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Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails
The definitive guide to the contemporary craft cocktail movement, from one of the highest-profile, most critically lauded, and influential bars in the world.
Death & Co is the most important, influential, and oft-imitated bar to emerge from the contemporary craft cocktail movement. Since its opening in 2006, Death & Co has been a must-visit destination for serious drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts, and the winner of every major industry award—including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best Cocktail Menu at the Tales of the Cocktail convention. Boasting a supremely talented and creative bar staff—the best in the industry—Death & Co is also the birthplace of some of the modern era’s most iconic drinks, such as the Oaxaca Old-Fashioned, Naked and Famous, and the Conference.
Destined to become a definitive reference on craft cocktails, Death & Co features more than 500 of the bar’s most innovative and sought-after cocktails. But more than just a collection of recipes, Death & Co is also a complete cocktail education, with information on the theory and philosophy of drink making, a complete guide to buying and using spirits, and step-by-step instructions for mastering key bartending techniques. Filled with beautiful, evocative photography; illustrative charts and infographics; and colorful essays about the characters who fill the bar each night; Death & Co —like its namesake bar—is bold, elegant, and setting the pace for mixologists around the world.
Death & Co is the most important, influential, and oft-imitated bar to emerge from the contemporary craft cocktail movement. Since its opening in 2006, Death & Co has been a must-visit destination for serious drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts, and the winner of every major industry award—including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best Cocktail Menu at the Tales of the Cocktail convention. Boasting a supremely talented and creative bar staff—the best in the industry—Death & Co is also the birthplace of some of the modern era’s most iconic drinks, such as the Oaxaca Old-Fashioned, Naked and Famous, and the Conference.
Destined to become a definitive reference on craft cocktails, Death & Co features more than 500 of the bar’s most innovative and sought-after cocktails. But more than just a collection of recipes, Death & Co is also a complete cocktail education, with information on the theory and philosophy of drink making, a complete guide to buying and using spirits, and step-by-step instructions for mastering key bartending techniques. Filled with beautiful, evocative photography; illustrative charts and infographics; and colorful essays about the characters who fill the bar each night; Death & Co —like its namesake bar—is bold, elegant, and setting the pace for mixologists around the world.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
David Kaplan
94 books6 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 23, 2015
It's probably not that common for people to read cocktail books cover to cover, but it's probably also not that common for people who've never tended bar to have a home setup with more than fifty bottles. I also have a six-year history of writing spirits and cocktail articles. I've won cocktail contests and run a nightly cocktail blog at DrinkShouts.com. I've sampled high-end drinks in award-winning bars in San Francisco, New York, Paris, and more.
So, safe to say I'm an enthusiast!
A great regret of mine is that I haven't been to Death & Company, though I've been to many of its NYC contemporaries (Pegu Club, Milk and Honey, Little Branch, Clover Club, Flatiron Lounge, PDT, etc). This book only deepens that regret, as their commitment to quality, precision, and innovation is clear on every page. It's gorgeously designed, full of fantastic information on everything from how to stir drinks to how to make your own orgeat, and features dozens of recipes I'm excited to try.
So why four stars, instead of five? Simply put, the bulk of the recipes in this book are beyond the reach of even heavy enthusiasts like myself. When I go through books like this for the first time, I use post-its to mark recipes I want to try. The entire bourbon section received zero post-its, not because nothing sounded good, but because there wasn't a single drink that used a set of ingredients that I had available in my bar -- my *fifty bottle* bar. Nearly everything is infused, or features at least one rare or incredibly expensive booze.
This doesn't mean I found zero recipes to try (and also many to which I will come back when I procure the proper ingredients). Far from it. But it's indicative of how advanced most of the recipes in the book are. If you don't have Batavia Arrack, Lustau Sherry, and chamomile-infused rye whiskey handy, you'll have a limited selection of drinks that you can actually make. But don't let that dissuade you! This is an incredible, gorgeous book and if you're a fan of cocktails and mixology, it belongs on your shelf.
So, safe to say I'm an enthusiast!
