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Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails
A nonjudgmental, back-to-basics approach to making custom cocktails that's as fun as it is definitive--from a renowned New York City bartender who's worked everywhere from PDT to Momofuku.
John deBary is a veritable cocktail expert with a 100-proof personality, a dash of fun, and garnished with flair--there's nothing muddled about him. In Drink What You Want, John breaks down the science of mixology (yes, it's a science) and explains the rules of drink-making. Most important, you'll learn how to tweak any drink, both classic and creative, to your preferences and moods. Are you adventurous or traditional? Sweet or bitter? Brown liquor or clear?
While giving newbies a rundown of cocktail culture, lingo, and etiquette, John turns the "cocktail book" concept on its ear by infusing a traditionally formal topic with his fresh, conversational voice. Mixology geeks and bottomless brunchers alike will revel in the craft of the cocktail, from classic to modern to funky. Cocktails are about creativity and setting the mood, and Drink What You Want overflows with both.
John deBary is a veritable cocktail expert with a 100-proof personality, a dash of fun, and garnished with flair--there's nothing muddled about him. In Drink What You Want, John breaks down the science of mixology (yes, it's a science) and explains the rules of drink-making. Most important, you'll learn how to tweak any drink, both classic and creative, to your preferences and moods. Are you adventurous or traditional? Sweet or bitter? Brown liquor or clear?
While giving newbies a rundown of cocktail culture, lingo, and etiquette, John turns the "cocktail book" concept on its ear by infusing a traditionally formal topic with his fresh, conversational voice. Mixology geeks and bottomless brunchers alike will revel in the craft of the cocktail, from classic to modern to funky. Cocktails are about creativity and setting the mood, and Drink What You Want overflows with both.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2020
31 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 12, 2020
I'm going to be honest. I make terrible cocktails. I usually take whatever liquid I find in the fridge and add whatever hard alcohol I have in the cupboard. Sometimes it's not even drinkable.
This book is not only the most entertaining cocktail recipe book I have ever read. It left me with a much deeper understanding on the balance and the craft of making a drink taste delicious.
The drink recipes range from complex multi liquor aperitifs to using an ice cream truck ice pop as your base. Just because you went to the beach with a flask doesn't mean you have to drink hard liquor straight.
And if I still haven't convinced you to buy this book then do it for the illustrations of the author (and drinks).
This book is not only the most entertaining cocktail recipe book I have ever read. It left me with a much deeper understanding on the balance and the craft of making a drink taste delicious.
The drink recipes range from complex multi liquor aperitifs to using an ice cream truck ice pop as your base. Just because you went to the beach with a flask doesn't mean you have to drink hard liquor straight.
And if I still haven't convinced you to buy this book then do it for the illustrations of the author (and drinks).
May 15, 2024
This book starts out strong, has an eclectic middle, and then a wonderfully weird end. Overall I was charmed by it, in a way that few other cocktails books manage.
The beginning section is strong because it focuses on fundamentals and riffing in a way I hadn't seen before. Admittedly I've only read a half dozen or so cocktail books recently and before that it was 20-25 years ago that I paid any attention to cocktail books.
That simple passage is more useful to home cocktail creators than thousands of pages of recipes from famous bars. Much of the beginning is like this, as deBary covers many classics. Each usually gets several paragraphs and frequently talks about their base formula and variations, encouraging experimentation and exploration.
Once you hit the "Feeling Fancy" section things take a bit of a turn and the drinks follow more of the personal, idiosyncratic taste of deBary. Which is fine, that kind of thing is nearly inescapable in any cocktail book that covers more than just the classics. But deBary has a marked preference for Japanese liquors -- the Dry Prefecture, Supercharged Highball, Kansai Kick, Sunrise Bloody Mary, Black Diamond. It began to feel a bit too much Japanese whiskey, you know? I would have liked a bit more variety here.
Then the final section of cocktails are just ... weird . Which, as a reader, I really liked. I am almost certainly never going to make any of them. But that's kind of true for most cocktails in a book like this anyway. But these have a sense of whimsy that is missing in something like the The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy.
The Shark, with butter-infused rum, blue curacao, and tiki bitters. Weed Punch, with marijuana infused absinthe. The "At Your In-Laws' Cocktail Flowchart". The Ketchup Michelada, which calls for a "bland lager beer", 2 ketchup packets, and hot sauce.
The first section on the classics, with its talk of base formulas and variations, is especially strong and if Michael Ruhlman hadn't just come out with The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails which is basically the same but the entire book like that I would say this is a great book for a home bartender. But as charmed as I was by Drink What You Want at the end of the day, I think Ruhlman's book is the best single volume for a home bartender. And, realistically, all that 95% of home bartenders are ever going to need.
