Bottle Shop 33 on South Gaylord Street serves up the best bartending books.
1Wine Simple
by Aldo Sohm
This coffee table topper by one of the world’s foremost sommeliers is more than just visually stunning. The essential guide is both educational and fun, as the author delves into wine fundamentals and shares pragmatic, everyday tips to help you elevate your palate. Lively illustrations and handy cheat sheets marry information and entertainment, making this a delightful read—one that is best enjoyed with a glass of wine in hand.
2Death & Co.
by Alex Day, David Kaplan, and Nick Fauchald
This home bartending book is certainly not for novices. It features insights into creating a world-class bar, home bar stocking recommendations that cost all your pretty pennies, and recipes with over 10 ingredients accompanied by intricate directions. The extra effort is worth it, though, if you are looking to emulate Death & Co.’s premium cocktail experience that values quality over quantity in your own home.
3Tiki
by Shannon Mustipher
Set your watch to island time as you flip through more tasty rum cocktails than you can imagine. Tiki drinks embody an eternal summer, offering an instant vacation—all by stocking your home bar with rum. You might be familiar with the daiquiri and mai tai, but what about the canchanchara, ti’punch, jungle bird, or fantasy island? Take a trip through the innovative cocktails, brought to life by vibrant and highly textured photographs.
4The Home Bartender
by Shane Carley
Amid a myriad of complicated cocktail recipes, this is your simplicity savior. With 175+ drinks featuring four ingredients or less, it takes the intimidation out of at-home libations. Each cocktail page presents a straightforward recipe, a brief background on the drink’s origins, and a captivating photograph. The minimalist drinks are simple but far from plain, like the inventive Liquid Apple Pie or Pair Pressure that burst with maximalist flavors.
5Apértif
by Rebekah Peppler
The French are renowned for their joie de vivre. The secret ingredient? Butter. But aside from that, it’s about finding a cocktail to suit any situation. This book doesn’t just showcase aperitif recipes using exquisite bottles of Suze, Lillet, Picon, Byrrh, and Pastis, but also includes dips and spreads to pair with your predinner drinks, general guidelines for enjoying cocktail hour the French way, and what to drink according to the weather
