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Meehan's Bartender Manual: [A Cocktail Reference and Recipe Book]
“A knowledge-filled tome for true cocktail nerds or those aspiring to be” ( Esquire ), from one of the world’s most acclaimed bartenders
WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD AWARD • WINNER OF THE TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARD® FOR BEST NEW COCKTAIL OR BARTENDING BOOK • IACP AWARD FINALIST
Meehan’s Bartender Manual is acclaimed mixologist Jim Meehan’s magnum opus—and the first book of the modern era to explain the bar industry from the inside out. With chapters that mix cocktail history with professional insights from experts all over the world, this deep dive covers it bar design, menu development, spirits production, drink mixing technique, the craft of service and art of hospitality, and more.
The book also includes recipes for 100 cocktails culled from the classic canon and Meehan’s own storied career. Each recipe reveals why Meehan makes these drinks the way he does, offering unprecedented access to a top bartender’s creative process.
Whether you’re a professional looking to take your career to the next level or an enthusiastic amateur interested in understanding the how and why of mixology, Meehan’s Bartender Manual is the definitive guide.
WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD AWARD • WINNER OF THE TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARD® FOR BEST NEW COCKTAIL OR BARTENDING BOOK • IACP AWARD FINALIST
Meehan’s Bartender Manual is acclaimed mixologist Jim Meehan’s magnum opus—and the first book of the modern era to explain the bar industry from the inside out. With chapters that mix cocktail history with professional insights from experts all over the world, this deep dive covers it bar design, menu development, spirits production, drink mixing technique, the craft of service and art of hospitality, and more.
The book also includes recipes for 100 cocktails culled from the classic canon and Meehan’s own storied career. Each recipe reveals why Meehan makes these drinks the way he does, offering unprecedented access to a top bartender’s creative process.
Whether you’re a professional looking to take your career to the next level or an enthusiastic amateur interested in understanding the how and why of mixology, Meehan’s Bartender Manual is the definitive guide.
488 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2017
205 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
About the author
Jim Meehan
6 books17 followersJim Meehan is the co-founder of the celebrated speakeasy PDT in New York's East Village. He began bartending at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and worked at New York City mainstays such as Gramercy Tavern before founding his own cocktail bar inside of a popular hotdog stand. Mr Meehan is a frequent contributor to cocktail magazines; The PDT Cocktail Book is his first book. Mr Meehan now lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 13, 2017
I received a free electronic copy of Meehan's Bartender Manual from NetGalley for my honest review. Although I am not a bartender I quickly discovered that this book was way more than I thought it was going to be. I found out there is a lot more to being a good bartender than serving drinks and knowing how to make them. Meehan goes into great depths of what ingredients are used, tools, and techniques (Propagating the yeast, fermentation, distillation, blending, filtration, bottling, etc.). It even discusses prohibition. Anyone who is interested in opening a bar or managing one should read this book.
July 16, 2019
A very beautiful and very pretentious book that is very confused about who it's written for. Half of the manual covers the basics of running a bar - how to lay out a space, develop a menu, and manage staff. The other half is a 101 introduction to various spirits with a handful of cocktail recipes tacked on. So is this manual for aspiring bar managers or for newbies that don't know the ingredients of a martini? The whole conceit of the book is puzzling, and reads much more like the author bragging about how much cocktail minutae he knows than trying to be helpful to an audience. I find it hard to believe that he is a successful bartender because this book makes him sound like an absolute bore.
October 23, 2023
phenomenal! Many books in this genre stick to providing recipes and (maybe) basic information about spirits; Meehan's Bartender Manual is so much more. This guide explores in granular detail everything from the science behind bar design to the art of service and hospitality.
As I made my way through this book, I was constantly finding tidbits to help me improve my craft. This book speaks to why I love behind behind the bar & find myself obsessed with learning more.
This read demonstrates a great reverence for history of cocktail making & a deep appreciation for the vulnerability required for great hospitality- two concepts I now think about daily.
As I made my way through this book, I was constantly finding tidbits to help me improve my craft. This book speaks to why I love behind behind the bar & find myself obsessed with learning more.
