Imbibe! Updated and Revised Edition: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar (TARCHERPERIGEE)

Wow. Just, wow... what a book. Imbibe! by David Wondrich is the winner of the James Beard Award and generally considered one of the most in depth cocktail books available and for very good reason. The amount of research, work, and passion that went into this project is evident in every single page and it makes me excited to read Mr.Wondrich's other book, Punch. That said, I'm not sure I can fully recommend this to the at-home or beginner bartender. It took me several weeks to make it fully through this book, partially because I have a poor attention span, but also because the sheer amount of information is overwhelming. I am currently in the process of re-reading Imbibe and taking notes as I go to ensure that I fully understood and remember the material... I'm on page 3 of notes and I'm not even halfway through. The only other book I've done that with (so far) is Proof: The Science of Booze. That said, lets get down to it! I purchased the hard cover copy of Imbibe as I do with all my 'work' books, since they are intended as reference material and that translates poorly to Kindle. Also they will most likely be kept in a bar so I prefer to have the sturdier option as opposed to a soft cover. The picture on the front of the book is exemplary of what you will find within it's pages: it features an old illustration of a bartender pouring a flaming drink back and forth to the amazement of his customer. This does come with a half size book jacket that adds to it's aesthetic, though I personally hate book jackets. Fortunately it isn't one of those books where the jacket is essential. As for organization, the book can essentially be broken up into two categories: context and recipes. I found the "context" section to be the most engaging; it spans the first two chapters and about 100 pages wherein Wondrich explains who Jerry Thomas was and how his book became so influential in bartending. He also delves into American drinking culture, a segment has been instrumental in helping me to visualize and immerse myself in the time period Wondrich describes. You cannot possibly overstate how much culture Americans lost to prohibition. As someone who grew up in a relatively alcohol-free home, the world that Imbibe describes is as utterly foreign to me as my world would be to a 18th century bartender. That's not to say that the learning and context stops with the recipe section however! In most cocktail books, when you get to the recipes section you might get a small blurb about the origins of the cocktail or serving suggestions and the like. Not so with Imbibe; it treats you to an in depth explanation of the cocktails historical context, it's most likely origin, common myths shrouding the drink and then also the recipe along with variations. For every question it answers it leaves you with five more. Now, I'm all about having more information all the time but Mr. Wondrich really pushes the boundary with this. As a learning material, this makes perfect sense. Even the recipes are formatted in an informative way. As a reference guide? Not so much... When I was recently attempting to recreate some of the eggnog recipes from the book it took upwards of 20 minutes to translate the information given into a usable recipe. On the one hand, it was very useful to me (a non-eggnog drinker) to see what the basic tenements were, but if someone is searching for a recipe book, look elsewhere. Probably the most egregious example is the Morning Glory Fizz. After giving the recipe and the likely spirits used in it Mr.Wondrich goes on to give a slight variation: "For the equally effective Saratoga Brace Up,... use a whole egg, replace the scotch with brandy, lose the lime juice, cut the absinthe down to 2 dashes, and add a couple of dashes of Angostura" (p.137, Imbibe) ... straightforward enough, but when it's every recipe it can become somewhat strenuous. There is certainly one place where Imbibe stands far and above all other cocktail books I've read thus far: Notable Quotes. Perhaps people just don't talk about drinking the way they used to before prohibition... perhaps in all respects our descriptions have become less 'colorful' and 'evocative'. It's a terrible loss in my opinion. No other book have I set down frequently to just take in a delightfully sassy review of someone's cocktail or untimely demise. "He spent page after page dissecting the literary, theatrical, and political celebrities whom he served, from Sullivan and Morgan to Edwin Booth, Oscar Wilde, and Tomb Thumb... This is the world that Prohibition destroyed, a world where you could pop into a bar for a glass of something cool and find yourself standing next to, and soon conversing with, a senator, a playwright, and a sculptor of renown. The culture was convivial and the barrier to acceptance was low." (p.110, Imbibe)

A treasure trove of bartenders' trivial for the era before the civil war through to prohibition. Warning: this book is very long and the author uses very obscure vocabulary words to make minor points. This book is heavy on both bombast and substance. 4 stars (instead of 5) for the bombastic word choice and the fact that it is 200 pages longer than it needs to be. The same information could be conveyed using 200 pages less. The weird, hyper-literate vocabulary slows down the reading significantly. This book is heavy on pomp and fluff. On the other hand, it represents some of the best scholarship on the topic of American Mixology between 1801 and prohibition. Worth reading, but a hell of a slow read.

