The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails

A comprehensive guide to the world of spirits and cocktails

David Wondrich editor Noah Rothbaum editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc

Published:4th Nov '21

Should be back in stock very soon

The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails cover

This comprehensive reference work explores the global significance of spirits and cocktails, offering insights into production, history, and culture. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is a must-have for enthusiasts.

Anthropologists and historians have established that alcohol has been a central element in nearly every society since the beginning of human civilization. However, it is only in recent years that this topic has garnered serious academic attention. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails emerges as the first major reference work to explore this subject from a global viewpoint, offering an authoritative, enlightening, and enjoyable overview of this important category of beverages. This Companion is set to join the ranks of other bestselling references, such as those dedicated to wine and beer, while delving deeply into the fascinating world of spirits and cocktails.

The Companion provides comprehensive coverage of drinks, production processes, and techniques from various cultures, including those in the United States and Europe. It offers clear explanations of how spirits are created, detailing methods like fermentation, distillation, and aging. Additionally, it sheds light on the rise of cocktails and cocktail bars, featuring entries on significant cocktails, influential mixologists, and notable cocktail establishments. This extensive exploration includes everything from the Manhattan to sloe gin, ensuring a thorough understanding of spirit-based drinks worldwide.

Lavishly illustrated, The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails serves as the ultimate guide to the contents of your glass. It also includes valuable appendices, such as a timeline of spirits and distillation, alongside a practical guide to mixing drinks, making it an indispensable resource for enthusiasts and scholars alike.

the ultimate tome for the cocktail enthusiast in your life, compiled by the most respected voices in the industry. You'll be able to endlessly revisit this reference piece that touches on every nook and cranny related to libations. Naturally, it's best perused with a cocktail in hand. * Charles Joly, co-founder of Crafthouse Cocktails, The 44 best holiday gifts for cooks and foodies, according to experts, CNN Underscored *
deftly answers all manner of questions... the scholarship is clear. Footnotes abound and the cross-referencing is Wikipedic in scope. * , Economist, 'The five essential guides to improved mixology' *
The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails stands out as an authoritative and congenial guide to the world of hard liquor... One can consume its vast and varied knowledge in sips or long deep draughts, using its meticulously organized critical apparatus to steady oneself... the book will make an excellent companion for both the drinker and the bartender, adding savour to the beverage and the craic. * Judith Hawley, Times Literary Supplement *
I have a reasonably large collection of books on the subject, but none is as comprehensive as... Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails * Tom Molloy, Irish Idependent *
Forget Google - for everything you ever wanted to know about the origins, meanings and processes of drinks, plus the facts and stats on the people and places behind them, this bad boy is your go-to. * , The Cocktail Lovers *
With 1,150 alphabetical entries, The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails is the ultimate guide to drinks terminology. It works as a dictionary and a recipe book, or something to dip into and emerge hours later. * , Waitrose Drinks *
This one is a biggie in all senses of the word... Trust us when we say that it's packed with absolutely everything you need to know about the fascinating world of drinks. * , The Cocktail Lovers *
Seasoned imbibers, boozers, quaffers and alcoholics please take note: here is the first major reference work to cover the subject globally. Inebriating, intoxicating, it will definitely keep your spirits up. * Robert Tanitch, Mature Times *
Start on any page of this new, definitive encycolopedia of cocktail history and let it take you on a journey from entry to entry. It's a boozy Wikipedia you can hold in your hands. * Camper English, Big Issue *
This well-researched and executed volume is a treasure. It's a cocktail dictionary. It's a spirits lexicon. It's a mixology almanac. It's a true drinks companion - and many of us will welcome the company... engaging and often amusing, and above all it is a delightful education. * Chrissie Walker, Mostly Food & Travel Journal *
A comprehensive guide, an essential addition to the reference bookshelf, to be consulted when researching the history of a spirit, the origins of a cocktail, or indeed when settling a drunken argument on any drinks-related subject, from Cognac to Coca-Cola... Rothbaum and Wondrich have marshalled a huge amount of knowledge to provide a pivotal point of reference. They should be lauded and applauded for their fine work. * Joel Harrison, Club Oenologique *
There really hasn't been anything which offers such a comprehensive overview as this book does and it's well overdue... It's a treasure trove of information for anybody with the least little bit of interest in the subject. * Hayley Anderton, Shiny New Books *
If I sound a little bit breathless and overexcited about this book - well, I am. There hasn't really been anything like it before which covers so much in one place... if you're looking for a Christmas present for a drinks enthusiast I don't see how you can miss with this book. * Desperate Reader *
A must-have compendium for any drinks lover. * Julie Sheppard, Decanter *
Magnificent... I greatly enjoyed perusing this voluminous book and will hugely enjoy owning it. * Vitali Vitaliev, E&T Magazine *

  • Winner of Shortlisted, Drinks Book Category, 2023 Guild of Food Writers Annual Awards.

ISBN: 9780199311132

Dimensions: 256mm x 186mm x 52mm

Weight: 1715g

864 pages