Over the past decade, the cocktail culture has exploded across America. Bars and lounges have become the Broadway theater of mixology, with bartenders resurrecting classic pre-Prohibition cocktails and dazzling customers with their creations. Consumers, in turn, are recreating these cocktails at home, and spending unprecedented amounts on upscale bar gear. With more and more emphasis on quality ingredients, the number of small-batch spirits is increasing all the time, and craft distilling has become popular as an offshoot of the locavore movement. In Iconic Spirits, Mark Spivak, wine and spirits guru and host of the NPR show Uncorked!, explores the history and cultural significance of twelve iconic spirits and reveals how moonshine invented NASCAR; how gin almost toppled the British Empire; how a drink that tastes like castor oil flavored with tree bark became one of the sexiest things on earth; how cognac became the "it" drink of hip-hop culture, and much more. To top it all off, Spivak then offers the most tantalizing cocktail recipes from the era in which each spirit was invented.

A narrative history of the craft cocktail renaissance, written by a New York Times cocktail writer and one of the foremost experts on the subject. A Proper Drink is the first-ever book to tell the full, unflinching story of the contemporary craft cocktail revival. Award-winning writer Robert Simonson interviewed more than 200 key players from around the world, and the result is a rollicking (if slightly tipsy) story of the characters—bars, bartenders, patrons, and visionaries—who in the last 25 years have changed the course of modern drink-making. The book also features a curated list of about 40 cocktails—25 modern classics, plus an additional 15 to 20 rediscovered classics and classic contenders—to emerge from the movement.

The All-New Bible of Spirits In 2008, F. Paul Pacult published the second edition of his groundbreaking book of reviews, Kindred Spirits. In the dozen years since, interest in distilled spirits has exploded, and craft distilleries have popped up around the country and the world. Now, in The New Kindred Spirits, Pacult provides a new and comprehensive compilation of more than 2,400 detailed evaluations of whiskeys, brandies, vodkas, tequilas, rums, gins, and liqueurs—an indispensable reference for any spirits enthusiast or professional. The New Kindred Spirits is essential for: • Consumers who are just beginning their personal adventure in spirits and want the dependable tutelage of the expert whom Imbibe Magazine recently called "…an all-knowing spirituous oracle, a J.D. Power of liquor." • Seasoned spirits consumers looking to expand their repertoire and in need of a reliable, highly detailed purchasing guide. • Industry insiders who would like to increase their knowledge about all spirits categories—and see what the competition is up to. • Retailers looking for both a trusted guide to help their clientele make buying decisions, and an educational textbook for their sales staff. • Restauranteurs/bar owners/bartenders who sell spirits and need to know more about them in a time of increasingly knowledgeable customers. • Journalists, educators and other writers who regularly or occasionally cover or teach distilled spirits and mixology. New in this edition, The New Kindred Spirits will also cover the craft distiller explosion—wherein thousands of small, independent distillers burst onto the scene—through hundreds of reviews of craft spirits. The world's most respected and trusted spirits authority, F. Paul Pacult is a critic, journalist, and the creator of F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, which provided meticulous and unbiased spirits reviews for twenty-eight years. But whether reviewing old standby spirits or up-and-comers, readers can count on Paul's steely, unemotional critic's eye, just as they have since 1991. More comprehensive than ever before, The New Kindreds Spirits remains true to the guiding principles of careful judgment, no advertising allowed, occasional wisecracks, and totally unbiased opinions.

Featuring 1,000 listed whiskies from around the world, this exceptional and unique guidebook is a must-have for whisky amateurs and connoisseurs alike. It provides a visual categorisation of the main aromas (nose, body, finish and strength), plus additional tasting notes based on the authors' uniquely conceived aroma wheel. Including maps which illustrate geographical areas of production and different terroirs, as well as 3D illustrations of whisky production, Iconic Whisky provides an amazing wealth of information about the nature and origins of whiskies from all around the world. From different types of whisky to the different stages of the production process, grain types (and how these affect flavour), casks (sizes and history), glassware and vocabulary, this book contains essential resources that all amateurs and professionals need to know in order to refine and reinforce their knowledge of whisky culture and tasting techniques.

Divided Spirits tells the stories of tequila and mezcal, two of MexicoÕs most iconic products. In doing so, the book illustrates how neoliberalism influences the production, branding, and regulation of local foods and drinks. It also challenges the strategy of relying on ÒalternativeÓ markets to protect food cultures and rural livelihoods. In recent years, as consumers increasingly demand to connect with the people and places that produce their food, the concept of terroirÑthe taste of placeÑhas become more and more prominent. Tequila and mezcal are both protected by denominations of origin (DOs), legal designations that aim to guarantee a productÕs authenticity based on its link to terroir. Advocates argue that the DOs expand market opportunities, protect cultural heritage, and ensure the reputation of MexicoÕs national spirits. Yet this book shows how the institutions that are supposed to guard Òthe legacy of all MexicansÓ often fail those who are most in need of protection: the small producers, agave farmers, and other workers who have been making tequila and mezcal for generations. The consequencesÑfor the quality and taste of tequila and mezcal, and for communities throughout MexicoÑare stark. Divided Spirits suggests that we must move beyond market-based models if we want to safeguard local products and the people who make them. Instead, we need systems of production, consumption, and oversight that are more democratic, more inclusive, and more participatory. Lasting change is unlikely without the involvement of the state and a sustained commitment to addressing inequality and supporting rural development.

Alcohol consumption goes to the very roots of nearly all human societies. Different countries and regions have become associated with different sorts of alcohol, for instance, the “beer culture” of Germany, the “wine culture” of France, Japan and saki, Russia and vodka, the Caribbean and rum, or the “moonshine culture” of Appalachia. Wine is used in religious rituals, and toasts are used to seal business deals or to celebrate marriages and state dinners. However, our relation with alcohol is one of love/hate. We also regulate it and tax it, we pass laws about when and where it’s appropriate, we crack down severely on drunk driving, and the United States and other countries tried the failed “Noble Experiment” of Prohibition. While there are many encyclopedias on alcohol, nearly all approach it as a substance of abuse, taking a clinical, medical perspective (alcohol, alcoholism, and treatment). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol examines the history of alcohol worldwide and goes beyond the historical lens to examine alcohol as a cultural and social phenomenon, as well—both for good and for ill—from the earliest days of humankind.

The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated presents the techniques and inspirations of the most innovative micro-distillers working today and ties it together with incredible insider photography. In this comprehensive guide to artisan distilling, American Distilling Institute founder Bill Owens will teach you how contemporary master distillers transform water and grain into the full range of exquisite, timeless spirits. The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated is your exclusive backstage pass into the world of small-scale distilling of whiskies, gins, vodkas, brandies, and many other spirits. Like no other book on the subject, The Art of Distilling goes to lengths to explore the actual craft of distilling, in detail. Beginning with a brief history of distilling and introduction to the process itself, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the art of distilling today. The revised and expanded edition includes even more practical tips, tricks, and instruction and has been updated to include growth and development in the artisan distilling space over the past decade. The Art of Distilling, Revised and Updated is the consummate insider's guide to distilling and its techniques.