I bought this book in 2015 based off the wonderful reviews. I love cocktail history. This book has a lot of incredible information, but I just cannot get into it. I've started and stopped this book 4 times. If you love the English language, this book is for you. If you want to learn history in a quick read and very digestible, then you might struggle like I have been. My preference is to read something more... basic? In a more casual way, but still something well written. Wayne Curtis' "And A Bottle of Rum," is another cocktail history book that was just as informative, but written in a much more engaging way for me.

This has some great recipes, but it is Wondrich's writing that sets him apart from other cocktail books. Great background on some of your most favorite recipes and a wonderful historic jaunt through American history. Could not recommend more, if you get the chance, check out his annotated version of the Bon Vivant's Companion for free (web search, you'll find it), there is a great demonstration of the Blue Blazer by Wondrich.

This book is amazing, the research must have taken.. years. SO well done, the prose is detailed, excellent and flows, it includes everything. I mean everything-- a cross-referencing of the drinks, the history, society at that time, popular trends, just terrific. A fun and engrossing read, and dying to try the recipes. I'm more of a fan of history than drinks, but this book really interested me in the origins of liquor/cocktails and their place in culture. Definitely ordering Wondrich's other books. If you're simply looking for a bar manual or recipe book, this is not those books. Otherwise, highly recommended!

This is an historical review of alcoholic drinks, their origins and their evolution. It is a great reference but definitely not a "page turner." The writing style seems forced into the historical past and makes for heavy reading, particularly when delving into some of the lesser known drinks.

Sort of a blend between a history book and a recipe book, as it guides you through the evolution of bartending as techniques and ingredients changed through the years. I've had a lot of fun with this, learning new drinks all along the way. I really liked the vanilla punch!

Jerry "The Professor" Thomas is defined as being the father if mixology. Wondrich presents and distills the travels and innovations of one of the most overlooked American iconoclasts.

Fascinating history of American cocktails. While I'm not opposed to innovation, I find a well made version of classic recipes for foods & beverages are usually better than the latest fad version. This book details the pedigree of dozens of classic cocktails and their ingredients.

This is a great book. Educational and entertaining. If you like to experiment with cocktails this is a must for your libarary.

Wow. Just, wow... what a book. Imbibe! by David Wondrich is the winner of the James Beard Award and generally considered one of the most in depth cocktail books available and for very good reason. The amount of research, work, and passion that went into this project is evident in every single page and it makes me excited to read Mr.Wondrich's other book, Punch. That said, I'm not sure I can fully recommend this to the at-home or beginner bartender. It took me several weeks to make it fully through this book, partially because I have a poor attention span, but also because the sheer amount of information is overwhelming. I am currently in the process of re-reading Imbibe and taking notes as I go to ensure that I fully understood and remember the material... I'm on page 3 of notes and I'm not even halfway through. The only other book I've done that with (so far) is Proof: The Science of Booze. That said, lets get down to it! I purchased the hard cover copy of Imbibe as I do with all my 'work' books, since they are intended as reference material and that translates poorly to Kindle. Also they will most likely be kept in a bar so I prefer to have the sturdier option as opposed to a soft cover. The picture on the front of the book is exemplary of what you will find within it's pages: it features an old illustration of a bartender pouring a flaming drink back and forth to the amazement of his customer. This does come with a half size book jacket that adds to it's aesthetic, though I personally hate book jackets. Fortunately it isn't one of those books where the jacket is essential. As for organization, the book can essentially be broken up into two categories: context and recipes. I found the "context" section to be the most engaging; it spans the first two chapters and about 100 pages wherein Wondrich explains who Jerry Thomas was and how his book became so influential in bartending. He also delves into American drinking culture, a segment has been instrumental in helping me to visualize and immerse myself in the time period Wondrich describes. You cannot possibly overstate how much culture Americans lost to prohibition. As someone who grew up in a relatively alcohol-free home, the world that Imbibe describes is as utterly foreign to me as my world would be to a 18th century bartender. That's not to say that the learning and context stops with the recipe section however! In most cocktail books, when you get to the recipes section you might get a small blurb about the origins of the cocktail or serving suggestions and the like. Not so with Imbibe; it treats you to an in depth explanation of the cocktails historical context, it's most likely origin, common myths shrouding the drink and then also the recipe along with variations. For every question it answers it leaves you with five more. Now, I'm all about having more information all the time but Mr. Wondrich really pushes the boundary with this. As a learning material, this makes perfect sense. Even the recipes are formatted in an informative way. As a reference guide? Not so much... When I was recently attempting to recreate some of the eggnog recipes from the book it took upwards of 20 minutes to translate the information given into a usable recipe. On the one hand, it was very useful to me (a non-eggnog drinker) to see what the basic tenements were, but if someone is searching for a recipe book, look elsewhere. Probably the most egregious example is the Morning Glory Fizz. After giving the recipe and the likely spirits used in it Mr.Wondrich goes on to give a slight variation: "For the equally effective Saratoga Brace Up,... use a whole egg, replace the scotch with brandy, lose the lime juice, cut the absinthe down to 2 dashes, and add a couple of dashes of Angostura" (p.137, Imbibe) ... straightforward enough, but when it's every recipe it can become somewhat strenuous. There is certainly one place where Imbibe stands far and above all other cocktail books I've read thus far: Notable Quotes. Perhaps people just don't talk about drinking the way they used to before prohibition... perhaps in all respects our descriptions have become less 'colorful' and 'evocative'. It's a terrible loss in my opinion. No other book have I set down frequently to just take in a delightfully sassy review of someone's cocktail or untimely demise. "He spent page after page dissecting the literary, theatrical, and political celebrities whom he served, from Sullivan and Morgan to Edwin Booth, Oscar Wilde, and Tomb Thumb... This is the world that Prohibition destroyed, a world where you could pop into a bar for a glass of something cool and find yourself standing next to, and soon conversing with, a senator, a playwright, and a sculptor of renown. The culture was convivial and the barrier to acceptance was low." (p.110, Imbibe)

A treasure trove of bartenders' trivial for the era before the civil war through to prohibition. Warning: this book is very long and the author uses very obscure vocabulary words to make minor points. This book is heavy on both bombast and substance. 4 stars (instead of 5) for the bombastic word choice and the fact that it is 200 pages longer than it needs to be. The same information could be conveyed using 200 pages less. The weird, hyper-literate vocabulary slows down the reading significantly. This book is heavy on pomp and fluff. On the other hand, it represents some of the best scholarship on the topic of American Mixology between 1801 and prohibition. Worth reading, but a hell of a slow read.

I bought this book in 2015 based off the wonderful reviews. I love cocktail history. This book has a lot of incredible information, but I just cannot get into it. I've started and stopped this book 4 times. If you love the English language, this book is for you. If you want to learn history in a quick read and very digestible, then you might struggle like I have been. My preference is to read something more... basic? In a more casual way, but still something well written. Wayne Curtis' "And A Bottle of Rum," is another cocktail history book that was just as informative, but written in a much more engaging way for me.

This has some great recipes, but it is Wondrich's writing that sets him apart from other cocktail books. Great background on some of your most favorite recipes and a wonderful historic jaunt through American history. Could not recommend more, if you get the chance, check out his annotated version of the Bon Vivant's Companion for free (web search, you'll find it), there is a great demonstration of the Blue Blazer by Wondrich.

This book is amazing, the research must have taken.. years. SO well done, the prose is detailed, excellent and flows, it includes everything. I mean everything-- a cross-referencing of the drinks, the history, society at that time, popular trends, just terrific. A fun and engrossing read, and dying to try the recipes. I'm more of a fan of history than drinks, but this book really interested me in the origins of liquor/cocktails and their place in culture. Definitely ordering Wondrich's other books. If you're simply looking for a bar manual or recipe book, this is not those books. Otherwise, highly recommended!

This is an historical review of alcoholic drinks, their origins and their evolution. It is a great reference but definitely not a "page turner." The writing style seems forced into the historical past and makes for heavy reading, particularly when delving into some of the lesser known drinks.

Sort of a blend between a history book and a recipe book, as it guides you through the evolution of bartending as techniques and ingredients changed through the years. I've had a lot of fun with this, learning new drinks all along the way. I really liked the vanilla punch!

Jerry "The Professor" Thomas is defined as being the father if mixology. Wondrich presents and distills the travels and innovations of one of the most overlooked American iconoclasts.

Fascinating history of American cocktails. While I'm not opposed to innovation, I find a well made version of classic recipes for foods & beverages are usually better than the latest fad version. This book details the pedigree of dozens of classic cocktails and their ingredients.

This is a great book. Educational and entertaining. If you like to experiment with cocktails this is a must for your libarary.

The writing style is great. Provides a not often seen insight into the history of cocktails in America. The historical recipes are interesting and the author David Wondrich went to painstaking lengths to provide suggestions on how to make them with modern ingredients. Would reccomend to anyone who has a serious love of cocktails.

If you're looking for an easy to digest quick reference book keep looking! What you have here is a bartending textbook meant to be poured over with a strong drink! Going through the history of mixed drinks and process of crafting tasty cocktails! A must have for amateur mixologist and a great addition to a bartenders arsenal!

I like the recipes but I think the authors language is a bit flowery and hard to follow at at times. So many sentence fragments.

Very well written, easy to follow and highly recommended!

Well researched and a good bar resource. I have made some notes and can see me coming back to this book.

Extremely helpful, learning the history behind bartending is a huge advantage when you are working behind one, or just are an enthusiast. Some great history behind some classic cocktails.

Thanks Professor David W. for this amazing knowledge in the cocktail world. Hope to buy new books for you...

Amazing history and guide through early American mixology. I also own the first edition and can say that the revisions in this version are worthy of the price of admission. Fantastic read.

Good book

A fun and interesting read. The author documents his history of American trends in cocktails and liquor s. He adds personal experienced based opinions on ingredients and offenders alternative ingredients and mixology variations.

A fascinating book. As I have read it I have accumulated the alcohol and bitters mentioned. Once done I plan to explore these early drinks. The author has a great style.

Written accessibly and interestingly, I highly recommend Imbibe! It’s a quick, easy, and enjoyable read for anyone interested in cocktails.

Wondrich never fails to entertain, I trust his history more than really anyone when it comes to bars and drinking if for no other reason than if he can't find a solid answer he doesn't just pick a story he likes and present it as fact, he generally says something like that's what happens when history is written by drunk people in bars, tells what he has found, what he thinks and any other random tidbits that are relevant and lets you make up your own mind. It is well worth the money even if (like me) you already own the first edition. It is almost completely redone, since he wrote a book on it as well he removed about 40 pages out of the punch chapter, and added another 40 pages so about 80 pages worth of new material, and even a lot of the old stuff has been reworked and polished so much so that it feels like a completely new read. Great book to read while sipping a Julep on the porch.

Good book covering much of the early history of cocktails. A very interesting read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in cocktails, whether as a maker or consumer.

Great read and resource for anyone interested in a somewhat untold part of American and international history and an even better reference for people interested in cocktails/bartending in general.

Not what I expected, book basically sucks, old antiquated recipes which are irrelevant

A must for any bartender or alcohol enthusiast.

I wish I could give this book 6 stars. It is that good.

Excellent book. Very in depth and has too many recipes to list. I recommend it to anyone interested in the history of booze.

Great book..........it reads like a novel.

Witty and fun! If you love history, then what better than the history of drinks! The drinks are really great, too!

It's like the image

Rich history, interesting recipes and engaging writing

For school...how much can you love it?

Perfect

I would recommend this book for any bartender or fan of classic cocktails. It is filled with great anecdotes, and really digs into the history of mixed drinks.

Amazing read! Highly recommend for aspiring bartenders.

Wondrich's update to this award winning book is well worth investing in. If you have any interest in the craft of bar tending, whether you are a professional or an enthusiast, this book should be in your library

The kindle version had some navigation issues (kept looping me back around to the same content), but the book itself is cool.

Incredible...a must for enthusiasts and professionals. B.B

Loved it

Must have

A superlative, well-researched book, though Wondrich must have quite enjoyed being a sesquipedalian (lover of obscure words). I found that aspect of the book rather distracting, but otherwise enjoyed his work...this book will remain on my spirits reference shelf for many years, I'm sure!

book is great. just took a little while but that's cool

A great read!

A great history of cocktails with stories of interesting personalities. And some great recipes for anyone interested in recapturing the popular drinks of past eras.

Great Book!!!!

Was expecting a more sweeping history of cocktail culture, but this was very much focused on one person (albeit an important one) in the cocktail history.

If you are able to endure the author’s incredibly inflated ego, some solid information lies within. Mr. Wondrich has an extremely high opinion of himself and that shines through more than anything else in this book. He is the proverbial queen in the anthill that spawned a generation of bartenders who care more about THEIR cocktails and their 76 types of bitters, than they do their guests. He reminds of a good many bartenders that I’ve managed...and not in an endearing way.

I got this book looking for reading materials on a few long flights. It can be challenging to find interesting food/drink books because they can sort of devolve into a big list of recipes, which is not very interesting material. The first couple of chapters of this book are good (though not great), but it does become more like a reference manual after that. And unless you have an open bar in first class, it's not that suitable for airplane reading. The writing is a little self-serving at times though generally interesting, clear and entertaining. But I would recommend that people read "A History of the World in 6 Glasses" before this, unless they are specifically looking for historical cocktail recipes.

