next level. But the book does it by taking a very minimalist approach. Graphics are used sparingly, to book-end each chapter, and to show deconstructed versions of the original recipes. No gratuitous shots of cocktails in bespoke glasses on a dimly light bar, just fun graphics that, very importantly, don’t distract from the text. Because (see #1 above), the text is what’s important in this book. The design complements it.
  
  I really want to cut out almost every illustration and hang them on my walls. But it’s the little touches that make this book a true joy to hold. For example, it has two (yes, two!) ribbon bookmarks embedded in the book. Why in the world would you need to bookmarks? Once you start reading it, you will see the convenience, because you will be skipping ahead to read all the original recipes (see #3 below), but still need a way to mark where you are in reading the book.
  
  3. Drinks – But in a drink book, the most important parts are the drinks. Because this is a history of cocktails, the drinks are roughly arranged in chronological order along with the corresponding chapters. All of the classics are here of course, including some “classics” from the dark ages of drinking. More importantly, each chapter contains one Derek Brown original cocktail.
  
  And each original drink is wonderful. The Philly Sling is an excellent drink in the classic sour family, and a perfect way to use up that bottle of Hayman’s Sloe Gin sitting in your home bar (I love a good Sloe Gin Fizz, but really, how many can you drink?). The December 5th cocktail uses ginger liqueur as the base (aside my wife’s wedding cocktail was based on a ginger-forward cocktail served to us at the Passenger). I was also excited to see the Salad Days Sour, a fun drink that I had at the old Columbia Room, and is surprisingly easy to make (well, other than the cinnamon ash!).
  
  Buy this book, pour yourself a glass of sherry, savor the history, and enjoy it on your bookshelf for years to come.
• A playful historical history of the cocktail that takes the mixed drink through various eras. Less of a recipe book (although there are 4 classics and one author original at the end of each chapter) and more of one putting the drink in context of history, society, and culture. The closest book that it reminds me of is Robert O. Simonson's A Proper Drink with less namedropping and more pop cultural references and also more of what is in the glass and why.
• I just received my copy of Spirit, Sugar, Water, Bitters and could not be happier. I stayed up last night browsing through its fragrant pages. I found favorite recipes and ones I've never tried before. I love the way the book is located in the corner of history and pleasure. It is a beautiful volume, with high-quality paper and gorgeous graphic design. It makes a great gift at a good price, so everyone on my Christmas list is now on notice!
• The author walks us through the history of cocktails with a light yet precise prose, peppering the book with a propos cocktail recipes. From the origins of drinks, the creation of the word cocktail, to the dark times of the prohibition and more, this book gives us a good sense of the role, inspiration and identity of all these drinks. Don't just drink, learn about it, great read!
• I have been waiting for this book a few months and now that I finally got it stoked to read and learn about history of drinking/spirits in the U.S. I have a feeling that sherry will somehow be included! Thank you for all the research Derek Brown!!
• Delicious recipes and a great read. Plus it’s such a beautiful book, it looks great on the shelf!
• A wonderfully written chronicle of the story of the cocktail and American History.