This read demonstrates a great reverence for history of cocktail making & a deep appreciation for the vulnerability required for great hospitality- two concepts I now think about daily.
April 25, 2018
A must have book! Easy to follow. Easy to find ingredients. A very impressive volume of work!
July 6, 2020
Maybe I'm being too harsh, but this one just left me asking, yet again, "How many more books do we on the basic 'classic' cocktails?" Admittedly, if this is one of the better volumes out there on the subject...perhaps the best...but it rarely feels necessary. The handful of original recipes Meehan includes are almost insulting in their dificulty. He even points out that one of them cannot ever be properly re-created because it relies on a proprietary liqueur Meehan ws sourcing from a now defunct, ultra-small distilling operation, and according to Meehan, there is no substitute for the ingredient. Great...thanks for taking up ther space in your book to shre that with us. Meehan's sections on running a bar are the best and most original parts of the book and should be interested to anyone who loves a great bar, whether or not they are in the industry.
November 25, 2017
I received this book as a digital advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Since my review copy expired before I had a chance to finish reading it, I actually bought the book so I could read it for a review.
I have read my fair share of cocktail books and spirit books in the past two years, but this book was completely like anything that I have ever read. First, it was geared toward professionals in the trade, rather than cocktail enthusiasts and home bartenders. Second, the Spirits and Cocktails chapter comprised only about half the book (250 pages out of 464 pages total, not including the bibliography and index). Third, there were sections of the book that were as well researched and cross referenced as a law journal article. Because of how well-written and well-researched the book was, I completely loved it.
In addition to the Introduction and the Epilogue, the book is composed of eight chapters: History, Bar Design, Tools & Techniques, Distillery Tour, Spirits & Cocktails, Cocktail Menu, Service, and Hospitality. Fewer than half of those chapters – History, Distillery Tour, Spirits & Cocktails – truly appealed to me as a home bartender. I would have been completely happy with a book that contained just these three chapters. The History chapter focused on the evolution of modern drinking culture across four decades, from when punch landed on American shores in the 1630s right through the 21st century craft cocktail movement. The Distillery Tour chapter offered a general overview into how raw materials are transformed into a distilled spirit. The chapter started with growing, harvesting and transporting the raw materials, then continued with a high level (nontechnical) discussion of the transformation process, and finished with tasting, analysis and evaluation of the process. This general twenty-page background set the stage for each of the spirit specific sections in the voluminous Spirits & Cocktails chapter. Although each of the spirit specific sections was structured slightly differently, each began with a map of Europe indicating production regions and distillery sites and ended with a collection of cocktails featuring the spirit. The cocktail page was divided into four portions: Origin, Logic, Hacks, and Recipe. The Origins section described when/where the recipe was first published or invented. The Logic section described the composition of drink and the role each ingredient played in balancing the drink. The Hacks section described how to substitute either the specific brands of ingredients (e.g. Luxardo, Martini, or Contratto bitters in place of Campari) or the generic categories of ingredients (e.g., vodka instead of gin). Each Recipe was precisely measured in ounces and almost every ingredient was specified by brand name. Each recipe was accompanied by an incredibly beautifully styled full color photograph of the cocktail.
However, just because I found those three chapters to be the most interesting, doesn’t mean that I checked out for the remainder of the book. The author’s writing style was engaging and his insights into the bar industry were fascinating. The Bar Design chapter was mildly interesting, as it focused on how to create and launch a bar concept. The Tools & Techniques chapter was well beyond basic, as it was structured around delivering an order of eleven drinks in three rounds. Although there was discussion of required tools and some basic techniques, such as rolling a Bloody Mary in a shaker or muddling mint for a Mint Julep, the chapter really focused on how to break down the order and determine which bartender does what aspect of which recipe in which order to deliver the optimal drinks to the table in a timely fashion. Likewise, the Cocktail Menu, Service, and Hospitality chapters focused on minutiae of the bar industry. I found both the Service and the Hospitality chapters insightful from a restaurant patrons’ perspective as they helped define in my mind what I could – and should? – expect from some of the higher end restaurants in my area. One thing that stuck with me is that bartenders should never take it personally when guests send drinks back because they don’t like them because the bartender must consider that they are making people drinks not drinks for people. The people always should come first. So many times I have not liked the way a bartender made a simple drink – like a Gin & Tonic or a Negroni – but I have not sent it back because I was unsure whether it was the way the drink was made or just a matter of personal taste.