A great regret of mine is that I haven't been to Death & Company, though I've been to many of its NYC contemporaries (Pegu Club, Milk and Honey, Little Branch, Clover Club, Flatiron Lounge, PDT, etc). This book only deepens that regret, as their commitment to quality, precision, and innovation is clear on every page. It's gorgeously designed, full of fantastic information on everything from how to stir drinks to how to make your own orgeat, and features dozens of recipes I'm excited to try.
So why four stars, instead of five? Simply put, the bulk of the recipes in this book are beyond the reach of even heavy enthusiasts like myself. When I go through books like this for the first time, I use post-its to mark recipes I want to try. The entire bourbon section received zero post-its, not because nothing sounded good, but because there wasn't a single drink that used a set of ingredients that I had available in my bar -- my *fifty bottle* bar. Nearly everything is infused, or features at least one rare or incredibly expensive booze.
This doesn't mean I found zero recipes to try (and also many to which I will come back when I procure the proper ingredients). Far from it. But it's indicative of how advanced most of the recipes in the book are. If you don't have Batavia Arrack, Lustau Sherry, and chamomile-infused rye whiskey handy, you'll have a limited selection of drinks that you can actually make. But don't let that dissuade you! This is an incredible, gorgeous book and if you're a fan of cocktails and mixology, it belongs on your shelf.
December 7, 2020
Useful condensed startup guide. It will honestly mostly teach you how to talk about cocktails. You'll learn basic terminology around liquor types, prep and drink-making techniques, how to develop your own cocktail (this is the book's best section), how to coherently describe drinks, and a few historical cocktail archetypes. The book, on a theoretical level, is in line with bartending best practices, so you won't be too out of place if you follow its advice while pursuing a bartending gig. That said, the book only gives a basic primer on the actual techniques, so you'll need to do some trial-and-error if you want to actually learn how to make these things.
Plenty of drink recipes are included, and they're wonderful. However, I'll warn you in advance that the recipes usually contain several ingredients (this is part of why Death & Co is so highly regarded), and anyone with a smaller back bar will be highly limited in actually executing these recipes.
You'll definitely need ango, fresh citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit), a couple types of hard spirits, grenadine, seltzer, and simple syrup to get anywhere. Probably a couple of lower ABV beverages as well (dry and red vermouth, Campari, Chartreuse, and orange liqueur are all pretty common in the recipe list). The infuriating part of this book is that ingredients aren't included in the index. Meaning: let's say you bought a bottle of Cynar and want to see what you can make. There's no index listing the recipes including Cynar, so you'll have to scan through the 130 pages of recipes looking for "Cynar". Same goes for specific infusions and syrups. Total waste of time. It's a ridiculous and inexcusable oversight.
If you decide to make drinks using this book, unless you're experienced or have a solid bar going, I recommend planning ahead. Choose a recipe that seems interesting and not too full of exotic ingredients (believe me, if you buy a bottle of zoco pacharan navarro liqueuer, I hope you really love that bottle, because it'll be there for a long time). Prepare infusions/syrups/etc in time, as some require days to transfer flavor, and some may require a redo. Then make a couple for friends or family! The recipe structure is ideal for choosing one or two related cocktails for a pre-planned dinner party.
Useful for a home bar enthusiast, or someone who wants to break into into craft cocktails without sounding clueless (if you don't have significant bartending experience, though, show some humility and recognize you'll be a barback/doorman/etc for a while), or an upscale party planner. Lots of fun anecdotes, too.
I think it's a solid first primer for the aspiring bartender, but note that you'll need a more technique-forward book as well, or preferably real-world mentorship. If you only have time for one book, skip this for their sequel Cocktail Codex.
Plenty of drink recipes are included, and they're wonderful. However, I'll warn you in advance that the recipes usually contain several ingredients (this is part of why Death & Co is so highly regarded), and anyone with a smaller back bar will be highly limited in actually executing these recipes.
You'll definitely need ango, fresh citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit), a couple types of hard spirits, grenadine, seltzer, and simple syrup to get anywhere. Probably a couple of lower ABV beverages as well (dry and red vermouth, Campari, Chartreuse, and orange liqueur are all pretty common in the recipe list). The infuriating part of this book is that ingredients aren't included in the index. Meaning: let's say you bought a bottle of Cynar and want to see what you can make. There's no index listing the recipes including Cynar, so you'll have to scan through the 130 pages of recipes looking for "Cynar". Same goes for specific infusions and syrups. Total waste of time. It's a ridiculous and inexcusable oversight.