The beginning section is strong because it focuses on fundamentals and riffing in a way I hadn't seen before. Admittedly I've only read a half dozen or so cocktail books recently and before that it was 20-25 years ago that I paid any attention to cocktail books.
Drinks that follow the formula of 2 ounces base spirit, ¾ ounce lemon or lime juice, and ¾ ounce sweetener are called sours, and this template can be riffed endlessly. I encourage you to play around with it―try using a blend of 1 ounce of dark rum and 1 ounce of white, or replace a ¼ or ½ ounce of the rum with something overproof (stronger than 40% ABV).
That simple passage is more useful to home cocktail creators than thousands of pages of recipes from famous bars. Much of the beginning is like this, as deBary covers many classics. Each usually gets several paragraphs and frequently talks about their base formula and variations, encouraging experimentation and exploration.
Once you hit the "Feeling Fancy" section things take a bit of a turn and the drinks follow more of the personal, idiosyncratic taste of deBary. Which is fine, that kind of thing is nearly inescapable in any cocktail book that covers more than just the classics. But deBary has a marked preference for Japanese liquors -- the Dry Prefecture, Supercharged Highball, Kansai Kick, Sunrise Bloody Mary, Black Diamond. It began to feel a bit too much Japanese whiskey, you know? I would have liked a bit more variety here.
Then the final section of cocktails are just ... weird . Which, as a reader, I really liked. I am almost certainly never going to make any of them. But that's kind of true for most cocktails in a book like this anyway. But these have a sense of whimsy that is missing in something like the The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy.
The Shark, with butter-infused rum, blue curacao, and tiki bitters. Weed Punch, with marijuana infused absinthe. The "At Your In-Laws' Cocktail Flowchart". The Ketchup Michelada, which calls for a "bland lager beer", 2 ketchup packets, and hot sauce.
I don’t expect anyone to make this drink on purpose. That means that I hope no one sets out to make this drink. I’m including it here so that you can use it in a desperate situation that involves access to ketchup, shitty beer, and little else―if you find yourself in a frat house or at a minor-league baseball game, for example. Or perhaps more likely in a crappy restaurant with bad drinks and terrible beer. Dropping a few packets of ketchup and some dashes of hot sauce can do wonders for a sub-bar brew.
The first section on the classics, with its talk of base formulas and variations, is especially strong and if Michael Ruhlman hadn't just come out with The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails which is basically the same but the entire book like that I would say this is a great book for a home bartender. But as charmed as I was by Drink What You Want at the end of the day, I think Ruhlman's book is the best single volume for a home bartender. And, realistically, all that 95% of home bartenders are ever going to need.
July 2, 2020
I am notoriously bad at even 2-ingredient cocktails, but this book made me feel like I could make anything if I just put my mind to it. Lots of personality, lots of creativity, but also lots of really useful information. Runs the gamut from classics, to Debary's own creations, to what to make when desperately foraging in your in-law's liquor cabinet.
July 30, 2020
“Depending on how you feel, a given drink can be either a lifesaver or a vile poison,” According to longtime cocktail industry professional John deBary, “Depending on how you feel, a given drink can be either a lifesaver or a vile poison.” With his debut full-length publication, the bar director at David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant group wants to make sure aspiring cocktail-makers experience much more of the former result. And, just as importantly, to have fun doing it. Peppered with lovably snarky asides, unapologetically hilarious footnotes (“I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m a pretentious dick”), and endearing personal anecdotes from deBary’s many years drink-slinging at the hallowed New York City cocktail den PDT, the book is a playfully energetic, (mostly) non-judgmental guide to developing and polishing one’s home drink-making skills. A wise, wacky, and ultimately indispensable crash-course.
deBary writes that his target audience doesn’t “know the difference between an Old Fashioned and a gin and tonic.” And the book does include handy primers on the distillation process and flavor profiles of the world’s most popular spirits, thoughtful lists of essential bar equipment and techniques, and helpful insights into “the most elemental” of cocktails like the Daquiri and Manhattan. But Drink What You Want works equally great as a refresher course for veteran drink slingers (especially those of us who, either intentionally or not, might be spending a little less time behind the bar these days), with dozens of recipes highlighting many of deBary’s most deliciously inventive concoctions. Some objectively delicious favorites include the fruity, buttery, and all-around decadent tiki masterpiece The Shark; the frothy, savory Sunrise Bloody Mary based on the whiskey-fueled Japanese version of the brunch staple; and, for truly adventurous sobriety defiers, deBary’s signature Weed Punch, featuring cannabis-infused absinthe. Cleverly and conveniently divided by mood – Feeling Fancy, Feeling Lazy, Feeling Desperate, etc. – there are perfect drinks for virtually every social situation, from classy dinner parties and family holiday dinners, to desolate times when your pantry includes “ketchup, shitty beer, and little else” and a strenuous night at the in-laws (including a genuinely helpful flow chart to better one’s odds of surviving such a situation).