Perhaps my favorite parts of the book were the snippets of interviews that were sprinkled throughout the book. So many of these had a broader application than just making people drinks, that they often caused me to pause for reflection.
If this book were just comprised of the three chapters that really interested me, I would be more apt to recommend it to my friends and give it as Christmas gifts. In its entirety, this book would be the perfect gift for that one friend who is so deeply interested in cocktail culture that he got his bartending certificate. However, most of my friends are all office based professionals like myself, so the chapters related to running a bar would not be of interest to them, unless they fell under the spell of the author’s writing like I did. Of course, what the experience of reading this book tells me, is that I probably should read the author’s cocktail book because I adore his writing so much. Perhaps I might find that to be a more suitable recommendation and gift for my friends.
I have yet to prepare any of the cocktail recipes in this book. When I do, I will update this review.
I have read my fair share of cocktail books and spirit books in the past two years, but this book was completely like anything that I have ever read. First, it was geared toward professionals in the trade, rather than cocktail enthusiasts and home bartenders. Second, the Spirits and Cocktails chapter comprised only about half the book (250 pages out of 464 pages total, not including the bibliography and index). Third, there were sections of the book that were as well researched and cross referenced as a law journal article. Because of how well-written and well-researched the book was, I completely loved it.
In addition to the Introduction and the Epilogue, the book is composed of eight chapters: History, Bar Design, Tools & Techniques, Distillery Tour, Spirits & Cocktails, Cocktail Menu, Service, and Hospitality. Fewer than half of those chapters – History, Distillery Tour, Spirits & Cocktails – truly appealed to me as a home bartender. I would have been completely happy with a book that contained just these three chapters. The History chapter focused on the evolution of modern drinking culture across four decades, from when punch landed on American shores in the 1630s right through the 21st century craft cocktail movement. The Distillery Tour chapter offered a general overview into how raw materials are transformed into a distilled spirit. The chapter started with growing, harvesting and transporting the raw materials, then continued with a high level (nontechnical) discussion of the transformation process, and finished with tasting, analysis and evaluation of the process. This general twenty-page background set the stage for each of the spirit specific sections in the voluminous Spirits & Cocktails chapter. Although each of the spirit specific sections was structured slightly differently, each began with a map of Europe indicating production regions and distillery sites and ended with a collection of cocktails featuring the spirit. The cocktail page was divided into four portions: Origin, Logic, Hacks, and Recipe. The Origins section described when/where the recipe was first published or invented. The Logic section described the composition of drink and the role each ingredient played in balancing the drink. The Hacks section described how to substitute either the specific brands of ingredients (e.g. Luxardo, Martini, or Contratto bitters in place of Campari) or the generic categories of ingredients (e.g., vodka instead of gin). Each Recipe was precisely measured in ounces and almost every ingredient was specified by brand name. Each recipe was accompanied by an incredibly beautifully styled full color photograph of the cocktail.
However, just because I found those three chapters to be the most interesting, doesn’t mean that I checked out for the remainder of the book. The author’s writing style was engaging and his insights into the bar industry were fascinating. The Bar Design chapter was mildly interesting, as it focused on how to create and launch a bar concept. The Tools & Techniques chapter was well beyond basic, as it was structured around delivering an order of eleven drinks in three rounds. Although there was discussion of required tools and some basic techniques, such as rolling a Bloody Mary in a shaker or muddling mint for a Mint Julep, the chapter really focused on how to break down the order and determine which bartender does what aspect of which recipe in which order to deliver the optimal drinks to the table in a timely fashion. Likewise, the Cocktail Menu, Service, and Hospitality chapters focused on minutiae of the bar industry. I found both the Service and the Hospitality chapters insightful from a restaurant patrons’ perspective as they helped define in my mind what I could – and should? – expect from some of the higher end restaurants in my area. One thing that stuck with me is that bartenders should never take it personally when guests send drinks back because they don’t like them because the bartender must consider that they are making people drinks not drinks for people. The people always should come first. So many times I have not liked the way a bartender made a simple drink – like a Gin & Tonic or a Negroni – but I have not sent it back because I was unsure whether it was the way the drink was made or just a matter of personal taste.
