Why is wine so difficult? It might be because we in the industry have long used ridiculous tasting notes to describe wine, even though these descriptions fail to encapsulate all that a wine offers. "Notes of blackberries, tobacco, and leather." How does this odd list of a few flavors help you decide if you will like a wine? "Wine Hack" offers a new way forward. Learn wine like we in the industry learn wine. Spoiler: lots of tasting! This interactive book asks you to taste along with everyday food, drinks, and widely available wines to learn the four attributes that describe all wines, and even learn a few tricks for pairing wine with food. This is the first book on wine that starts with your mouth, not your head. Teach your mouth wine and you will learn to find wines you love on a regular basis, no matter how snooty that wine shop guy is.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in 1896, Bariana: Recueil pratique de toutes boissons Americaines et Anglaises by Louis Fouquet is regarded as the second French cocktail book ever published. But there is no question that Bariana is the first heralded French cocktail book: Unveiled in the 1898 edition of the popular Almanach Hachette encyclopaedia, a handful of Fouquet's recipes were published along with the comment that "Thanks to Mr. Louis Fouquet, the skiilful barman from the Criterion (121 r. St-Lazare) American and English beverages can now be prepared by everyone as easily as combining anisette and water." Translated into English and annotated by award-winning mixologist Charles Vexenat, Mixellany's Annotated Bariana displays Fouquet's passionate dedication to the art of bartending to a new audience of cocktail aficionados. Besides providing readers with keen insights into the Golden Age of cocktails in Paris, this book demonstrates how vintage recipes such as Fouquet's Whiskey Snapper and Martinican Cocktail come alive when adapted for modern palates and for execution by the new generation of mixologists. This special edition contains both Vexenat's annotated and translated work as well as the original French text.

Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour and style, with tribute paid everywhere from Lord Byron to Casablanca. But who was this young widow - the 'Veuve' - Clicquot, whose champagne sparkled at the courts of France, Britain, and Russia, and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? Newly widowed, she assumed the reins of the fledgling wine business she and her husband started, steering it through huge political and financial reversals to succeed as a single woman in a man's world. Visitors flocked to see this cultural icon and taste the vintages she imbued with magic. As much a fascinating journey through the process of making this temperamental wine as a biography of a uniquely tempered woman, "The Widow Clicquot" is a read to savour.

From Alcohol to Zest via Herbs and Nuts, the A-Z of Homemade Liqueurs covers everything you need to know about making delicious liqueurs at home. This little book contains a wide selection of recipes, from old-time traditional recipes as well as creative, quirky variations. It also includes guidance on steeping techniques and the best kind of equipment to use, alongside other handy hints. The A-Z of Homemade Liqueurs is a kitchen staple for liqueur-making novices and experienced creators alike. The A-Z series is a fresh and fun collection of books offering readers a wealth of information on a wide range of subjects. These essential practical guides are packed to bursting with useful tips and insider knowledge, in a handy easy to digest format.

Beer and Society: How We Make Beer and Beer Makes Us takes readers on a lively journey through the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of the modern beer world. The book illustrates that beer is far more than a beverage. It represents a marker of identity, a source of pleasure, an object of connoisseurship, and a livelihood for those who produce and distribute it. Drawing on leading sociological and psychological perspectives, the authors argue that our enduring relationship with beer and its many varieties reflects the very roots of our society, including its collective values and norms, power structures, and inequity in race, gender, sexuality, and social class. Beer and Society explores these aspects of beer as sites of growing struggles for social change.

In the beginning, for me, winemaking was a romanticized notion of putting grape juice into a barrel and allowing time to perform its magic as you sat on the veranda watching the sunset on a Tuscan landscape. For some small wineries, this notion might still ring true, but for the majority of wineries commercially producing quality wines, the reality of winemaking is far more complex. The persistent evolution of the wine industry demands continual advan- ments in technology and education to sustain and promote quality winem- ing. The sciences of viticulture, enology, and wine chemistry are becoming more intricate and sophisticated each year. Wine laboratories have become an integral part of the winemaking process, necessitating a knowledgeable staff possessing a multitude of skills. Science incorporates the tools that new-age winemakers are utilizing to produce some of the best wines ever made in this multibillion dollar trade. A novice to enology and wine chemistry can find these subjects daunting and intimidating. Whether you are a home winemaker, a new winemaker, an enology student, or a beginning-to-intermediate laboratory technician, p- ting all the pieces together can take time. As a winemaker friend once told me, "winemaking is a moving target. " Introduction to Wine Laboratory Practices and Procedures was written for the multitude of people entering the wine industry and those that wish to learn about wine chemistry and enology.