If you decide to make drinks using this book, unless you're experienced or have a solid bar going, I recommend planning ahead. Choose a recipe that seems interesting and not too full of exotic ingredients (believe me, if you buy a bottle of zoco pacharan navarro liqueuer, I hope you really love that bottle, because it'll be there for a long time). Prepare infusions/syrups/etc in time, as some require days to transfer flavor, and some may require a redo. Then make a couple for friends or family! The recipe structure is ideal for choosing one or two related cocktails for a pre-planned dinner party.
Useful for a home bar enthusiast, or someone who wants to break into into craft cocktails without sounding clueless (if you don't have significant bartending experience, though, show some humility and recognize you'll be a barback/doorman/etc for a while), or an upscale party planner. Lots of fun anecdotes, too.
I think it's a solid first primer for the aspiring bartender, but note that you'll need a more technique-forward book as well, or preferably real-world mentorship. If you only have time for one book, skip this for their sequel Cocktail Codex.
February 13, 2015
For me, the highlight of the book is the first half which talks about building and equipping a bar. This covers topics from selecting base spirits to making ice to selecting glasses to buying mixing equipment. There is also a good discussion about the thought process of building a cocktail recipe complete with a transcript of a Death & Co. tasting session. The recipe section was interesting primarily for the occasional comments from the bartenders who created the recipes, but much of their drinks are beyond the limits of my (deliberately) lightly stocked bar.
February 22, 2021
This book is certainly a classic, but it's also a bit of a mixed bag for me.
On the positive side, this book includes great sections on selecting both equipment and ingredients, technique, how they run the bar, and how they invent & evaluate new recipes. It has a large collection of interesting recipes, both classics and originals. Those are nicely organized: classics, then originals grouped by base spirit, and further divided into shaken and stirred drinks, then variations on certain classic cocktails (e.g., the negroni or the old fashioned). There are also fun little essays by some of the bartenders as well as some regulars.
On the down side, the book is quite fiddly for a home bartender (or for a small low-volume bar, for that matter). While the care and particularity of each recipe almost certainly matters to the final results, many of the recipes call for a particular brand of spirit, without discussing why that brand matters, and what might be different if other brands were used. There are at least half a dozen syrups used in the recipes (simple, demerara, cane sugar, agave, etc., plus flavored versions of them), which is a problem when (a) you use a teaspoon or two at a time, (b) have formulas that make several cups at once of each, and (c) each can only keep in a refrigerator for a week or two. At the same time, those syrups are different, so you can't just substitute one for another. I would have appreciated a section on substitutions to deal with both of those issues.
One other problem for me personally, although less of a concern for most people, many (more than half?) of their shaken recipes call for grapefruit and/or pineapple juice, neither of which I can consume. This means that a quarter to a third of the book is off the table for me.
Finally, some of the original recipes (maybe one in four or five) have a short introduction from the creator, explaining how and/or why the drink was created. Those are great, and make me wish they were present for all the recipes. There were plenty of times reading through that I wondered "How did anyone ever think to mix those things together?!" but the book provides no answers.
Despite those cons, this book is going on the bookshelf by the bar at home, and I looking forward to trying more of the originals as well as their versions of the classics. I'm very glad to have it.
On the positive side, this book includes great sections on selecting both equipment and ingredients, technique, how they run the bar, and how they invent & evaluate new recipes. It has a large collection of interesting recipes, both classics and originals. Those are nicely organized: classics, then originals grouped by base spirit, and further divided into shaken and stirred drinks, then variations on certain classic cocktails (e.g., the negroni or the old fashioned). There are also fun little essays by some of the bartenders as well as some regulars.
On the down side, the book is quite fiddly for a home bartender (or for a small low-volume bar, for that matter). While the care and particularity of each recipe almost certainly matters to the final results, many of the recipes call for a particular brand of spirit, without discussing why that brand matters, and what might be different if other brands were used. There are at least half a dozen syrups used in the recipes (simple, demerara, cane sugar, agave, etc., plus flavored versions of them), which is a problem when (a) you use a teaspoon or two at a time, (b) have formulas that make several cups at once of each, and (c) each can only keep in a refrigerator for a week or two. At the same time, those syrups are different, so you can't just substitute one for another. I would have appreciated a section on substitutions to deal with both of those issues.