I have read and reviewed " Jerry Thomas's Bartenders Guide : The Bon Vivant Companion " . So I feel I speak with authority when I say, this book does an absolutely stupendous job as being a companion piece, and dare I say, a successor to that work from over a century-and-a-half ago! This volume tells you everything you wanted to know about the history of the cocktail, the mixing of cocktails, the drinking habits all the way from the founding of The United States, and throughout the 19th century, when the cocktail was born. This book even tells you about the origins of words, terms, and stories you never knew existed. There is no way I could tell you how amazing this book is in such a little thing as a " review " to do so would be nothing short of disservice to this amazing work. So I will end, by asking you to buy the book if any of the above sounds interesting to you: and; to this astounding book's creator ; David Wondrich, Mr. Wondrich, this one's for you : Cheers! To Your Health! - Dylan V. Huggart

I write regularly about cocktails, so I own many books on the subject, both historical and recipe based. This book is the best I have ever read. As a biography, it is splendid. But more importantly, it is a snapshot in time, with notes on slimy ice, the sounds of a toddy stick, and the evolution of the Hawthorne strainer. Wondrich is a very capable writer who puts words to paper at a plane above most food and drink scribes, and infuses every page with wit and passion. if that weren't enough, the recipes in this book are excellent, with thoughtful and succinct notes on how to alter the Thomas originals to modern tastes. While this book may not be what some are expecting, don't let that deter you; it is in a class of its own.

This would be a good read for the subject matter alone. Jerry Thomas was a Bunyanesque character in the colorful history of US barlife and drinkery. But what makes this book great is Wondrich's smart, snappy, thoroughly-researched writing. Dude knows what he's talking about and has fun telling YOU about it, like your favorite history prof or fun uncle ("funcle"). Funcle Dave will amuse and inform you with this award-winning book.

Walk with Wondrich through his incredibly well-researched and funny history of cocktails and their makers. I had no idea that “mixology” is actually a very old term - much less the other terms that were bandied about but didn’t catch on. This is more of a fun history than a strict how-to guide, though he does a fair amount of that as well.

If Dave only knew how important Jerry Thomas was in Russia.... oh, yes.. Jerry Thomas represents all that we know in our craft...that one of cocktail mixology. And that makes this book essential. You must read it, if only for the real smarts that you'll attain after finishing it. Along that winding path you'll find enlightenment and a thirst beyond all reason. But that's why I read Dave's books. They make me thirsty. Thank you.

If you like great cocktails, this is a must have. Even if you don't, this is great book detailing the history of something uniquely American. Great storytelling, great details about the truth and fiction of the people and drinks that have fueled the great cocktail movements of our history.

Did not particularly enjoy it. As a recipe book, I didn't find it consistent in translating Jerry Thomas' original concoctions into Plain English, "Mix this in these proportions given modern ingredients," and as a history book, I found it light on context of why drinks were made the way they were made back then. As a result, I never knew what to expect or what I would be reading in any particular chapter, and I don't mean that as a good thing. Many times during the read, I got the distinct sense that Wondrich was writing for himself rather than some imagined reader or audience, fully confident that we would be able to unravel whatever narrative thread he was pursuing at the time. For me, that wasn't the case. A few historical gems and interesting tidbits scatter the text, but those small gems don't forgive my memory of this being a slog. I would have been fine with it either being an insightful retrospective on cocktails and cocktail culture (why I bought it), or a pre-prohibition era cocktail book, but it tried to do both and I don't think it was effective at either.

Great historical background, excellent recipes and how to's... And it's a good read. It's also easy to read at length or in little doses. If you're experimenting with the recipes, you'll be slowing down. If you do imbibe, it's likely to increase your expenses on key ingredients. And it might increase your bar tab as you have your favorite mixologist work up some of the drinks in the book (but that's still less expensive than building an entirely new and extensive bar).

✅

Amazing book for anyone wanting to know a bit of history surrounding the bar industry

It arrived with a broken spine

Great read!

Updated antique rescipes and the articulation to explain them.... Great reading, even greater attempting them :)

A critical book for the professional bartender. More than just recipes

Libro must del genere. Ben suddiviso tra ricette e storia del settore. Con alcuni tecnicismi in inglese non sempre facili da comprendere ma ne vale la pena.