Creating cocktails and fermenting bevvies are not as hard as one might imagine. Here’s a quick look at five new drink books, aimed at fermenting, mixing and drink easy. They range from homemade wine and ales to cocktail recipes and music pairings. Whatever the mood, locate your apron, tie it on tight and sip on something unique. Books like these could sometimes be a hard sell to publishers but, with a strong query letter and manuscript, this can be overcome.
Photo courtesy Quirk Books
Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know by Ellen Goldstein
If you want to be a beer snob, you better have the knowledge to back it up. Ellen Goldstein’s newest book, “Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know,” covers everything from light and bright lagers to heavy stouts. This book, like its brethren in the “Stuff” family, is a handy size, small enough to fit in your back pocket, and has a fun design which makes it a great gift. Readers can learn how to pair beer with food and figure out which type of glass goes with which beer. You’ll be a beer snob in no time. | Buy the book | $10
Photo courtesy Running Press
Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks by Andre and Tenaya Darlington
It wouldn’t be a cocktail party without music. Music and Vinyl by sibling co-authors Andre and Tenaya Darlington pairs cocktail recipes and great music to go along. The book is organized by mood, there’s both Chill and Dance, along with Seduce among others, which allows the reader to customize their evening. The music suggestions range from the 1950s to the 2000s and include songs like “Sticky Fingers” and “Low End Theory.” Buy the book | $25
Photo courtesy Penguin Books
The One-Bottle Cocktail by Maggie Hoffman
Fancy drinks aren’t just made by experts anymore and don’t equal out to heaps of ingredients. This recipe book from Serious Eats founder Maggie Hoffman has 80 unique cocktail recipes that use only one bottle of liquor in each. The book is organized by type of spirit and each chapter has creative and inspired recipes to try. Take The Night of the Hunter, for instance, which has grapefruit soda, thyme, figs and gin. The colorful recipe book is a great addition to your cookbook arsenal. | Preorder the book | $40
Photo courtesy Storey Publishing
Wild Wine Making by Richard W. Bender
Wine doesn’t have to be made in a vineyard, and it doesn’t necessarily have to feature grapes. Richard Bender shows readers how to make wine at home with his new book and manual focused on small batches and minimal equipment. Ferment whatever your heart desires with this straightforward guide. Ever heard of banana wine? Now you have. | Buy the book | $20
Photo courtesy Countryman Press
The Homebrewer’s Almanac by Marika Joseph, Aaron Kleidon and Ryan Tockstein
A growing trend is homemade beer with a focus on local. The Homebrewer’s Almanac provides brewers an easy-to-follow guide to backyard brewing with seasonal ingredients from your own garden or local farmer’s market. The almanac includes recipes for beers like a sumac sour ale and a basil rye porter. The chapters are broken down into overviews of what ingredients are local to your region. | Buy the book | $23