One other problem for me personally, although less of a concern for most people, many (more than half?) of their shaken recipes call for grapefruit and/or pineapple juice, neither of which I can consume. This means that a quarter to a third of the book is off the table for me.
Finally, some of the original recipes (maybe one in four or five) have a short introduction from the creator, explaining how and/or why the drink was created. Those are great, and make me wish they were present for all the recipes. There were plenty of times reading through that I wondered "How did anyone ever think to mix those things together?!" but the book provides no answers.
Despite those cons, this book is going on the bookshelf by the bar at home, and I looking forward to trying more of the originals as well as their versions of the classics. I'm very glad to have it.
February 18, 2018
An interesting hybrid of a biography of a NYC bar, techniques on how to mix cocktails, and a cookbook of recipes. As the author warns early on, these recipes are incredibly precise, many requiring a variety of specific spirits, enhancers, or additives that no one would just happen to have on hand at home. As such, I did not find myself flagging many of the recipes to try on my own - as I just don't have the required ingredients and don't see myself going out to get many of them.
That aside, overall this was a fascinating read. I particularly enjoyed the middle chunk of the book, which was devoted to techniques and strategies for creating cocktails. I learned the mechanics of how to stir or shake properly, and why you would choose one method over another. The fact that the amount of ice and length of time mixing can be directly titrated to dilute the drink to the desired intensity is something that was completely new to me, and makes perfect sense in retrospect and undoubtedly allows me to create more precise flavors. Also, even though I might not use many of the recipes directly, they do function as excellent starting points for how to think about mixing ingredients to create new drinks. The strategies described that are used to make many of the drinks can be utilized just as effectively with whatever I happen to have on hand or can find in nearby stores, from splitting base liquors in a classic cocktail to using bitters and syrups to enhance certain flavors, to the fact that you can use port in a cocktail and actually make something taste good!
Overall, happy to have read through the book and it will undoubtedly remain as a reference for some time to come.
That aside, overall this was a fascinating read. I particularly enjoyed the middle chunk of the book, which was devoted to techniques and strategies for creating cocktails. I learned the mechanics of how to stir or shake properly, and why you would choose one method over another. The fact that the amount of ice and length of time mixing can be directly titrated to dilute the drink to the desired intensity is something that was completely new to me, and makes perfect sense in retrospect and undoubtedly allows me to create more precise flavors. Also, even though I might not use many of the recipes directly, they do function as excellent starting points for how to think about mixing ingredients to create new drinks. The strategies described that are used to make many of the drinks can be utilized just as effectively with whatever I happen to have on hand or can find in nearby stores, from splitting base liquors in a classic cocktail to using bitters and syrups to enhance certain flavors, to the fact that you can use port in a cocktail and actually make something taste good!
Overall, happy to have read through the book and it will undoubtedly remain as a reference for some time to come.
February 25, 2015
It's an education.
Sure it's got a lot of very cool cocktail recipes in it too, but first and foremost, it's an education. Think of it like a science book for the practice of Mixology. There's some solid theory - descriptions of the various spirits and components of a cocktail, along with experimental knowledge gained through practice.
All of it is distilled (that's a pun son) into a weighty, and lovely volume, that is a nice to behold and consume as it is to gain the knowledge encoded within it.
Sure it's got a lot of very cool cocktail recipes in it too, but first and foremost, it's an education. Think of it like a science book for the practice of Mixology. There's some solid theory - descriptions of the various spirits and components of a cocktail, along with experimental knowledge gained through practice.
All of it is distilled (that's a pun son) into a weighty, and lovely volume, that is a nice to behold and consume as it is to gain the knowledge encoded within it.
November 30, 2018
A craft cocktail 'liquid engineer' I've gotten to know suggested I read this book when I expressed my desire to learn how to make a few fun cocktails. This book taught me so much. I never knew, for example, that brandy refers to any spirit distilled from fermented fruit juice.
Impressive to learn about all that goes into bartending. Way more information than I need, but interesting to learn about.
I now have Pisco Sour in my repertoire and hope to master a few others. Just for fun.
Impressive to learn about all that goes into bartending. Way more information than I need, but interesting to learn about.
I now have Pisco Sour in my repertoire and hope to master a few others. Just for fun.
July 16, 2016
It's not the first cocktail book you should read. It may be the last though. Not in the sense that no other cocktail books is worth reading after but in the sense that you'll keep coming back to it. You'll come back for the recipes, for the specs, for the perfect way it describes a vibrant culture.
It's fitting that the best cocktail bar comes out with the best cocktail book.
It's fitting that the best cocktail bar comes out with the best cocktail book.
October 3, 2020
As a coffee table book for cocktail lovers, this is excellent. It tells the story of the bar in a way that is intimate and inclusive. There is no questioning their expertise and love of what they are doing, and just flipping the pages and admiring the mastery that is evident in the recipes gives a sense of satisfaction. But as a recipe book for the amateur mixologist, this is not as successful. First, you'd have to literally own a bar in order to have access to the overwhelming number of bottles you'd need to actually recreate all these drinks. If you're like me, living in the Bible Belt, you can't even find 3/4 of these bottles within a two-state radius, even if you had the money and storage space to acquire them. And sure, you could mix the drinks with whatever version of the spirit you DO have, but then it is not THE Death & Co drink, and these are obviously curated to be VERY specific in their combinations. When you find a recipe where you actually have all the ingredients, you want to shout, "Bingo!!!" Also, the concept of infused spirits is super-cool, but again, that's a lot of money and space you're committing to a liquor that you might use once every couple of months. I'm definitely going to try reducing the recipes to more manageable batches (and I guess, sub in my locally available spirits and just enjoy having something close to what it's supposed to be. A good drink is a good drink, right?) Lastly, and most frustratingly, the index is a joke. I don't need to know every drink attributed to a particular bartender (maybe THEY thought that was critical information?), but if you want to tell me that, fine. What I do need to know is, if I make that apricot infused Famous Grouse, which drink can I use it in? Does the index tell me that? NOPE. But you can feel free to flip through all 280 pages, hoping you don't miss it (it's used in ONE drink, on page 268, BTW.) I'm going to have to generate my own index to have any hope of actually making this something I can commonly use as a reference/recipe book.
December 13, 2022
Having only read the recipes of this book from the time I bought it five years ago until this year, I'm gonna mark it as read having properly read it cover to at least the cover of the recipe section.
This book is an incredible look into what it takes to conceive a new idea, new ways of working, new standards, new regimens and new motivations and an honest account of all the ways things go right and wrong. I guess this book is about innovation and its detail into the craft cocktail revolution in NYC in the early to mid 2000's is thrilling especially for those of us interested in "how something works under the hood." I'm talking about detail down to where people stand and how they position bottles and glasses and other tools, it's borderline pedantic, but I love it.
And then yes, the recipes are great. But what I never got from not reading this book the first five years of owning it is what I love most and that's (spoiler alert) that there are really maybe only 4 cocktails in the world and everything is a derivation of those four. As this other coffee table/cookbook author puts it, paraphrasing, innovation thrives best within categories or structures.
This book is an incredible look into what it takes to conceive a new idea, new ways of working, new standards, new regimens and new motivations and an honest account of all the ways things go right and wrong. I guess this book is about innovation and its detail into the craft cocktail revolution in NYC in the early to mid 2000's is thrilling especially for those of us interested in "how something works under the hood." I'm talking about detail down to where people stand and how they position bottles and glasses and other tools, it's borderline pedantic, but I love it.
And then yes, the recipes are great. But what I never got from not reading this book the first five years of owning it is what I love most and that's (spoiler alert) that there are really maybe only 4 cocktails in the world and everything is a derivation of those four. As this other coffee table/cookbook author puts it, paraphrasing, innovation thrives best within categories or structures.
