12-Bottle Bar, The: Make Hundreds of Cocktails with Just Twelve Bottles - Softcover

David Solmonson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 076117494X ISBN 13: 9780761174943

Publisher: Workman, 2014

Synopsis

Avid home mixologists David and Lesley Solmonson were in a quandary. They wanted to replicate the delicious, hand-crafted cocktails they enjoyed at their local bar, but were continually frustrated by recipes that called for more and more rarefied ingredients and expensive liquors they'd use only once. How could they make these drinks without breaking the bank and amassing an unwieldy collection of hooch they'd rarely use again? In search of a solution, they tinkered and experimented, finally figuring out a way to make hundreds of cocktails from a fixed list of main ingredients - just twelve bottles. And so, the 12 Bottle Bar was born. A deceptively simple idea with an alluring promise, the 12 Bottle Bar is the home bartender's ultimate toolkit - the answer to entertaining confidently. With only eight bottles of hard liquor, two vermouths, and two bitters, you can make literally hundreds of classic and original cocktail recipes - more than you ever will, or at least, should, drink. Add to that a little basic knowledge of fresh fruit juices and easy-to-make syrups (goodbye, sour mix!), and you have everything you need to produce freshly made, old-school, affordable cocktails at home. Includes suggestions for bottles in every budget, appendices on entertaining and tools of the trade, lively anecdotes and lore (including the tale of a 17th century party featuring a rum punch so large, it was mixed by a boy in a rowboat), and more than 200 cocktail recipes organized by spirit and flavour (fruity/sweet, tangy/citrusy, and strong). Bottoms up!

About this title

Review:

"Easy, smart, and fun to read." -Men's Journal

"With this book in hand, your 12 bottles will provide at least a year's worth of excellent drinks, both classic and modern." -Wall Street Journal

"It's the bane of the home mixologist -- complicated cocktail recipes that call for multiple (and often pricey) esoteric liquors doomed to be used once, then linger for years at the back of the cabinet. Convinced there had to be a better way to stock a bar, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson and husband David Solmonson set out to cull the cocktail herd and home in on only the most essential ingredients for great drinking."
- J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press

"Starting a home bar from scratch can be daunting and expensive... With the right selection, you can keep your stash simple and still be able to make just about every cocktail you could imagine."
- Brooklynmagazine

"Make enough cocktails to last you a lifetime. Limited to only seven spirits, one liqueur, two vermouths and two styles of bitters, you will indeed have a collection that in many ways will exceed most typical bars around the country."
- Good Spirits News

"Here's to smart barkeeping: Make hundreds of cocktails from a mere dozen bottles."
- Cooking Light

"A great home bar is an abridged one... The 12 Bottle Bar offers tips on stocking enough liquor to keep your cocktail list large but your investment small."
- Los Angeles magazine

"An innovative idea."
-Town & Country

"Covers the bases of modern cocktail making thoroughly."
- Kindred Cocktails

"Maximum cocktail potential from just a few bottles."
- Liquor.com

"The perfect precursor to a establishing a successful home or café beverage program."
- Fresh Cup

"How many cocktails could you make using just 12 bottles without sacrificing flavor, technique, or creativity? The answer: enough to give your local molecular mixologist a run for his money."
- Publishers Weekly--AP

About the Author:

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson are the husband-and-wife publishers of the popular blog 12bottlebar.com. Mr. Solmonson has written for both film and television, while Ms. Solmonson, spirits and wine writer for L.A. Weekly, is also the author of Gin: A Global History and the forthcoming Liqueur: A Global History. The Solmonsons live in Los Angeles.

About this edition

• Publisher: Workman
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 076117494X
• ISBN 13: 9780761174943
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320