Originally served at the coronations of French kings, Champagne is now popular around the world and sales increase year on year as people discover this delicious, delightful, de-lovely drink. Although Champagne only comes from a small area, there are many producers, ranging from the globally famous houses such as Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon and Taittinger to the 19,000 vignerons who produce on a much smaller (but no less delicious) scale. Champagne has its own vocabulary, etiquette and special place in popular and culinary culture and The Little Book of Champagne traces the history of the drink from its early years to the present day and examines what makes Champagne so special. We delve into the intricacies of chilling (very cold), pouring (one inch, let the bubbles settle, then two-thirds) and drinking (slowly). There are also fun facts, quotes and sayings relating to Champagne's unique position in popular culture. So pop that cork, fill your glass and slowly sip your way slowly through the pages of this joyful celebration. SAMPLE QUOTE: 'Why do I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn't everyone?' - Noel Coward SAMPLE FACT: The oldest Champagne producer still in existence is Ruinart. They started production in 1729.

This book investigates the birth and evolution of craft breweries around the world. Microbrewery, brewpub, artisanal brewery, henceforth craft brewery, are terms referred to a new kind of production in the brewing industry contraposed to the mass production of beer, which has started and diffused in almost all industrialized countries in the last decades. This project provides an explanation of the entrepreneurial dynamics behind these new firms from an economic perspective. The product standardization of large producers, the emergence of a new more sophisticated demand and set of consumers, the effect of contagion, and technology aspects are analyzed as the main determinants behind this 'revolution'. The worldwide perspective makes the project distinctive, presenting cases from many relevant countries, including the USA, Australia, Japan, China, UK, Belgium, Italy and many other EU countries.

What better way to learn about wine than to taste it?

Hailed by Jerry Shriver in "USA Today" as "the woman who makes the wine world gulp when she speaks," Jancis Robinson created in "How to Taste" a classic for connoisseurs of all levels and the first introduction of its kind to focus on practical tasting exercises. Now fully revised and updated, Robinson's renowned guide proves once again that learning about wine can be just as engaging as drinking it.

Written in Robinson's trademark accessible style, the new "How to Taste" features thoroughly updated vintages and producers as well as up-and-coming wine regions and styles. Incorporating wines that are both easily obtainable and reasonably priced, Robinson's lessons are separated into complementary portions of theory and practice to help you both learn and taste your way to wine expertise.

One of the world's best-loved authorities on wine, Robinson explains first how to get the most out of the flavor of your wine and food, and then about specific grapes and the wines themselves. By the time you finish the book, you will have learned how to recognize the most popular grape varieties from Chardonnay and Riesling to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and why a good sparkling wine is always better than cheap champagne. You will discover how to judge sweetness, acidity, and fruitiness as well as the difference between the length and the weight of a wine. You will also be given practical advice for dealing with wine in the real world: how to choose from a wine list, organize your own wine tastings, and pair wines with specific foods.

From the armchair to the wine shop and back to the table, "How to Taste" will transform anyone on any level into a confident connoisseur who can leave faltering sips behind and have fun along the way.

Preparing a first-class cocktail relies upon a deep understanding of its ingredients, the delicate alchemy of how they work together. In The Curious Bartender, Tristan Stephenson explores and experiments with the art of mixing the perfect cocktail, explaining the fascinating modern turns mixology has taken. Showcasing a selection of classic cocktails, he explains their intriguing origins, introducing the colourful historical characters who inspired or created them. Moving on, he reinvents each drink from his laboratory, adding contemporary twists to breathe fresh life into these vintage classics. Stay true to the originals with a Sazerac or a Rob Roy, or experiment with some of his modern variations to create a Green Fairy Sazerac topped with an absinthe 'air' or an Insta-age Rob Roy with the 'age' on the side. Also included is a reference section detailing all the techniques you will need, making this an essential anthology for the cocktail enthusiast.

