The American Cocktail: 50 Recipes That Celebrate the Craft of Mixing Drinks from Coast to Coast

I actually bought this twice by mistake, fortunately it makes a great gift.It's from Imbibe, my favorite magazine, so expect quality print and beautiful pictures.This is a well written book with some good tips, definitely Imbibe quality. But, I gave this a 4 two reasons.First, it is divided into regions and requires some regional ingredients without much alternatives. So unless your from there, travel there, or have access to the ingredients you are pretty much SOL for quite a few of these cocktails.Secondly, as with may Imbibe recipes, they can be a little fussy and overly complex. You can expect to buy some ingredients that may never be used other than that cocktail (but damn, that cocktail will be great).I have no problems recommending this book (I did buy it twice...).

My current hobby is learning how to make/perfect both classic and new cocktails, so I was really looking forward to this collection of cocktails that consisted of the favorite recipes of 50 great contemporary bartenders. However, the one problem with the concept of this book is that there is a trend among many professional bartenders to incorporate esoteric, expensive, or hard-to-locate ingredients in their drink recipes. I understand why they do this. It allows them to distance themselves from their competition. However, when it comes to duplicating some of these recipes in this book, the reader is going to be challenged by the recipes to find ingredients like: Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, Cynar, Rothman & Winter Apricot liqueur, Woodchuck Amber hard cider, Averna, nocino, H Huckleberry liqueur, Ramazzotti, Clear Creek Douglas Fir Eau de Vie, Mud Puddle Chocolate Vodka, and Navan Vanilla Liqueur.

Lots of marketing on this book, but I was disappointed when it arrived. The recipes seem too exotic with hard to keep on hand ingredients. I am sure these are some of the best drinks out there in bars right now, but I am more conservative on what I drink.I am not a mixologist, but do have many many bar recipe books in my library. This one was not one of my favorites. I found that you have to have many hard to find ingredient and you may not like the taste. So, you are left with expensive extras that are a waste of money, time and space.My thought is that you should start with the classics and build from there. The consumers are starting to get more educated on high quality booze and enjoy it for what it is rather than coming up with a silly taste that pleases the uneducated and is dictated by high priced marketing.Vodka was such a marketing challenge...now they have every flavor in the world.I am more of an all American whiskey (bourbon advocate). I enjoy great bourbon straight and would like to become familiar with scotch.These are my thoughts, so do not let me persuade you in the purchase of this book. I subscribe to Imbibe, but enjoy Whiskey Advocate more as I enter the winter season in Ohio.

This book is full of very interesting, creative craft cocktails. The fact that it is divided by region is really fun. They are most definitely craft, though. Be prepared for cocktail ingredients you can't get at Walmart. Otherwise, the book is beautiful with wonderful photography and well-written recipes.

This book; features quite an interesting assortment of drinks!

Of all the magazines that I get, Imbibe is one of the few that I save for reference. When they came out with a cocktail book, I snapped it up as quick as I could, and it doesn't disappoint. If you love cocktails, and have a basically stocked bar, you can make dozens of great-tasting drinks that will impress you and your friends.

This was a Christmas gift for a friend, and I cannot begin to tell you how much he loves it. Everytime we go over to their house, he brings it out and shows us what he has made and thanks us again for the perfect gift.

More things to drink, is that OK to write?