The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes Hardcover – October 15, 2002

Dale DeGroff is to blame for setting me off on a quest for the perfect Sazerac.While it lasted (and I can testify that its demise had nothing to do with the quality of the drink and food) DeGroff's Blackbird bar/restaurant in Manhattan was a place I enjoyed going when I could spare the time and cash. When you got DeGroff into the realm of the bitters-tinged cocktail, his subtly aromatic, complex, and a little bit dark and twisted drinks were a treat for the nose and tongue, even as his urbane presence and stylish economy of motion made it clear you were in the presence of a Real Bartender. I still remember the first Sazerac I had there, and the way it unfolded to my senses.Although in the ensuing years, when it comes to that particular drink, I've developed a slight preference for the simpler perfection of the classic (just rye, Peychaud's Bitters, simple syrup, Herbsaint) Sazerac, I still enjoy the plot twists in the story told by DeGroff's fancified (half-and-half rye and cognac for the liquor, and half-and-half Peychaud's and regular old Angostura handling the bitters requirement) version, and I follow his glass-preparation instructions whichever version I make.This is all an illustration of the true lesson to be learned about bartenders' references: there is no single book which will tell you everything there is to be learned about mixing drinks. You need to go out and taste what people are mixing, and you need to have several books on hand whose recipes you can read, compare, imagine, try, synthesize, extrapolate. DeGroff's The Craft of the Cocktail, despite having come out as recently as 2002, is clearly one of those essential references you need on your shelf. It's just a bonus (or perhaps, to some, an annoyance) that the book is so lavishly-produced that you could choose to leave it on the coffee table for guests to enjoy when you're not using it yourself.

I have 5 cocktail books that all have 4+ ratings on amazon (Joy of Mixology, Modern Mixologist etc.) and this is easily my favorite. It has many of the classics like the Daiquiri and Margarita, but they are amazing! Dale's mixes are the best I've tried and my guests absolutely rave about "my" bartending skills. If you follow the directions in this book (which means using FRESH ingredients), then you will have happy guests too. He gives plenty of explanation, including some flashy things like flaming orange peels and the blazer (often called the blue blazer, and you can see Dale performing this one on Youtube). Covers all the basics too, like tools and glassware and the basics of each liquor. If you were just beginning and wanted to learn the right way the first time, this is a great book!The one downside is the index is not good enough in my opinion. There isn't a way of looking up drinks by ingredient. I love this book so much though, I'm creating my own ingredient index, and may make it public someday. There aren't a ton of pictures, but there are lots of great drinks.If you like cream based drinks or liquers (like Kahlua) try the Island Rose. His version of the frozen Daiquiri, Margarita and Cosmopolitan are top notch- the best out of the books I have. I enjoy my other books too, but given only one book, my choice would be easy. He also gives the history of various liquors and drinks and includes a number of drinks from nearly a century ago. There's a reason Dale is called the King of Cocktails, and this book does a good job sharing his expertise.

I'm a bartender in Key West, Florida. Unlike many bartenders I know, bartending is NOT something I am doing until I figure out what I want to do with my life...bartending is my chosen career.And when I grow up, I want to be Dale Degroff.I have carried this book into work every night for the past 6 1/2 years. Its tattered, stained and the binder is falling apart, yet I would not part with it if someone tried to give me a $200 tip.I had the pleasure of meeting Dale at the 2008 Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, and I was pleased, yet not too surprised to see that he was extremely down to earth and genuinely interested to talk about drinks and the craft, even though he's undoubtedly faced with the same questions on a daily basis. His wife was equally charming and kind.I have 25 or so bar books. This is the one I use on a daily basis.I've had Chef Mario Batali sit across the bar from me, as well as scores of famous actors and musicians. And I never worry about the quality of my libations, because I have the passion for the craft, and more importantly, I have Dale Degroff next to the well. Hopefully one of these days I'll successfully convince my work to send me to one of his training seminars. (Was that a pig I just spotted flying over Key West :-) )Buy 2 copies...one for you and one for your favorite local bartender.