22 New Drink Books for September 2021- Beer, Alchemy, Amari, Sustainable Spirits & More

There are so many drink books coming out this fall! This post is only the 22 books coming out in September, though I’ll note that some books are being pushed back a few weeks due to global shipping issues. October looks to be even more books than September. Scroll all the way through because there are so many winners in here I can’t wait to read. 

As is usual, the write-ups below are pasted from the publisher and are not reviews by me. Links are to Amazon and to Bookshop, which supports independent bookstores. I may earn an affiliate fee if you purchase via these links. By the way, if you want to look at all these new books together you can check out my shopping list on Bookshop. 

 

A Good Drink: In Pursuit of Sustainable Spirits by Shanna Farrell 

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Shanna Farrell loves a good drink. As a bartender, she not only poured spirits, but learned their stories—who made them and how. Living in San Francisco, surrounded by farm-to-table restaurants and high-end bars, she wondered why the eco-consciousness devoted to food didn’t extend to drinks.

The short answer is that we don’t think of spirits as food. But whether it’s rum, brandy, whiskey, or tequila, drinks are distilled from the same crops that end up on our tables. Most are grown with chemicals that cause pesticide resistance and pollute waterways, and distilling itself requires huge volumes of water. Even bars are notorious for generating mountains of trash. The good news is that while the good drink movement is far behind the good food movement, it is emerging.

In A Good Drink, Farrell goes in search of the bars, distillers, and farmers who are driving a transformation to sustainable spirits. She meets mezcaleros in Guadalajara who are working to preserve traditional ways of producing mezcal, for the health of the local land, the wallets of the local farmers, and the culture of the community. She visits distillers in South Carolina who are bringing a rare variety of corn back from near extinction to make one of the most sought-after bourbons in the world. She meets a London bar owner who has eliminated individual bottles and ice, acculturating drinkers to a new definition of luxury.

These individuals are part of a growing trend to recognize spirits for what they are—part of our food system. For readers who have ever wondered who grew the pears that went into their brandy or why their cocktail is an unnatural shade of red, A Good Drink will be an eye-opening tour of the spirits industry. For anyone who cares about the future of the planet, it offers a hopeful vision of change, one pour at a time.

 

 

Bourbon’s Backroads: A Journey through Kentucky’s Distilling Landscape (now in paperback) by Karl Raitz

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Kentucky’s landscape is punctuated by landmark structures that signpost bourbon’s venerable story: distilleries long-standing, relict, razed, and brand new, the grand nineteenth-century homes of renowned distillers, villages and neighborhoods where distillery laborers lived, Whiskey Row storage warehouses, river landings and railroad yards, and factories where copper distilling vessels and charred white oak barrels are made. During the nineteenth century, distilling changed from an artisanal craft practiced by farmers and millers to a large-scale mechanized industry that practiced increasingly refined production techniques. Distillers often operated at comparatively remote sites―along the “backroads”―to take advantage of water sources or river or turnpike transport access. As time passed, steam power and mechanization freed the industry from its reliance on waterpower and permitted distillers to relocate to urban and rural rail-side sites. This shift also allowed distillers to perfect their production techniques, increase their capacity, and refine their marketing strategies. The historic progression produced the “fine” Kentucky bourbons that are available to present day consumers. Yet, distillers have not abandoned their cultural roots and traditions; their iconic products embrace the modern while also engaging their history and geography.

Blending several topics―inventions and innovations in distilling and transport technologies, tax policy, geography, landscapes, and architecture―this primer and geographical guide presents an accessible and detailed history of the development of Kentucky’s distilling industry and explains how the industry continues to thrive.

