The 12 Bottle Bar - by David Solmonson & Lesley Jacobs Solmonson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

It's a system, a tool kit, a recipe book. Beginning with one irresistible idea--a complete home bar of just 12 key bottles--here's how to make more than 200 classic and unique mixed drinks, including sours, slings, toddies, and highballs, plus the perfect Martini, the perfect Manhattan, and the perfect Mint Julep.

It's a surprising guide--tequila didn't make the cut, and neither did bourbon, but genever did. And it's a literate guide--describing with great liveliness everything from the importance of vermouth and bitters (the "salt and pepper" of mixology) to the story of a punch bowl so big it was stirred by a boy in a rowboat.

Review Quotes

"It's the bane of the home mixologist -- complicated cocktail recipes that call for multiple (and often pricey) esoteric liquors doomed to be used once, then linger for years at the back of the cabinet. Convinced there had to be a better way to stock a bar, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson and husband David Solmonson set out to cull the cocktail herd and home in on only the most essential ingredients for great drinking."
- J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press

"Starting a home bar from scratch can be daunting and expensive... With the right selection, you can keep your stash simple and still be able to make just about every cocktail you could imagine."
- Brooklynmagazine

"Make enough cocktails to last you a lifetime. Limited to only seven spirits, one liqueur, two vermouths and two styles of bitters, you will indeed have a collection that in many ways will exceed most typical bars around the country."
- Good Spirits News

"Here's to smart barkeeping: Make hundreds of cocktails from a mere dozen bottles."
- Cooking Light

"A great home bar is an abridged one... The 12 Bottle Bar offers tips on stocking enough liquor to keep your cocktail list large but your investment small."
- Los Angeles magazine

"An innovative idea."
-Town Country

"Covers the bases of modern cocktail making thoroughly."
- Kindred Cocktails

"Maximum cocktail potential from just a few bottles."
- Liquor.com

"The perfect precursor to a establishing a successful home or café beverage program."
- Fresh Cup

"How many cocktails could you make using just 12 bottles without sacrificing flavor, technique, or creativity? The answer: enough to give your local molecular mixologist a run for his money."
- Publishers Weekly--AP

"Easy, smart, and fun to read." -Men's Journal

"With this book in hand, your 12 bottles will provide at least a year's worth of excellent drinks, both classic and modern." -Wall Street Journal

About the Author

David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson are the husband-and-wife publishers of the popular blog 12bottlebar.com. Mr. Solmonson has written for both film and television, while Ms. Solmonson, spirits and wine writer for L.A. Weekly, is also the author of Gin: A Global History and the forthcoming Liqueur: A Global History. The Solmonsons live in Los Angeles.