Perhaps my favorite parts of the book were the snippets of interviews that were sprinkled throughout the book. So many of these had a broader application than just making people drinks, that they often caused me to pause for reflection.
If this book were just comprised of the three chapters that really interested me, I would be more apt to recommend it to my friends and give it as Christmas gifts. In its entirety, this book would be the perfect gift for that one friend who is so deeply interested in cocktail culture that he got his bartending certificate. However, most of my friends are all office based professionals like myself, so the chapters related to running a bar would not be of interest to them, unless they fell under the spell of the author’s writing like I did. Of course, what the experience of reading this book tells me, is that I probably should read the author’s cocktail book because I adore his writing so much. Perhaps I might find that to be a more suitable recommendation and gift for my friends.
I have yet to prepare any of the cocktail recipes in this book. When I do, I will update this review.
January 28, 2018
By golly, but does Mr. Meehan know his stuff! The descriptions of the drinks alone are wonderfully educational. Whether or not you may actually open a bar of your own, if you have any interest in this stuff this book is a must.
(I did not in actuality read it all in one day. But I spent an enjoyable morning reading enough of it to know that I need a copy for my bookshelf. Not just for the recipes! A man can dream of opening his own bar, can't he?)
(I did not in actuality read it all in one day. But I spent an enjoyable morning reading enough of it to know that I need a copy for my bookshelf. Not just for the recipes! A man can dream of opening his own bar, can't he?)
November 1, 2017
This is not a recipe book, this is a craft book.
And I love it.
Yes, there are drink recipes as well, a whole section dedicated to cocktails, but this may be the best, certainly one of the best, books I have seen that is great both for those in the industry and enthusiasts. This manual, written by Jim Meehan, goes through how to set up a bar, the utensils, how to ice, how to blend, how to make your own simple syrup, to the history of the spirits and how they are made.
I love this book.
This book is a perfect example of the alcohol industry that I enjoy. These aren't the people drinking just to get drunk, these are the people who care about the craft and character of everything they do. The kind of bartender who would have this on their shelf (and, it should be noted, this book even recommends apps for bartenders to use to look up recipes) is the kind of bartender who I can go up and ask them what they recommend, and not only can they do that, but we have a conversation after that.
Bartenders, if you want to be included in my list of amazing bartenders, learn to do this. Seriously. This is what a professional is able to do.
I think that, even if you don't like alcohol and have no desire in making or mixing your own, this book can give you a lot of insight as to why there are such a variety of people who are obsessed with the topic, not just those looking to drown their sorrows.
Which, honestly, is something I generally don't recommend. If you are going to drown sorrows, make sure they aren't personal. If you are going to forget a bad meeting, okay, just don't start drinking in a bad state of mind. You may think you are making it better, and maybe you are for you, but I can guarantee you are not hiding what you are going through.
Back on topic. This is a great book to add to any collection and I am currently considering picking it up for Christmas for one of my best friends.
And, because I was given a digital copy for an honest review, I am going to start hunting for a physical copy of this for myself. Really, nothing beats a physical copy when it comes to a book like this.
And I love it.
Yes, there are drink recipes as well, a whole section dedicated to cocktails, but this may be the best, certainly one of the best, books I have seen that is great both for those in the industry and enthusiasts. This manual, written by Jim Meehan, goes through how to set up a bar, the utensils, how to ice, how to blend, how to make your own simple syrup, to the history of the spirits and how they are made.
I love this book.
This book is a perfect example of the alcohol industry that I enjoy. These aren't the people drinking just to get drunk, these are the people who care about the craft and character of everything they do. The kind of bartender who would have this on their shelf (and, it should be noted, this book even recommends apps for bartenders to use to look up recipes) is the kind of bartender who I can go up and ask them what they recommend, and not only can they do that, but we have a conversation after that.