 

Madeira, Port, Sherry: The Equinox Companion to Fortified Wines by Piotr Nagorka

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Madeira, Port, Sherry: The Equinox Companion to Fortified Wines fills a niche for all those seeking to understand the fortified wine industry as a whole: its history, producers, winemaking methods, and practical aspects of enjoying these unique wines, numbered among the world’s most long-lived beverages. This book constitutes an educational compendium representing organised cutting-edge knowledge on the three classic fortified wines, brought to us by the Iberian culture. The reference work enables an appreciation of the histories of madeira, port and sherry against the background of world-changing events. Extensive terminological research has distilled years of professional knowledge into a reliable compendium, taking the reader on unique educational journeys through winemaking activities, from selection of grapes to bottle ageing. The companion offers comprehensive terminological coverage, including classifications and serving temperatures, as well as the intricacies of flavour compounds, responsible for various notes identified in wine bouquets, such as those of an old blended madeira, a vintage port, or a palo cortado sherry. Guidelines on wine and food pairing have been included to ensure the companion’s suitability for a wide audience of readers: from wine experts to connoisseurs, from gourmet restaurant chefs to home cooks.

 

Vodka Cocktails: More than 40 recipes for delicious drinks to fix at home

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With more than 40 vodka-based cocktail recipes—from classics to contemporary twists—this is a must-have bar companion for anyone who enjoys their vodka.

Vodka makes the ideal base for a cocktail and is perhaps the most mixable and useful spirit behind any bar. Its clean and neutral taste pairs with most flavors, from sweet to sour, fruity to spicy, and creates delicious possibilities for every drinking occasion. Try a restorative Bloody Mary with breakfast, a perfectly mixed Cosmopolitan to sip at a leisurely lunch, a pre-dinner Vodka Martini to whet your appetite, or a Black Russian enjoyed as a night-cap. This perfect companion to your home bar showcases all the most popular vodka drinks, plus offers up some surprises, and is a celebration of the cocktail in its myriad forms. From the retro charm of a Harvey Wallbanger to that icon of the modern drinking scene, the Espresso Martini, the recipes included here are must-tries for any vodka-drinker.

 

The Art of Whisky by Jim Murray 

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THE MAKING OF WHISKY is an art in itself – distilling, ageing in cask, blending, all for the enjoyment of lovers of the complex blend or the noble single malt. But another art form is rediscovered in this superb selection of over 70 nineteenth and early twentieth century posters and showcards designed to advertise the Scotch and Irish whiskies of the time. With the charming naivety of an industry still in its infancy, these distinctive and highly-prized products spread through the British Empire and the rest of the world with the aid of kilted Scotsmen with flaming beards and Irishmen dressed invariably in green. And, to add to the romance, these nationalistic ambassadors worked to a backdrop of Celtic mists and mountains and with a nifty peg or wee dram in hand.

The story of whisky’s rise from its beginnings in hidden pot stills to its public perception as a refined and stylish drink for all classes by the turn of the twentieth century is chronicled in a short introductory history. Jim Murray’s witty and knowledgeable captions not only give an insight into the posters but tell the story of the whisky companies who commissioned them, the brands they were advertising and even allow glimpses into the social history of the period as it is reflected in these precious pieces of commercial art.

For eighty years the posters remained mostly unseen in the files of the British Public Record Office (now The National Archives) at Kew until reproduced, many for the first time, in all their glory in 1998, when a small print run of this book was published in paperback form. Updated and now in hardback these priceless posters can be enjoyed once more. Some are simple, some are sophisticated, but all will appeal to both the whisky and the art lover as immensely attractive examples of a now largely forgotten form of art: The Art of Whisky.

 

Best Bourbon Cocktails: Bourbon Cocktail Recipes to Try Today by Nadia Santa 

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This recipe cookbook consists of a wide range of bourbon recipes. Everyone would like these bourbon recipes. No drink gets ready with time and evolves to be very rich with flavor like quite a bourbon. There is no proper method to enjoy a classic bourbon; however, specific ways to enjoy a liquor can give you a delightful experience at home. You do not need to spend hundreds of bucks buying a fancy bottle to enjoy a fancy bourbon.

There are lesser bottles that are within the price bracket of hundreds. In the present times, the whiskey and bourbon market is growing daily. People are getting attracted to it. In this cookbook, we have assembled a wide range of recipes to prepare unique bourbons at home. With the help of this cookbook, you can easily impress your friends by showing off your drink-making skills. A few of the recipes in this cookbook are mentioned as under:
Candy Corn Old Fashioned
Lyaness Crystal Garden Boulevardier
The name of the rose
Lemon Maple Bourbon Cocktail
Cranberry Bourbon Sour Cocktail
Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour
Kentucky Hot Toddy
Bourbon and Coffee Cold Brew Cocktail
This is a tiny amount of the recipes mentioned here whereas. There are several 30 most satisfying recipes of the bourbons included in this cookbook.

 

The Lucky Drinker Cocktail Book  by Ciprian Zsraga 

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This book represents a journey in the world of cocktails from a historic point of view and in addition, treats deeply various aspects: from basic bar techniques to advanced innovative ideas that can be used to create impressive drinks: pressure infusion, clarification, smoking, ageing, fermentation and even spherification!

The Lucky Drinker Cocktail Book covers everything from bar equipment to bar personalities and how they influence the world of drinking, what are the elements and what is the approach to create an outstanding cocktail, food and beverage pairing, alcohol intake but also how to calculate the cost of a cocktail: very important aspect that will help you to have a profitable cocktail menu.

The Author Ciprian Zsraga trained in hospitality in Italy and since 2015 has become one of the leading bartenders in London. He has learned from some of the modern greats and at some of the world’s best bars, including Artesian bar at The Langham Hotel and American bar at The Savoy.

Ciprian started The Lucky Drinker as a blog dedicated to cocktails in 2017 with the aim to inspire, educate and spread his love and passion for cocktails. His ethos is: ‘drink quality, drink in company and above all drink responsibly!’

 

Art Boozel: Cocktails Inspired by Modern and Contemporary Artists by Jennifer Croll (Author), Kelly Shami (Illustrator)

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Raise a glass to the world’s most exciting modern and contemporary artists in this inspired cocktail book with over 50 tribute recipes.

Go on a boozy tour of art history with this collection of recipes for over 50 expertly crafted cocktails, each one a unique creation inspired by its namesake artist. Unwind with a refreshing tequila-watermelon Frida Kahlo. Spark some inspiration while sipping on a Salvador Dalí. Or mix it up with a colorfully sweet Yayoi Kusama.

From painters to sculptors, photographers, and more, each artist profiled has a cocktail recipe that draws deeply from their life and work. Both art lovers and cocktail enthusiasts alike will love pouring over this collection of engaging stories and unique recipes. Inventive and deliciously fun, ART BOOZEL will give you a new appreciation for each of these inspiring artists.

INVENTIVE & FUN RECIPES: Each of these recipes draws from elements of the artist’s life and work in colorful ways that any cocktail enthusiast will enjoy; think tomato garnishes in the Andy Warhol, golden turmeric in the Gustav Klimt, and flower syrup in the Georgia O’Keeffe.

BESTSELLING TEAM: Jennifer Croll and Kelly Shami, the author and illustrator who brought you the wildly popular FREE THE TIPPLE, are back to deliver more of the colorful cocktail recipes and lush illustration that everyone loves.

PERFECT FOR ART LOVERS: Any level of art appreciator will enjoy pouring over the diverse biographies and engaging portraits, and will love creating drinks inspired by their favorite modern and contemporary artists.

Perfect for: mixology enthusiasts; art and art history lovers; museum and gallery visitors, especially visitors to SFMOMA, MoMA, and LACMA; readers of Punch, Bon Appétit, Saveur.

 

The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom – Classic book now on Kindle- by Alfred Barnard 

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This book is offered for the first time in an ebook format.

In 1885, Alfred Barnard was charged with the task of visiting and reporting on every active Whisky distillery throughout Scotland, Ireland and England. It took him two exhaustive years. In this book you will see the distilleries through his eyes. His detailed descriptions of every step in the distilling process is work that remains unparalleled to this day. But that’s only part of the story. As he and his companions traveled the countryside, he fell in love with Scotland and all its grandeur as well as the lush landscapes of Ireland. As you read through this book – presented as an ebook for the very first time – you’ll fall in love, as well. Part technical document and part travelogue, you’re almost getting two books in one intertwined volume. Presented in plain, readable and fully searchable text, the words and images stand up on their own merit and will transport you to a Victorian adventure that was, is and always will be one of a kind.

