When I’m not out having a few cocktails or sitting behind a computer screen writing about my drinking experiences, I’m reading about alcohol.
The best part about books that cover this subject? Spending time with them is just like visiting a quality bar; you’ll be sufficiently entertained and will probably learn something new in the process. The only difference is you won’t wake up the next day with a hangover after a full night of reading — which isn’t necessarily the case when going out for drinks!
Here are four recent releases that caught my eye:
“Shrubs”
By Michael Diestsch
(The Countryman Press, $24.95)
You don’t have to be a heavy drinker — or even drink alcohol at all — to enjoy the flavors of a homemade shrub, a nonalcoholic mixer made with vinegar and just about any type of ingredient that can lend flavor to the finished product.
“Shrubs” examines the concept of mixing ingredients with vinegar, which goes back thousands of years. Dietsch explains the relationship ancient Egyptians and Chinese had with vinegar, and how ancient Greeks helped prevent disease among soldiers and the lower class by mixing drinking water with old wine that had turned into vinegar.
By mixing fruit with vinegar and adding additional sugar, water and other ingredients, shrubs can shine brightly as a nonalcoholic boost that transforms plain sparkling water into something much more flavorful. Dietsch walks readers through the different ingredients used in shrub-making, from berries and stone fruits to herbs, spices and even vegetables. More than 20 classic shrub cocktail recipes are included, plus another 15 drinks the author describes as “original cocktails and sophisticated sodas.”
“Rum: The Manual”
By Dave Broom
(Mitchell Beazley, $19.99)
I first got serious about drinking rum about 10 years ago when RumFire opened at the Sheraton Waikiki. It was eye-opening to sit at that bar in 2008 and see all the different types of rum available that weren’t Bacardi or Captain Morgan’s.
Fast-forward to last year, when I rediscovered my love for rum with the debut of Kirk & Sweeney rum in Honolulu. Another column I wrote last year about the mai tai and my favorite places to drink one helped refresh my memory as well.
Now, thanks to Broom’s latest book, I have a new point of reference when picking up new bottles to try. Broom features more than 100 rums from around the world, with photos of each bottle and tasting notes that include details on how each rum pairs with five different flavor profiles.
Instead of just focusing on the history or flavor of the rum itself, Broom shares how each goes with coconut water, ginger beer, cola, clementine juice and when mixed into a traditional daiquiri. Another 50-plus pages of the book focus on the history of the spirit and how it is produced in different regions. There’s even a section of recipes that include classic cocktails, rum punches and a few “modern twists” worth trying at home.
“The Secrets of Master Brewers”
By Jeff Alworth
(Storey Publishing, $24.95)
I love books like this because they remind me that while I enjoy drinking a quality craft microbrew, I’m pretty sure I don’t have the skill — or the patience — to complete the backbreaking work that goes into producing your own beer.
In “Secrets,” Alworth takes readers on a tour of breweries throughout Europe and the United States while examining more than two dozen styles of beer. I like how each chapter focuses on a specific type of beer-making, not only providing background information, but also including a profile of an individual brewery that actively produces that type of beer. The amount of information within this book’s nearly 300 pages is staggering, yet Alworth has broken everything down in a manner that makes sense and is easy to navigate.
Along with the historical information and brewmaster profiles, “Secrets” includes detailed instructions on understanding and brewing each type of beer featured, along with instructions from brewmasters. Even if you never venture into the home-brewing realm, studying a book like this will make you a better- informed beer drinker and build more appreciation for all the hard work local brewers put into what’s served at your favorite watering hole.
“The Book of Dangerous Cocktails”
By Dylan March and Jennifer Boudinot
(St. Martin’s Castle Point, $14.99)
Of all these books, this is probably the one you’ll want to pick up as a gift for the budding home mixologist in your life.
Bartender March and freelance writer Boudinot provide a fun, lighthearted look at “the craziest, most baller, cancel-your-plans-because-you-were-drunk-two-hours-ago cocktails that might just burn off your tongue.”
“Just kidding,” they continue. “This is a serious cocktail book.”
Not really, but the recipes look seriously delicious — and that happens to be the title of the book’s first chapter. March and Boudinot cover standards like the Lemon Drop, Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach and Malibu Bay Breeze. The following chapter moves into “Dangerously Boozy” territory with another 70-plus recipes for drinks in categories that include “Shameless Shooter” and “Party Punch.”
The final section might raise a few eyebrows with its exploration of nearly 70 recipes tweaked to allow for the use of marijuana-infused alcohol. Yes, you read that correctly — we’re talking weed cocktails, although every one could also be made with regular liquor.
With names like “Wake ’N’ Bake,” “Flying High,” “Ganja Negroni,” “Chronic Cliquet” and “Marijuana Millionaire,” just reading about them could leave you feeling a little stoned. March and Boudinot also spend a few pages explaining exactly how to infuse spirits with weed. Even if you don’t partake in the stuff, it’s pretty interesting to see how they build off a traditional classic cocktail to create something a little more risque.
Jason Genegabus has written about the local bar and drink scenes since 2001. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram or email jason@staradvertiser.com.