Bartenders, if you want to be included in my list of amazing bartenders, learn to do this. Seriously. This is what a professional is able to do.
I think that, even if you don't like alcohol and have no desire in making or mixing your own, this book can give you a lot of insight as to why there are such a variety of people who are obsessed with the topic, not just those looking to drown their sorrows.
Which, honestly, is something I generally don't recommend. If you are going to drown sorrows, make sure they aren't personal. If you are going to forget a bad meeting, okay, just don't start drinking in a bad state of mind. You may think you are making it better, and maybe you are for you, but I can guarantee you are not hiding what you are going through.
Back on topic. This is a great book to add to any collection and I am currently considering picking it up for Christmas for one of my best friends.
And, because I was given a digital copy for an honest review, I am going to start hunting for a physical copy of this for myself. Really, nothing beats a physical copy when it comes to a book like this.
February 10, 2018
For my birthday last year, my wife asked our favorite bartender (Mike Dunn, of Misery Loves Co. in Winooski VT, and 2017 Vermont Bartender of the Year) to come to our house and give me a three-hour cocktail lesson. It was brilliant, and it made me smarter not just about drinks but about paying attention, about choice and improvisation, about history and intention.
This book is the text version of that gift, by Jim Meehan of the Portland landmark bar PDX. You'll get some recipes, sure, and a beautiful object of extraordinary precision. But you'll also get inside the mind of someone who sees every social and physical act as an opportunity for grace. It's aimed at the professional bar and service community, but it's a book profitably read by woodworkers and hand knitters, by stand-up comedians and pastors, by anybody who wants to help others feel seen and heard through their work.
The sections on bar floor plans, on staff training, on etiquette are brilliant additions to a field of books mostly known for drink names and proportions. This is not a bar manual; it's a book about how to bring pleasure to the world, which happens to have been written in the context of bars and bartending.
This book is the text version of that gift, by Jim Meehan of the Portland landmark bar PDX. You'll get some recipes, sure, and a beautiful object of extraordinary precision. But you'll also get inside the mind of someone who sees every social and physical act as an opportunity for grace. It's aimed at the professional bar and service community, but it's a book profitably read by woodworkers and hand knitters, by stand-up comedians and pastors, by anybody who wants to help others feel seen and heard through their work.
The sections on bar floor plans, on staff training, on etiquette are brilliant additions to a field of books mostly known for drink names and proportions. This is not a bar manual; it's a book about how to bring pleasure to the world, which happens to have been written in the context of bars and bartending.
March 14, 2022
There's an amazing bit of unintentional humor here where Meehan talks about bartenders doing Boardwalk Empire cosplay and growing handlebar mustaches and on the next page there's a blurb from a bar-adjacent person with a handlebar mustache! Given how self-serious this book is, you'd think the editor would have caught that. There's some nice, succinct booze history here that I liked, and there's a lot about the minutiae of setting up a bar that wasn't anything I will ever use but still interesting to think about. My main issue with this book though is that it has a bit of a snob factor (and not in a good way) and the "talking head" blurbs are almost exclusively white dudes. There are a couple ladies, a couple of Asian dudes, Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver, and the rest are white dudes with either slicked back hair, beards, or both. A lot of industries are waking up to the realization of how little diversity their is in their profession (speaking as a librarian, this is a big issue in my field). Don't get me wrong, all of these people are pros and you can't a book like this without highlighting guys like David Wondrich or Dave Broom or Dale Degroff but the ivory tower vibe is so strong here that the lack of self-awareness is palpable.
April 6, 2024
I really wanted to like this but found that most of the recipes had expensive and hard-to-find ingredients. Also, there was too much background and not enough drink recipes. For hipsters only.
As alternatives I would recommend instead The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails and The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique.
As alternatives I would recommend instead The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails and The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique.
February 22, 2024
worthwhile
Of all the cocktail books that provide a history of mixology, I thought Meehan’s distillation (pun intended) was interesting and succinct. And it went from the days of punch in Europe to the modern cocktailian Renaissance, when most people seem satisfied to end shortly after prohibition.