This edition does not contain some of the additional writings of Alfred Barnard and advertising images that are found in recent print editions, just the text of his original book. There are two additional chapters from later writings that give added detail for the Glenglassaugh and Glenfarclas Distilleries.

Visit this edition’s facebook page, www.facebook.com/BarnardBook, for further insights.

 

The Beer Bible: Second Edition  by Jeff Alworth 

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The most comprehensive guide to the world of beer, with everything you need to know bout what to drink, where, when and why.

“The ultimate guide.” —Sports Illustrated

Imagine sitting in your favorite pub with a good friend who just happens to have won a TACP Award—a major culinary accolade—for writing the book about beer. Then imagine that he’s been spending the years following the first edition exploring all the changes that continue to shape and evolve the brewing world. That’s this book, the completely revised and updated bible on beer that covers everything: The History, or how we got from the birth of malting and national traditions to a hazy IPA in 12,000 years. The Variety: dozens of styles and hundreds of brews, along with recommended “Beers to Know.” The Curiosity: If beer’s your passion, you’ll delight in learning what type of hops went into a favorite beer and where to go for beer tourism, as well as profiles of breweries from around the world. And lastly, The Pleasure. Because, ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.

“A tome worthy of its name.” —Food and Wine

“Easily digestible for drinkers of all levels.”—Imbibe

“Pick up this book as a refresher or a gift, lest we forget that spreading beer education is just as important as advocating for good beer itself.”—Beer Advocate

 

The Café Brûlot  by Sue Strachan 

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The Café Brûlot examines the cocktail that was born of a legend and has endured through the centuries, showcasing New Orleans’s love of flavored drama. A combination of coffee, liquor, and fire, Café Brûlot also goes by the name Café Brûlot Diabolique, “devilishly incendiary coffee.” Varying somewhat depending on what restaurant makes it, the base ingredients of this unusual after-dinner drink are coffee, brandy, sugar, cinnamon, lemon, oranges, cloves, and sometimes an orange liqueur. Although the drink may have originated in France, Café Brûlot is primarily mixed in New Orleans, making it a unique Crescent City tradition. In this entertaining little book, Sue Strachan delves into the history of the cocktail, the story of its various ingredients, and the customary implements used to serve it.

 

 

 

The Beer Brewing Guide: The EBC Quality Handbook for Small Breweries by Christopher McGreger, Nancy McGreger 

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• The ultimate guide for the advanced home brewer

• Learn everything about brewing processes, maintenance and analysis

• Technical, in-depth and yet accessible

• Written in collaboration with the European Trade Association of Brewers, representing 29 countries and more than 10,000 breweries

This book is aimed at small brewers — professional brewers in the process of opening their own breweries or existing brewers — and focuses on quality measures to improve brewing skills and produce the best quality beer. It is the ideal guide for the advanced home brewer, who does not require 5 years of experience in a large industrial brewery or a master’s degree in brewing science, and a precious resource for all small brewers looking to expand their brewing skills, improve their know-how about the brewing process and get more value and benefits from their brewing work.

 

The Fermentation Kitchen: Recipes for the Craft Beer Lover’s Pantry by Gabe Toth 

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Fermented foods are experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to their bold flavors and purported health benefits. Brewer and distiller Gabe Toth has dedicated 15 years to learning and experimenting with the fundamentals of fermented vegetables, condiments, sausage, dairy, meat, bread, vinegar, kombucha, and other live-culture foods. In The Fermentation Kitchen, he distills the essential lessons into easy to follow information that is both technical and practical.

Part how-to guide, part cookbook, and part reference manual, The Fermentation Kitchen is a wide-ranging introduction to fermentation for brewers, food enthusiasts, and home fermentationists, who want to go beyond just recipes to understand what’s happening as their food is transformed. Enough chemistry and microbiology is included to provide a thorough understanding of what’s happening during food transformation which, when paired with a focus on methods and recipes to illustrate techniques, will allow the reader to explore fermentation with greater creativity.

The overarching aim of The Fermentation Kitchen is to provide readers with the tools they need to improvise and adapt their new knowledge to safely create novel flavors and unique fermented foods that reflect their own creativity, using beer when possible.

 

Cocktails & Coloring: Includes 31 Delicious Recipe and Coloring Pages

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Shake up your relaxation routine with creative cocktail-themed coloring pages and more than 20 tasty drink recipes to savor and share!

31 images to color.
Classic drink recipes: Negroni, Manhattan, Margarita, Gin & Tonic, and Mojito.
Tropical treats: Daiquiri, Piña Colada, and Rum Swizzle.
Winter warmers: Mulled Wine, and Hot Toddy.
Sharable sips: Bubbling Raspberry Coolers, Rosé Sangria and Strawberry Basil Sparklers.
Spiral bound with perforated pages.

 

Craft Gin Making  by Rachel Hicks, Andrew Parsons 

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Craft Gin Making is a detailed guide to entering the world of gin production. For beginners and experienced producers alike, it offers key insights and practical advice on what you need to get started and how to progress in this fascinating and growing craft. It covers both distilling and cold compounding, providing advice on equipment and detailing step-by-step processes, whilst discussing a wide variety of gin production issues. Topics covered include a brief history of gin and gin making; the tools, equipment and ingredients needed for the different methods of producing gin; the most common methods and how to achieve success in them; the practicalities of filtration, bottling, sealing and labelling; making flavored gins; why things might go wrong and how to correct them and, finally, the legal aspects of gin production.

 

 

The Gin Drinker’s Year: Drinking and Other Things to Do With Gin; Day by Day, Season by Season by Tara Richardson

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The gin drinker’s essential guide to the best year ever

The Gin Drinker’s Year is a day by day, season by season celebration of all things gin.

Inside you’ll find an entry for every day of the year, including heartfelt tributes to Snoop Dogg’s ‘Gin and Juice’, and the sozzled wit and wisdom of renowned gin soak Dorothy Parker. You’ll also find the rules of Gin Pong and Ten-Gin Bowling, as well as delectable gin-spiked food recipes like Penne alla Gin or Gin and Tonic Sorbet, plus seasonal ways to amp up your gin cocktails.

You’ll also discover fascinating snippets of gin-eral knowledge such as the history of vermouth, the Christmas gift that the beefeaters of the Tower of London are given every year, and why you most definitely should be celebrating National Gingerbread Day.

So let the festivities be-gin. This is every gin lover’s handbook to the best year ever.

 

Soda and Fizzy Drinks: A Global History by Judith Levin 

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An effervescent exploration of the global history and myriad symbolic meanings of carbonated beverages.

More than eighty years before the invention of Coca-Cola, sweet carbonated drinks became popular around the world, provoking arguments remarkably similar to those they prompt today. Are they medicinally, morally, culturally, or nutritionally good or bad? Seemingly since their invention, they have been loved—and hated—for being cold or sweet or fizzy or stimulating. Many of their flavors are international: lemon and ginger were more popular than cola until about 1920. Some are local: tarragon in Russia, cucumber in New York, red bean in Japan, and chinotto (exceedingly bitter orange) in Italy. This book looks not only at how something made from water, sugar, and soda became big business, but also how it became deeply important to people—for fizzy drinks’ symbolic meanings are far more complex than the water, gas, and sugar from which they are made.

 

 

Spirits of the Otherworld: A Grimoire of Occult Cocktails and Drinking Rituals by Allison Crawbuck, Rhys Everett 

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Alcohol meets alchemy in this fun and darkly fascinating collection of cocktail recipes to suit your every mood and whim.

Astrology, tarot, palmistry, and other spiritual arts are having a moment—and that includes the spirits we enjoy during cocktail hour. With this deeply researched collection of intoxicating treats, readers will be able to mix a drink that reflects their interests and satisfies their curiosity. Over the course of five chapters, the authors map out esoteric philosophies that have fueled the dark arts of their times. Each recipe is presented in a double-page spread that includes an engaging history, clear instructions, and original photography. Curious about druids? Try the Oak and Mistletoe, reminiscent of ancient European forests. Into voodoo? Enjoy a citrusy rum cocktail that’s finished with Peychaud’s bitters from an infamous New Orleans apothecary. If vodka’s your jam try the Devil’s Daughter, which pays tribute to England’s most famous prophetess, Mother Shipton. More than just a collection of recipes, this dive into the occult tells you everything you need to stock your bar and kitchen with, while offering compelling background information on natural ingredients, botany, herbs, and spices—all points of interests that connect the cocktail enthusiast and the practitioner of magic. Whether you’re serious about cocktails or the occult—or just getting acquainted with either one—this ingenious blend of mixology and magic will add a drop of mystery to every drink you make.

