Full Description
Gain the skills and confidence to craft exceptional cocktails at home with drink expert and Holy City Handcraft founder Miguel Buencamino.
Whether you're mixing your very first Old Fashioned or refining a favorite classic, Essential Cocktails guides you through the fundamentals of modern cocktail-making with core techniques, practical advice, and 85 thoughtfully crafted cocktail recipes. Cocktail creator, photographer, and founder of the popular cocktail-focused creative content production agency Holy City Handcraft, Miguel Buencamino, combines more than a decade of recipe development with an approachable teaching style that makes craft cocktails accessible to everyone.
Inside, you'll discover beautifully constructed recipes ranging from timeless classics to fresh seasonal cocktails, created and stunningly photographed by the author himself. More than just a recipe collection, this is your trusted guide to the techniques, ingredients, and principles that make great cocktails work. With every recipe and lesson, you'll feel more empowered to experiment, entertain, and create your own signature drinks.
Perfect for beginners, experienced home bartenders, and hospitality professionals alike, Essential Cocktails includes:
The history behind iconic cocktails and the evolution of cocktail culture
Essential spirits, liqueurs, syrups, bitters, and garnishes every home bar should have
Beginner-to-advanced techniques that improve every drink you make
Practical advice for stocking your bar, batching cocktails, and hosting the perfect cocktail party
And much more!
Great cocktails aren't just about what's in the glass. They're about bringing people together. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, hosting friends for dinner, or simply winding down after a long day, Essential Cocktails will help you craft drinks worth sharing and the memories that come with them.
Contents
Introduction
Cocktail Basics
Home Bar Basics
Techniques
Hosting from the Home Bar
Spring
Cabana Swizzle
Garden Margarita
Espada Spritz
Cucumber Negroni Sbagliato
Mom's Flowers
Piña Verde
Salted Cucumber Margarita
Enzoni
The Vaporetto
Cinque Terre Collins
Spaghett
Strawberry Amazing
The Bee Cause
Brûléed Caipirinha
Strawberry Peppercorn Shrub
Martini Highball
Wisconsin Negroni
Turn and Burn
Summer
Hugo 75
Spicy Pickle Margarita
Spaghetti Jungle Bird
Afternoon Glow
Tomato-Tini
Habanero Palomarita
Frozen Mango Margarita
Boule-Bird
Fresa Congelada
Tequila Clover Club
Spicy Salted Peach Margarita
Cherry Batanga
Southern Drawl
Watermelon High Sea
Mardi Daiquiri
Summer's End
Fall
Peaches and Dreams
Maple Radler
Banana Nut Negroni
La Pistola
Mulled Cider Old Fashioned
Clarified New York Sour
Koru Shrub
Cinnamon Toast Milk Punch
PSL Espresso Manhattan
Chocolate Maple Old Fashioned
Sleepytime Old Fashioned
Orange Cocoa Espresso Martini
Renewed Revival
Muerte Por Fuego
Back From the Dead
Rosemary Spritz
Winter
Honeycrisp Margarita
Brûlée Apple Cider Collins
Peppermint Espresso Manhattan
Rosemary Old Fashioned
Buck and Cover
Coquito Colada
Wintered Amaro Sour
Sugar Cookie Milk Punch
Maple Praline Old Fashioned
Gingered Toddy
Winter Julep
The Partridge
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
The Yuletide Bramble
Cedar Berry Bramble
Smoke Signal
The Winter Coat
Timeless Classics for Every Season
Old Fashioned
Manhattan
Negroni
Boulevardier
Daiquiri
Mint Julep
The Adonis
Ramos Gin Fizz
The Aviation
Whiskey Sour
Bee's Knees
Dirty Martini
Gibson Martini
Mai Tai
Hanky Panky
Corpse Reviver No. 2
Penicillin
Japanese Whisky Highball
Final Thoughts
Index
Acknowledgments
About the Author
