3 new books for cocktail lovers and spirits enthusiasts

A new series of mixology-focused books awaits us, offering everything from martinis to twists on palomas and pina coladas. There is even a volume on “collecting dust” – it turns out it’s a hobby, not a management judgment.

Some of the books in the pile aren’t our cup of tea, so if you’re looking for, say, a cocktail coloring book that touts its “thick lines” and “large print” or label-specific books touting their own brands, like the volume of Tito’s Vodka written by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, you are on your own.

These three, on the other hand, have broad appeal.

Dusty alcohol

Imagine an Indiana Jones tale – if the golden idol was a bottle of post-Prohibition bourbon and the role of a gigantic skull-crushing boulder was played by raging hipsters on a hunt for Pappy Van Winkle. Brooklyn journalist Aaron Goldfarb delves into the world of a very specific type of treasure seeker in his new “Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits” (Abrams Books, $27).

The book makes for a thrilling read as he pursues well-heeled obsessives searching for decades-old – and very dusty – bottles of whiskey, rum and other spirits from estate sales and old liquor stores almost forgotten. A chess set filled with whiskey features prominently. The same goes for Elvis decanters. And mojitos made with rum from the 1940s. “Dusty Booze” is a book for history buffs, observers of global market trends and, of course, Pappy enthusiasts.

Sparkling

Quite the opposite of the dusty sparkling wine that pleases everyone in all situations, whether toasting, partying or having brunch. Written by Brooklyn-based Elva Ramirez, “Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion” (Union Square, $20) arrives May 7, just in time for Mother’s Day brunch.

Ramirez calls sparkling wine “the liquid symbol of celebration,” but notes that these bubbles can also play a starring role in cocktails like – aside from the Aperol Spritz – the Sbagliato, a Negroni that replaces champagne with the usual gin. You’ll find recipes for this as well as Group Text, Glamazonian Airways, Vice Versa and 70 other sips, as well as suitable syrups, glamorous toppings and tasty bites.

A quick drink

In the grand Venn diagram of life, mixology and Brooklyn have always had major overlap – and we’re almost three out of three with this line of books. Ivy Mix, owner of the James Beard-nominated bar Leyenda in Brooklyn, started Speed ​​Rack in 2011 with a friend, New York bartender Lynnette Marrero. If Marrero’s name is familiar to you, you may have come across his mixology classes on MasterClass or his ready-to-drink spritzes under the Delola label, a partnership with Jennifer Lopez.

But Speed ​​Rack is the most important. The international women’s-only high-speed cocktail competition raises money for breast cancer charities, and it’s the inspiration behind Mix and Marrero’s upcoming book, “A Quick Drink: The Speed ​​Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood” (Abrams Books, $27.50). ). The book, due out April 30, features cocktail recipes from 80 Speed ​​Rack competitors, from famed Vancouver bartender Kaitlyn Stewart and her herbaceous version of a Paloma, to San Francisco’s Karen Tartt and its Pina Colada-inspired liquid vacation. A portion of the book’s royalties will be donated to breast cancer charities.