February 6, 2020
The book has a playful, dedicated tone to the craft of cocktails and running of a bar. It covers running the bar, descriptions of the various liquors, cocktail techniques, and creating new drinks. The rest of the book is dedicated to a long list of drinks, organized by base spirit and whether they are shaken or stirred. Most of the recipes use obscure liqueurs or housemade syrups/infused liquors, so most are overly complex or not economical for the homebartender. But not so complex that if I did want to try a recipe the ingredients are commercially available. There is also a section that covers the classic and vintage cocktails. The recipes include the specific brands to use, which gives an accurate recreation of the original drink intent. Overall a comprehensive book, even if most of the recipes I would never make. Also most of the recipes are from 2007-2010... not sure if they are outdated already?
May 8, 2017
This is such an exquisite book. I gifted this to both my husband and my brother-in-law for Christmas, but finally sat down to read it myself after tasting a handful of the recipes. It's very informative, and fascinating to see the process of creating a well crafted cocktail. The majority of the ingredients here aren't your bartending basics, and if you're a novice you may never have heard of most of them, and there's several that will require some effort and patience because they're handmade, but if you're up for the challenge it will be worth it. This is a book for those who really love the craft. It's a lot like baking: pure chemistry. The right ingredients in the right amounts can create something truly amazing, and the possibilities are endless.
August 30, 2017
A fantastic read. The attitude that an upscale, craft cocktail bar should serve the client whatever they want in the best possible manner is so relieving (even though this book is fairly new and the bar itself is fairly old) in the current climate of no call drinks, $30-40 cocktails, and unbelievable hype for such a fleeting, often forgettable experience. When service comes first, I think everything is to follow. Also, I really love that they included a considerable technique section so its actually applicable to your bartending setting (home/work/management). Keeping this one at your bartop; it'll come in handy.
August 18, 2019
Cocktail school in a book.
Death & Co is a multi-award winning cocktail bar in New York City and this is the first book from the team there.
It’s not so much a recipe book as an explanation of the philosophy behind the bar (nothing particularly hippy dippy, just a case of bringing a culinary attitude that it’s difficult to make a good drink with second-rate ingredients), a guide to stocking a home bar (both with liquor and glassware) as well as the drink recipes themselves.
Some of the ingredients are definitely in the niche end of the liquor cabinet, but working your through this should make a reasonable bartender of anyone.
Death & Co is a multi-award winning cocktail bar in New York City and this is the first book from the team there.
It’s not so much a recipe book as an explanation of the philosophy behind the bar (nothing particularly hippy dippy, just a case of bringing a culinary attitude that it’s difficult to make a good drink with second-rate ingredients), a guide to stocking a home bar (both with liquor and glassware) as well as the drink recipes themselves.
Some of the ingredients are definitely in the niche end of the liquor cabinet, but working your through this should make a reasonable bartender of anyone.
July 3, 2024
For anyone looking to up their mixology game, this is my #1 recommended book.
Beautiful photography, clear and concise writing, and best of all the drinks taste amazing!
In addition to the drinks, this book discusses the history of ingredients, liquors, and cocktails. You'll find recipes for both drinks and some base ingredients (such as infused liquors, mixers, etc.)
Even better, the book LOOKS good. Coffee tables or bar shelves, this book will look gorgeous let alone helping you become a better mixologist.
Beautiful photography, clear and concise writing, and best of all the drinks taste amazing!
In addition to the drinks, this book discusses the history of ingredients, liquors, and cocktails. You'll find recipes for both drinks and some base ingredients (such as infused liquors, mixers, etc.)
Even better, the book LOOKS good. Coffee tables or bar shelves, this book will look gorgeous let alone helping you become a better mixologist.
September 8, 2019
I love this book, but definitely recognize some self-selection bias. This approachable and fun "Cocktails 101" covers all the basics: ingredients, tools, technique, and recipe specifications. The book also includes a history of Death & Co, behind-the-scenes commentary, and profiles of some of the local regulars. As an added bonus, the hardback edition looks suitably impressive on a coffee table or home bar :) A must-read for any cocktail enthusiast.
June 29, 2017
A peek inside Death & Co as well as overview of cocktail-making. This was a good fit with The Bar Book as it went into the origins of different kinds of alcohol and different kinds of cocktails. Very interesting little asides from regular bar customers. It accelerated too quickly (for me) from basics to very complex drinks.
March 20, 2021
Goddamn. This is the best book I’ve ever read. You can really feel the love and passion for cocktails in this book. Such a broad cocktail database, but also so many good tips and information. I love how it targets both professional bartenders and amateurs.
I’m a simple guy, I don’t have ambitious or big dreams, but this book really makes me dream of visiting Death & Co.
I’m a simple guy, I don’t have ambitious or big dreams, but this book really makes me dream of visiting Death & Co.
March 12, 2019
Who reads a cocktail book? It isn't quite a recipe guide, it's more than that (and the other reviews cover it far better than I can).
BOOK
1.5oz recipes
0.75oz how-to-run-a-bar
0.2oz biography
0.25oz very-hard-to-find-or-make ingredients
2 dashes vignettes
Add ingredients to glass with ice, stir. Do not garnish.
BOOK
1.5oz recipes
0.75oz how-to-run-a-bar
0.2oz biography
0.25oz very-hard-to-find-or-make ingredients
2 dashes vignettes
Add ingredients to glass with ice, stir. Do not garnish.
May 8, 2020
Excellent book for a beginner, but be warned, if you don’t already have the tools (not to mention the liquor) to make these drinks, you’re going to be spending a couple hundred bucks to get caught up
August 30, 2020
Nice whistle-stop book covering the basics in better detail than most, with a ton of recipes to finish the book.
I read this as an e-book which I think was a bit of a missed opportunity, with better hyperlinking or call-backs it could have been really immense but as it is stands it's a little hard to jump between ideas in the book.
However, if you can get this for a good price it's definitely worth a read. As with a lot of books from excellent bars/authors, there's a decent amount of bespoke drinks you'll likely never be able to make, but there are still more than enough you can do with a lean bar and they do a great job of outlining how you can think about creating your own drinks (the pie charts are a great way to visualise the make-up of certain types of cocktails).
I read this as an e-book which I think was a bit of a missed opportunity, with better hyperlinking or call-backs it could have been really immense but as it is stands it's a little hard to jump between ideas in the book.
However, if you can get this for a good price it's definitely worth a read. As with a lot of books from excellent bars/authors, there's a decent amount of bespoke drinks you'll likely never be able to make, but there are still more than enough you can do with a lean bar and they do a great job of outlining how you can think about creating your own drinks (the pie charts are a great way to visualise the make-up of certain types of cocktails).
August 31, 2020
This cocktail book is excellent, but be prepared to spend a lot of money and time to be able to execute a handful of the cocktails described herein. It also details the history of the legendary Death & Co bar and gives a fascinating look into their process.
April 19, 2023
Bought it for the cocktail recipes, which are indeed excellent. But the first half of the book was interesting, too, with its discussion of the creation of Death & Co followed by lots of good advice and recommendations for bar prep and techniques.
July 19, 2023
I was gifted this a couple years ago when I started bartending and it's been a constant resource for me ever since. A little experience under my belt has only made the guidance offered here more helpful to me. Thanks for sharing the game Death and Co.
December 20, 2023
Like cocktails, mixology & a behind-the-scenes peek at bars? This book is pretty much the Bible of all that. It'll have you never looking at cocktail culture & drinks in quite the same way ever again.
March 29, 2024
Este fue uno de los primeros libros sobre cocktails que leí.
Lamentablemente lo leí después de MUY superior Cocktail Codex así que la comparación desfavorece al primero.
Aún así, indispensable en toda Biblioteca de bar.
Lamentablemente lo leí después de MUY superior Cocktail Codex así que la comparación desfavorece al primero.
Aún así, indispensable en toda Biblioteca de bar.
December 1, 2024
Comprehensive, but excessively specific and rather fiddly. Many of the ingredients are simply unavailable (in Turkey, anyway), and a lot of recipes include things like "1 teaspoon Greek yogurt" or "1/2 teaspoon absinthe". I still *enjoyed* it, but I wouldn't call it useful.
July 13, 2017
Fantasic cocktail book. Lots of history to Death & Co. and some incredible recipes for cocktails.
January 14, 2018
Loved it! Great recipes; the intro and the writing are wonderful too. Now, I've got to take a trip to NYC to visit this bar!
March 10, 2018
Coolest cocktail book ever.
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