Everyone loves smoothies - and this is the ultimate smoothie book, written by Julie Morris, author of Superfood Kitchen and a superfood expert! Morris whips up 100 nutrient-rich recipes using the world's most antioxidant-, vitamin- and mineral-packed foods, and offers innovative culinary methods for making your smoothies incredibly nutritious and delicious. Whether you're looking for an energy boost, seeking a gentle cleanse, or just trying to get healthy, you'll be inspired to power up the blender.

From the bestselling author of This Naked Mind It's YOUR body It's YOUR mind It's YOUR choice There are a million reasons to drink. It tastes great. You feel alive. It helps you relax. But are you really in control? The Alcohol Experiment shows a new way of thinking and offers a 30-day programme with a difference. It asks you to look closer at why you drink, what you get out of it and whether it's really the alcohol that's giving you what you want. From the bestselling author of This Naked Mind, Annie Grace gives you the tools to take control of your drinking for good.

In his second book for the connoisseur of whiskies and spirits, whisky expert and enthusiast Fernand Daquin has gathered 43 amusing, surprising, and memorable anecdotes about the most beautiful and luxurious bottles of whiskey he has encountered. For almost 40 years, he has been travelling through this wonderful whisky world, in search of the most striking stories and images. At close to 400 pages, with enticing illustrations, he shares these stories in his own engaging style, offering the ideal entertainment for the reader with a glass of whisky in hand.

The author of Free the Tipple is back with another collection of delectable cocktails-this time a literary mix inspired by the world's most iconic women writers. The fifty recipes in this volume are as unconventional, imaginative, and refreshing as the authors that inspired them. Each double-page spread includes an illustration of one important woman writer along with fascinating background about her oeuvre, personality, and points of literary distinction. And, of course, each profile is paired with a delicious recipe for a fitting cocktail. Pulling from every category-literary and genre fiction, poetry, graphic novels, essays and nonfiction- this book offers some surprising twists as well as old favorites. While each subject could provide hours of cocktail chatter, the recipes themselves are also a unique conversation starter: the Virginia Woolf-a peach-and-mint creation with a modernist flair; the Octavia Butler-an uncompromising blend featuring bourbon and port; the Jia Tolentino-a purple sparkler that puts a cerebral twist on pop culture; and the Mary Shelley-an unexpected combination of the Manhattan and the Margarita. Perfect for literary-themed parties as well as intimate gatherings, this book itself is an intoxicating, lip-loosening brew made of equal parts sophistication and fun.

