An original book on the craft of mixology is a rare gem. Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan’s breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders—both professionals and amateurs alike—not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own.
For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula.
In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you’ll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders’ wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you’ll feel as though you’re behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare.
With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.
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Product Details
Author:
Gary Regan
Hardcover:
400 pages
Publisher:
Clarkson Potter
Publication Date:
October 14, 2003
Language:
English
ISBN:
0609608843
Product Length:
5.8 inches
Product Width:
1.42 inches
Product Height:
9.43 inches
Product Weight:
1.42 pounds
Package Length:
9.1 inches
Package Width:
5.7 inches
Package Height:
1.4 inches
Package Weight:
1.4 pounds
Average Customer Rating:
based on 26 reviews
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: ( 26 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
63 of 64 found the following review helpful:
Not your average mixology book! Oct 22, 2003
By Robert Hess Your average cocktail/bartender book is usually just the result of somebody gathering together as many recipes as they can find, prefacing it with the obligatory "how to stock your home bar" chapter, then selecting "File / Print..." Is it any wonder then that people these days are confused as to what a Martini really is?
Thankfully, Gary Regan has shown us that a mixology book can be far more then we have come to expect.
In "The Joy of Mixology", Gary lays out for us the results of what obviously has been many years of research into what cocktails really are, and how to make them properly. First he covers the common topics such as history, bartending, garnishes, glassware, but with far more interesting information then you most likely have seen elsewhere. Mr. Regan then dives into laying out the various styles of cocktails and mixed drinks, and how to understand them in ways that focus on the proper and well-balanced construction of each style. There is a lot of meat in how he organizes his lists, and a wealth of information behind their proper construction.
Cocktails really don't need to be as confusing as they seem to be to most people. This book goes a long way in not only making sense of the large array of cocktail selections available, but also in bringing to light the potentials of a "Quality" cocktail experience.
34 of 35 found the following review helpful:
This is THE BOOK Sep 11, 2005
By Erica
"Porta-Potty Avoider"
I'm surprised that this book doesn't have more reviews - I am usually too preoccupied or lazy to take the time to write Amazon reviews, but in this case I had to speak! This really is THE BOOK if you're looking to learn the art of mixology, the craft of the cocktail, the joy of boozing it up in a delicious and debonair way! I am rather obsessive with the whole mixing drinks thing - and an obsessive buyer of cocktail books - but the only two that really matter - the only two that are ESSENTIAL and not just a novelty to own - are this book and Dale Degroff's the Craft of the Cocktail. Buy others if you have the inclination, but if you're wondering what to buy to learn, or to enjoy, or to be able to say you have the definitive books on the subject - buy those two. And believe me, I've tried out enough of the recipes to KNOW what I'm talking about!
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
The cocktail book I turn to first Dec 03, 2006
By Amy Cook The chart in the middle of the book is invaluable. At a glance you can see what you can make with the ingredients on hand and confidentally experiment without straying too far off tried and true formulas (who knew the Sidecar and Margarita were related?).
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
More than a recipe book Sep 22, 2009
By Paul
"Paul"
There are really a couple of subjects that this book covers:
- Recipes: lots of them with the author's own variations. Not all of the recipes I tried were great. It looks like Gary Regan is trying to provide an inclusive collection of recipes rather than a selection of the best ones. He even includes some that he doesn't care fir,
- Tips for professional bartenders: as a home mixologist I couldn't related to that.
- The standard info on how to and garnishes etc.
And finally, what I consider to be the hear of this guide:
A (for me at least) original, useful and very educational way of grouping cocktails into families. There are lots of tables and descriptions that explain the groupings. This was a real eye-opener for me because it really made it clear how good cocktails were constructed and why a margarita and a cosmopolitan are very, very similar. There are also some great sections that compare the density of various brands of liquors which is extremely helpful when making layered drinks.
All in all, this is not a perfect book but there is really a lot of original content that I've never seen anywhere else. If you like Alton Brown and a pseudo-scientific approach to cooking then you'll definitely enjoy Gary Regan's book.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Great cocktail tips and recipes Dec 28, 2007
By JBinMD There is a Great Cocktails show on the Food Network and they often feature Gary Regan on the show. My husband thought he looked like a fun bartender and had me order this book through the library to preview it. He enjoyed it so much he asked for it for Xmas. I've totally enjoyed the recipes that have come out of this book.
based on 26 reviews
Not your average mixology book! Oct 22, 2003
By Robert Hess
More than a recipe book Sep 22, 2009
By Paul
"Paul"
