The Art of Bartending

Rating:
Summary: Best Book Around!
Review: I first read this book 7 years ago when it was first published. I was telling a customer about it last night when he espressed an interest in learning to tend bar. The best thing about this book is not the drink recipes, but the history and multitude of unknown facts related to tending bar. What the difference between lager and ales to what qualifies a sparkling wine as a champagne. Anyone can learn to sling a drink. It's a bartender's unique knwledge that makes him stand apart from the rest of the flock. This book will give anyone the extra edge to make him stand out.

Rating:
Summary: The Real Thing
Review: i thought this book was extremely helpful.it gives you variety of information(only that it doesn't have as many recipes as other books) but the author does give you tips that only a person who has done this for years, a professional would know. how to get better tips,how to land a job,tricks of the traded and much more. a must have for any bartender.

Rating:
Summary: Targeted at professionals? It is barely fit for amatures.
Review: This book presents an incomplete, but well rounded collection of cocktail recipes, it also dives into a number of areas that normal cocktail books rarely go. In addition to the standard overview of spirits, tools, procedures, and recipes, it also includes sections on bar layout, landing a job, bartender tricks & puzzles, and jokes.

However, it falls short of actually providing enough information to be considered a self-teach book for budding bartenders, primarily because it lacks the depth necessary to do more then just skim the surface. The only diagram it includes, is one on different glassware, but there are at least a dozen other areas in the book where a clear diagram of what is being discussed is almost required.

There are very few recipes in the book, and those that are included are scattered around under categories of "I want something creamy", "I want something fruity", "I want something hot". These categories would be fine if they were a little more rich and inclusive, but several classics, such as the Old Fashioned and the Sidecar are not listed at all. Combine that with the fact that there is no index whatsoever in the book, and it renders it virtually useless as a reference tool, which is what a real bartender really needs.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: You won't get a lot of useful info out of this book. There is a limited listing of cocktails, and two chapters on bar jokes and practical jokes. One tenth of the book is a glossary telling us such valuable things as 'jack' refers to jack daniels and a five dollar is a 'five spot'. Another chapter deals with landing a bartending job with sub-headings such as The Want-Ads and Friends and Relatives. The quality of the writing is what you might expect from the content.

I mean, really,.... :^p