The recipe section is particularly noteworthy. Although he only includes 100 recipes, he takes the time to explain the history, logic behind the drink and thoughts on which bottlings to use and why. He even gives options, especially if his preference is prohibitively expensive or difficult to source. I expect this to join my canon of cocktail manuals to keep.
Of all the cocktail books that provide a history of mixology, I thought Meehan’s distillation (pun intended) was interesting and succinct. And it went from the days of punch in Europe to the modern cocktailian Renaissance, when most people seem satisfied to end shortly after prohibition.
The recipe section is particularly noteworthy. Although he only includes 100 recipes, he takes the time to explain the history, logic behind the drink and thoughts on which bottlings to use and why. He even gives options, especially if his preference is prohibitively expensive or difficult to source. I expect this to join my canon of cocktail manuals to keep.
April 21, 2022
Great photos, great recipes, great history - but the best part of this book is the section on how to run a cocktail bar. This is unique amongst bar books that I've read. I don't want to start a bar, but I still found it to be a good read.
The rest, with the recipes, is largely duplicative of other books I have, but I did still learn new things, which doesn't often happen with cocktail books anymore. New recipes, sure, but not new techniques or ways of putting things together.
The rest, with the recipes, is largely duplicative of other books I have, but I did still learn new things, which doesn't often happen with cocktail books anymore. New recipes, sure, but not new techniques or ways of putting things together.
January 8, 2018
Meehan’s bartender manual is pretty much the only book a bartender has to read. Filled with recipes, tips, techniques, insights into hospitality and the service industry, Meehan has packed a hefty amount of content into this robust manual. Won’t trust someone to make me a drink until they’ve read this one!
August 28, 2019
While not having the prose or flair of say, Charles Baker's "The Gentleman's Companion or David Wondrich's "Imbibe!" The real strengths of this book are the background know-how of a seasoned professional and the stunning photography found in it's pages. I've made a number of drinks out of this and they were all delicious.
September 21, 2019
A must have for anyone interested in contemporary bartending. Meehan covers everything from bar design and management (of limited interest to the non-professional) to an overview of the major spirits and example recipes.
Not as much of a recipe collection as his earlier PDT Cocktail Book, but drilling much more into the philosophy and techniques. Highly recommended.
Not as much of a recipe collection as his earlier PDT Cocktail Book, but drilling much more into the philosophy and techniques. Highly recommended.
November 15, 2020
Tossup between this, Sasha Petraske's Regarding Cocktails, and Jamie Boudreau's Canon Cocktail Book for my favorite bar books from the standpoint of containing usable information that isn't limited to recipes.
The Death & Co. books and the Dead Rabbit books are okay, but they lag behind the three mentioned above in my opinion.
The Death & Co. books and the Dead Rabbit books are okay, but they lag behind the three mentioned above in my opinion.
March 4, 2020
The most comprehensive guide written on bartending. From bar design, to running a service, prioritising orders, peppered with interviews and recipes. A handbook for professionals, but brilliant for enthusiasts.
April 28, 2020
As a bartender, I found the tremendous amount of detail in Meehan’s guide to be refreshing more than intimidating/overwhelming. I took his suggestions to heart and totally refined not only my drink recipes, but my technique as well. Worth every penny.
November 14, 2022
Essential reference for anyone who fancies a fancy drink. More than just a recipe book, this is a true guide to what makes a great bartender. It’s made me a better more discerning bar goer and inspired me to up my home bar game.
December 25, 2017
A lot of love went into writing this book, important read for anyone in the trade.
January 15, 2018
Many compliments for this book, but the indexing is a disappointment. Maybe can be improved in 2nd edition.
July 8, 2019
Great book for those of us that are in the bar business.
Want to read
April 7, 2020#selena send me a copy please!
February 11, 2021
Clear and comprehensive.
July 8, 2023
Great except I wish there were more specific definitions of some spirit subcategories. Lowkey pretentious sometimes
July 16, 2023
A great journey into classic cocktails with a well-curated selection and the right amount of historical background and educational content.
January 1, 2025
A sick intro to bar design and menu creation. Beautiful illustrations and I loved how it interviews industry professionals.
February 12, 2024
Pretty but pretentious book
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews