Craft Cocktails at Home

by Kevin Liu

Think of It as Your PhD in Drinking.

In Craft Cocktails at Home, you’ll embark upon a one-of-a-kind journey as you learn how to make some of the world’s most innovative, unique, and delicious cocktails.

Taste scientists, engineers, and talented bartenders with decades of experience all contributed their expertise to create this must-have guide for novices and professionals alike.

Ever wondered what makes water taste good? Curious about what really happens during the barrel-aging process? Interested in which “molecular” ingredients have the best texture?

These questions and more, answered inside.

With 250 pages and 65 recipes

Genres: Cocktails, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Food, Booze, Reference

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2013

Reviews

[Sam]

If you want to take your home mixology to the extreme this is your book. Great detail and experimental results showing how to make spectacular cocktails.

Beware though, this is for those of you that want to build your own sous vide from an electrical diagram, fashion a home parts smoker, and turn the question of "how long to stir a drink" into a chemical formula.

I left with so many crazy awesome ideas for when I want to play mad scientist, but also with a new appreciation for a simple daiquiri.

[Ashanan]

It's got some interesting parts and some good recipes but it reads like a series of blog posts and the layout left a lot to be desired. Totally worth it for the recipes though.

[Cristhian]

Más que un librobde cocktails, es un libro sobre la Química, física y termodinámica que envuelve a todo esto.

[Krzys Piekarski]

Wonderful humane and charming voice. Felt like Kevin was sitting in my kitchen, helping me think through all kinds of creative ways to get in trouble with cocktails.

[Larry]

While some of this book is for mad (food) scientists only, other parts are a must-read for anyone who prepares food or drink - not just bartenders. The introductory material about the 4 fundamental flavors and also the section on the physiology of smell and how it relates to taste were especially helpful. In each chapter the author deftly pivots from theory to practice; however this isn't a recipe book. It's a book that will have you creating and tweaking your own.

An anecdote: While reading this book, my wife had to go on the wagon due to stomach problems. "No problem," I said and using the fundamentals I learned in this book (who knew that alcohol and cayenne pepper triggered the same flavor receptor in the mouth?) I whipped up a surprisingly palatable non-alcoholic cocktail. Judge for yourself:

Mango Lime Faquini

3oz water
1/2 ripe mango, cut into small dice.
juice of 1 lime
1tsp. brown sugar
1tsp. white sugar
pinch of salt
a scant pinch of cayenne pepper
2 dashes of Anagostura bitters.
ice

Put all ingredients into a shaker and shake violently to pulverize the mango. strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

[Martin Doudoroff]

Self-published set of essays. Admirably captures much advanced contemporary know-how.

[Lindsey]

Excellent book for the home cocktail enthusiast.

[Ewan Henderson]

Great insights & ideas, especially on how we taste and science behind techniques.

[Ben]

Some very interesting topics covered. I learned quite a bit! It's pretty much a web blog that someone printed out and bound into a book.

[Kristin]

Splendid geekery

Perfect for those who love science, especially chemistry, as much as they love booze. Fascinating read by a smart afficionado.

[Greg]

Interesting, but very focused on advanced techniques.

[Tasha]

Great book for any cocktail geek! So worth the $3 to buy.