Drink Books For Summer 2016

Long summer days and lazy vacations are made for kicking back with a cool drink and a good book. From mystery to memoir and history to how-to, quench the thirst of your inner bibliophile with this list of newly released drink books.

Beer

The United States of Beer: A Freewheeling History of the All-American Drink
by Dane Huckelbridge
Following his historical account of bourbon, Dane Huckelbridge turns to America’s favorite fermented brew, looking as far back as the pilgrims (who, according to the book, dropped anchor at Plymouth Harbor because they were running low on beer). Exploring the historical figures that influenced the evolution of beer over the centuries, from George Washington to Adolphus Busch, Huckelbridge also ties in the technological advancements leading up to the craft brew revolution of today.

Beer Money: A Memoir of Privilege and Loss
by Frances Stroh
Established in Detroit in 1850, the Stroh Brewing Company became one of America’s largest private beer fortunes by 1984, and the Stroh family was worth an estimated $700 million. Frances Stroh reaped the benefits of being raised among such wealth, with a childhood marked by shopping trips in London and lunches at the Regency Hotel. But as Detroit’s economy began to crumble, so did the Stroh family. Infighting over money, divorce and even a drug bust led to the downfall of a family that once eptiomized the American dream. Frances Stroh’s new memoir Beer Money offers a beautiful and brutally candid look inside of one of America’s most fascinating beer legacies.

Wine

Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and the Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink
by Alan Tardi
Chef, sommelier and James Beard Award-winning food and wine writer Alan Tardi spent a year inside the Krug Winery following the creation of their famous Krug Grande Cuvée. Diving in from there, Tardi explores the history, origins, climates and characters (from Napoleon to Joesph Krug himself) that shaped the evolution of Champagne and made it the world’s quintessential toasting beverage.

Vintage
by David Baker
Bruno Tennenbaum is a broke, washed-up food writer with a penchant for indulgence (which lead to his recent sacking) and a crumbling marriage. But when he stumbles upon a clue about a long-lost bottle of wine thought stolen by the Nazis during WWII, he embarks on a globe-trotting treasure hunt, convinced he can save his career and his marriage. The debut novel from documentary filmmaker and author David Baker was just released in paperback, making it a perfect time to pack this one for vacation and explore the adventurous underbelly of the wine world.

Coffee & Tea

Real Fresh Coffee: How to source, roast, grind and brew the perfect cup
by Jeremy Torz and Steven Macatonia
Former scientists Jeremy Torz and Steven Macatonia promptly left their fields of study when they fell in love with coffee and embarked on a mission to source and hand-roast micro batches of the finest coffees they could find. They founded Union Hand-Roasted Coffee in 2001 in London, and since then they’ve been building partnerships with farmers and spreading the gospel of how to create the best cup of coffee possible. Their new book is a gorgeous photographic journey of every step in the process.

Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World’s Greatest Tea
by Jeff Koehler
Eighty-seven tea estates planted high in the eastern Himalayas comprise less than one percent of India’s tea production. Yet Darjeeling has come to be one of the most famous—and widely considered finest—teas in the world. Explored with passion and a precise eye, food writer Jeff Koehler traces the history of the region and the rise of the British East India Tea Company, the people who farm it and the current political and environmental threats. There’s more in your cup of tea than you ever would have thought.

Spirits

Dead Distillers: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits
by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell
Following up their Guide to Urban Moonshining, Colin Spoelman and David Haskell, founders of Brooklyn’s Kings County Distillery, offer a boozy history lesson into the famous (and infamous) distillers of the past. Through historic photos and newspaper clippings, infographics and even walking tours, Spoelman and Haskell tell the tales of the usual suspects, like Jasper “Jack” Daniels, alongside farmers, scientists, criminals and more than one U.S. president.

Drinking the Devil’s Acre: A Love Letter from San Francisco and her Cocktails
by Duggan McDonnell
Duggan McDonnell’s book is an intriguing blend of memoir, history and essay. Profiling a notoriously hard-drinking (and equally dangerous) block of 19th-century San Francisco’s Barbary Coast known as the Devil’s Acre, McDonnell segues into the cocktail renaissance of today, with 25 recipes born in San Francisco, along with contemporary classics. Make sure your bar is well stocked, as inspiration will surely follow.