 

The Big Book of Amaro  by Matteo Zed 

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A beautifully illustrated and comprehensive celebration of the classic Italian bitter liqueur details everything you need to know about buying, tasting, and enjoying amaro.

Amaro, translated literally as “bitter,” is an herbal liqueur traditionally enjoyed as a digestif. Delightfully complex and bittersweet, it’s also used as an element in many modern cocktails and kitchen recipes. Cocktail designer, spirits writer, and amaro expert Matteo Zed explores amaro’s fascinating history (from its origins in medieval alchemy to today’s popular renaissance), botanical profiles, and remarkable natural properties. Zed showcases how best to use amaro behind the bar and in the kitchen, with recipes such as the Golden Mai Tai and Bitter Goat Cheese Risotto. Readers can browse the thorough buying guide with descriptions of bottles from Italy, Europe, and beyond.
A lovingly crafted tribute to an iconic Italian creation, The Big Book of Amaro is an essential experience for all of us with a passion for amaro, mixology, food culture, or all things Italian.

 

Chilling Cocktails: Classic Cocktails With A Horrifying Twist by Jason Ward 

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This ghastly lineup of cocktails is inspired by the most famous creepy characters from horror novels and movies.

Mix one of these wicked cocktails before diving into your next horror novel or film. These chilling concoctions inspired by classic works of literature and scary movies will put you in the mood to enjoy the darkest and stormiest of nights. Included are recipes for 50 thematic cocktails such as Redrum, Scrèam de Menthe, and Turn of the Screwdriver—along with a dozen equally creepy party snacks to add more shivers to your evening. Perfect for Halloween parties or anytime you want a spooky adventure.

 

 

 

The Alchemist Cocktail Book: Master the Dark Arts of Mixology

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100 spell-binding, crowd-pleasing cocktails. Work some magic at home with these original cocktail recipes from everyone’s favourite experimental bar, The Alchemist. Elevate your mixology skills and bring some creativity to your bar cart with unique and show-stopping tipple time recipes, from their iconic Caramelised Rum Punch and Smokey Old Fashioned, to new takes on the cocktail classics. With chapters from Chemistry & Theatre, Twisted Classics and New Wave to Classics and Low & No Alcohol, The Alchemist Cocktail Book truly has something for everyone, from mixing novices to experienced bartenders. Bring some dramatic flair to your cocktail hour, with recipes including: Lavender Daquiri, Paloma, Rhubarb and Custard Sour, Bananagroni, Maple Manhattan, Cola Bottle Libre, and Grapefruit and Apricot Martini.

 

 

A Woman’s Place Is in the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs  by Tara Nurin 

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It’s women, not men, who’ve brewed beer throughout most of human history. Their role as family and village brewer lasted for hundreds of thousands of years—through the earliest days of Mesopotamian civilization, the reign of Cleopatra, the witch trials of Medieval and Renaissance Europe, and the settling of colonial America. A Woman’s Place Is in the Brewhouse celebrates the contributions and influence of female brewers and explores the forces that have erased them from the brewing world.

It’s a history that’s simultaneously inspiring and demeaning. Wherever and whenever the cottage brewing industry has grown profitable, politics, religion, and capitalism have grown greedy. On a macro scale, men have repeatedly seized control and forced women out of the business. Other times, women have simply lost the minimal independence, respect, and economic power brewing brought them.

But there are more breweries now than at any time in American history and today women serve as founder, CEO, or head brewer at more than one thousand of them.

As women continue to work hard for equal treatment and recognition in the industry, author Tara Nurin shows readers that women have been—and are once again becoming—relevant in the brewing world.