“After reading this book,” deBary explains, “I want you to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make drinks on your own.” But even if you somehow do not gain any valuable mixological insights (spoiler: you will), Drink What You Want is worth indulging just for the inevitable laughs.
deBary writes that his target audience doesn’t “know the difference between an Old Fashioned and a gin and tonic.” And the book does include handy primers on the distillation process and flavor profiles of the world’s most popular spirits, thoughtful lists of essential bar equipment and techniques, and helpful insights into “the most elemental” of cocktails like the Daquiri and Manhattan. But Drink What You Want works equally great as a refresher course for veteran drink slingers (especially those of us who, either intentionally or not, might be spending a little less time behind the bar these days), with dozens of recipes highlighting many of deBary’s most deliciously inventive concoctions. Some objectively delicious favorites include the fruity, buttery, and all-around decadent tiki masterpiece The Shark; the frothy, savory Sunrise Bloody Mary based on the whiskey-fueled Japanese version of the brunch staple; and, for truly adventurous sobriety defiers, deBary’s signature Weed Punch, featuring cannabis-infused absinthe. Cleverly and conveniently divided by mood – Feeling Fancy, Feeling Lazy, Feeling Desperate, etc. – there are perfect drinks for virtually every social situation, from classy dinner parties and family holiday dinners, to desolate times when your pantry includes “ketchup, shitty beer, and little else” and a strenuous night at the in-laws (including a genuinely helpful flow chart to better one’s odds of surviving such a situation).
“After reading this book,” deBary explains, “I want you to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make drinks on your own.” But even if you somehow do not gain any valuable mixological insights (spoiler: you will), Drink What You Want is worth indulging just for the inevitable laughs.
April 16, 2021
Just buy it already! If you are reading this review, you are interested in improving your bar tending skills. This book is for you! It is quite entertaining, but behind the humor is an approachable book about cocktails. It provides a thorough background in the underlying science of mixing tasty cocktails, but it is anything but dry! The author also lets you know how to build your bar, from necessities to “nice to haves” to “now you’re just showing off.” This is my new go to book for mixed drinks!
September 9, 2020
This book is a handy little how to for drinks. Besides having basic recipes, the author also gives us some explanations on how to tweak recipes, the importance of different types of ice, (crushed, cubed, shaken, etc) and why certain ingredients work well together. He has a section for alcohol-less drinks, drinks to impress and how to make a decent drink when you’re desperate. All this while having enough snark to make Gordon Ramsey proud.
June 30, 2020
I never expected myself to read a cocktail book cover to cover but here we are. If deBary’s qualifications aren’t enough (PDT, Momofuku, beep boop beep), then his voice and sense of humor should sell you. Plus, the illustrations are beyond gorgeous. If you want to learn about cocktails while laughing out loud the whole time, do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
October 11, 2020
This book has some standard recipes in it, and has some fun elements to it, but really reminded me why you can find better ways to learn drink recipes from basic bar books, or the internet. There is almost no need for this book.
October 21, 2020
Kind of snobby and pretentious, but also irreverent and fun. That's a weird combination. I'm not really a cocktail person, but sometimes I think I'd like to be. So I read cocktail recipe books! And then I drink my normal "don't even need a recipe for that" nonsense.
February 10, 2021
A damn delight. It’s more than just another cocktail book - it’s an EXPERIENCE. Certainly not for all ages and it does contain moments of “welllllll, THAT was unexpected,” but I did learn some valuable new techniques and will be trying many of these recipes.
March 17, 2023
I found this book very informative and fun. John deBary gives you a great background on understanding the different alcohols and liqueurs and then goes into recipes for his play on the best way to make those cocktails (the subjective part). An egg white added to a whiskey sour? Who knew? His additional footnote commentary and self-deprecating comments make you feel like he is talking directly to you. I’ll take away the simpler recipes and leave the rest for a more adventurous soul with more $$ to invest in the various alcohols.
October 22, 2020
DELIGHTFUL! Simple, yet scrumptious recipes.
April 15, 2021
Fantastic book, useful reference, witty and well-written. Read a library copy and enjoyed so much I'm purchasing a copy.
June 1, 2021
Fun book on mixing drinks. Had a good section in the front on types of spirits and key equipment a bartender should have on hand. Will have fun testing some of the drink recipes!!
January 8, 2022
A delicious mix of hilarious and informative.
July 6, 2024
4.5
This is a really friendly and approachable cocktail book
This is a really friendly and approachable cocktail book
April 11, 2025
Interesting, informative, I will never remember it all.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews