Bartending for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: wasn't very impressed
Review: There were parts of this book that were very imformative and well researched. However, as a professional bartender and author, I feel there were a lot of mistakes he made in writing his book.
A lot of the recipes given were incorrect. Certain drinks like an Old-fashioned, and a Sex on the Beach should not be wrong. Also, I noticed that he had ten or fifteen drinks featuring Absolut Vodka. Absolut Vodka is a very low-rated vodka, and should never be involved in a recipe for a good drink. Crystal Palace or 5 o'clock vodka would have sufficed just fine.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners, but...
Review: This book is a great book if you are just starting to build your bar from scratch. However, there should always be more than one recipe book in your bar. If you intend to do some serious bartending, this is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to this one book.

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: This book is by no means a definitive work on bartending. However, it is a good mix of information, in a well-packaged format. There are tips on everything from setting up a home bar to types of glasses to, of course, an extensive recipe list of cocktails. There are a number of suggestions on saving money, because no home bar is going to have everything - the author points out the most common spirits and liquors you're likely to need for entertaining an average group of people, arranged by cost and numbers of guests.

The recipes are the heart of the book, with over 1000 different drinks. About half are shot recipes. There are also numerous variations on classics such as the margarita and the martini. These recipes include serving suggestions; for example, mint juleps should be served in metal glasses and proper preparation of a glass for a Bloody Caesar/Mary (rimmed with celery salt and lemon juice). The recipes are listed alphabetically by name, and there is an extensive index in the back by liquor type that is very helpful. Unfortunately, it is not cross-listed, so you'll find yourself flipping back and forth between the index and detailed recipes when looking for new drinks to try, for which you have all the ingredients. There are also some recipes that are well-known to me that are missing from the book (most notably the Freight Train - Grand Marnier and Jack Daniels - or is this a Canadian drink that is uncommon in the U.S.?).

Finally, a word on what is not included in the book. While there are little blurbs on Scotch, wines, etc. (how they are made, some suggested common brands, etc.), there is very little on these types of alcohol, except where they are also used in a mixed drink. Of course, wines and Scotches are such big areas in their own right that they have their own "Dummies" books.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent reference, especially for cocktail recipes
Review: This book is by no means a definitive work on bartending. However, it is a good mix of information, in a well-packaged format. There are tips on everything from setting up a home bar to types of glasses to, of course, an extensive recipe list of cocktails. There are a number of suggestions on saving money, because no home bar is going to have everything - the author points out the most common spirits and liquors you're likely to need for entertaining an average group of people, arranged by cost and numbers of guests.

The recipes are the heart of the book, with over 1000 different drinks. About half are shot recipes. There are also numerous variations on classics such as the margarita and the martini. These recipes include serving suggestions; for example, mint juleps should be served in metal glasses and proper preparation of a glass for a Bloody Caesar/Mary (rimmed with celery salt and lemon juice). The recipes are listed alphabetically by name, and there is an extensive index in the back by liquor type that is very helpful. Unfortunately, it is not cross-listed, so you'll find yourself flipping back and forth between the index and detailed recipes when looking for new drinks to try, for which you have all the ingredients. There are also some recipes that are well-known to me that are missing from the book (most notably the Freight Train - Grand Marnier and Jack Daniels - or is this a Canadian drink that is uncommon in the U.S.?).

Finally, a word on what is not included in the book. While there are little blurbs on Scotch, wines, etc. (how they are made, some suggested common brands, etc.), there is very little on these types of alcohol, except where they are also used in a mixed drink. Of course, wines and Scotches are such big areas in their own right that they have their own "Dummies" books.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for the beginner
Review: This book is tightly written and well-organized. The lists for stocking your home bar and what to purchase for parties are great! You'll find almost everything you need in this book. If you like this book, try Angela Spenceley's innovative "Just Add Rum!" Here you'll be taken on an anecdotal trip through the Caribbean. Features hundreds of drink and food recipes, all with rum.

Rating:
Summary: Serving Up a Good Mix
Review: When I built my home bar, and stocked it the brim with liquor, mixers, and various essential glassware, I knew I needed a little bit more advice and expertise to tighten up the collection and get it ready for a party. I was always a fan of the dummies books, and while they may be looked upon as lowbrow material for the martini connoisseur, or bar expert, I was neither, and I believe that for people like me, most do-it-yourselfers, the book suffices quite nicely.

When I throw a party, and our college parties are usually big with 65 or more people, we go all out and things get hectic behind the bar with dozens of people all clamoring for something different. Bartending for Dummies really comes in handy time after time, with many of the most popular drink recipes available at a moment's glace, in logical, alphabetized order. The look-up is fast and quick, and the instructions are quite easy to follow. This is especially useful for when you have dozens of people throughout the night who, when asked what they want, simply reply with, "I don't know," or, "Make me something that tastes good." While these responses are aggravating, and totally unproductive, this book serves as a great reference of on-the-fly drinks to make for these indecisive individuals.

For pre-party preparations, the front of the book is filled with information on everything from cutting limes the proper way to buying enough rum, or vodka for a predetermined number of guests. The numbers, math, and money tabulations I have found to be accurate enough to swear by, and often helpful in a myriad of party-planning adventures. The book also has a number of charts depicting types of alcoholic volumes, what some of the terminology means, and even an informative list of calories per kind of alcoholic beverage.

The book has a couple drawbacks, as almost everything does. For one thing, the author tends to use a few lower-quality alcohols in certain popular drinks that should never be used. Using these lower qualities, and sub-par products detract from the eminence of an otherwise first-rate beverage. A second criticism is that some of the drink recipes are not what the vast majority of the world believes them to be. Slight variations in amount, sequence of mixing, and kinds of alcohol used within these drinks I find suspect.

However, the information on the main categories of alcohols, their history, production methods, place of origin, and most popular nomenclature I found to be quite fascinating. The research seemed impeccable, with well-documented and respectable sources. The chapter on kinds of glassware and their uses provided a layman with tons of useful facts to help them make informed decisions on what kinds of glasses to stock your bar with and serve different drinks within.

While Bartending for Dummies may be considered light reading, inconsequential, and contrived to experts in the field, this demographic is hardly this book's intended audience. I, a nonprofessional and do-it-myselfer, have found the book to be a boon time and again, at party after party. Its setup is easy to follow, coherent and consistent, with humor at times, and an all-round indispensable tool for any home-bartender.

Rating:
Summary: Made me look like an expert in a short time
Review: When I was put on the spot to start bartending at a club I had been waitressing at in New Orleans, the first thing I did was read this book cover to cover. It saved my life! I was able to take the knowledge I gained from this book and get straight to work. People could not believe I had never bartended before. A couple of years later, I consider myself a professional bartender and work in a private fine dining establishment as their only bartender. Needless to say, I consider this an excellent book!