The New York Times bestselling author of Napa tells the captivating story of how the Napa Valley region transformed into an extraordinary engine of commerce, glamour, and an outsized version of the American dream--and how it could be lost--in "a strong plea for responsible stewardship of the land" (Kirkus Reviews).Not so long ago, wine was an exclusively European product. Now it is thoroughly American; emblematic of Napa Valley, an area idealized as the epicenter of great wines and foods and a cultural tourist destination. But James Conaway's candid book tells the other side of the romanticized story. Napa at Last Light reveals the often shadowy side of the latter days of Napa Valley--marked by complex personal relationships, immense profits, passionate beliefs, and sometimes desperate struggles to prevail. In the balance hang fortunes and personal relationships made through hard work and manipulation of laws, people, and institutions. Napans who grew up trusting in the beneficence of the "vintner" class now confront the multinational corporations who have stealthily subsumed the old family landmarks and abandoned the once glorious conviction that agriculture is the best use of the land. Hailed as the definitive Napa writer, Conaway has spent decades covering the region. Napa at Last Light showcases the greed, enviable profits, legacy, and tradition that still collide in this compelling story. The area is still full of dreamers, but of opposing sorts: those longing for a harmonious society based upon the vine, and self-styled overlords yearning for wealth and the special acclaim only fine wine can bring. Bets are still out on what the future holds. "This is a stunning and sad look at how an idyllic community became a victim of its own success...fascinating and well-researched" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Pairing history's 100 greatest rock stars with recipes for their iconic drink of choice, How to Drink Like a Rock Star is the perfect guide to summoning the muse for music fans, rock and roll bartenders, and cocktail enthusiasts. Have you longed for a taste of the rock and roll lifestyle without the trashed hotel rooms, constrictive leather pants, and weeks lost on a cramped tour bus? Whether you want to know what fueled Ozzy Osbourne's bat-biting Prince of Darkness persona, quaff a Jack and Coke like Motoerhead's Lemmy, or learn Madonna's recipe for a perfect dirty martini, How to Drink Like a Rock Star will delight fans of all genres of rock and roll and anyone searching for the perfect cocktail. From AC/DC to ZZ Top, this lavish illustrated follow-up to How to Drink Like a Writer offers 100 spirited drink recipes, fascinating rock star profiles, a special sections dedicated to epic rock clubs to drink, dance, and perform in, and even unusual hangover cures and favorite food pairings, all accompanied by original illustrations of ingredients and finished cocktails, and a wealth of photographs. This remarkable book, the result of a deep dive into interviews, backstage tour riders, and much more, is sure to inspire, impress, and inebriate. Sure, becoming a rock legend takes dedication, connections, and talent, but it also takes vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey.

Over 2100 vibrant photos and lively text present an exciting array of wine memorabilia. Following a look at wine and health, with a toast to readers and a look at Bacchanalia, the book takes a four part journey from the vineyard to the wine cellar. Part one looks at various tools used in growing grapes, harvesting, and the production of wine. Tools used by coopers in barrel making, wine sampling and tasting devices, and bottling tools are covered. The next step is "Drinking Wine," in which many implements for removing corks, retrieving corks, and preserving wine are revealed. Serving devices include an extraordinary batch of cradles and caddies. In part three, promotional items revealed include statues, games, fans, tokens, signs, and office accessories. The last part is a look at a fabulous collection of wine antiques from a museum in Spain. The final step is into an 1810 wine cellar with a list of "The Necessaries always wanted in Wine and Spirit Vaults, and Gentlemens Cellars."

World Bottled Beers is compiled by multi-award-winning beer writer Adrian Tierney-Jones, general editor of the bestselling 1001 Beers to Try Before You Die and author of several other books about beer. He is Secretary of the British Guild of Beer Writers and travels regularly to many different countries as a beer judge, writing and tasting as he goes. This carefully researched collection is a must-have for anyone seeking to taste the best beers from around the world. Easily accessible, these beers represent all the major beer styles, from bitters and stouts to pale ales and IPAs, lagered beers such as pilsener and wheat beer to Belgian lambics and trappist beers. From the light and refreshing Adnams Broad Side to the whisky-tinged Harviestoun Ola Dubh in the UK to US classics such as Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and knock-your-socks-off highly hopped Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, discover a beer world that is rich in flavour and diversity. If you' ve never tried a Belgian trappist ale, then Westmalle Triple will tickle your taste buds, or for summer thirst quenching, take a sip of Camden US Hells or German Schneider Weisse. Whatever your palate, this book provides a pleasing beer to discover and enjoy, for any occasion.

Add a citrusy twist to your gatherings and parties! Frozen, neat, or on-the-rocks, Margaritas is the ultimate margarita handbook that will help you step up your cocktail game and features: - Over 101 recipes for making perfect margaritas - A guide to all types of tequila - A history of this citrusy cocktail's Mexican origins and its journey to the United States and the rest of the world - Necessary glasses and tools for every home bar - Creative garnishes provide plenty of ways to serve this party favorite - Recipes for delicious mocktails to satisfy the taste of everyone - Full-color photography enhances the experience of this book Margaritas is the perfect addition to any cocktail lover's collection.

From Nikki Van De Car, the best-selling author of Practical Magic, comes a fully-illustrated, enchanted introduction to the witch's world of modern potions, including tinctures, infusions, herbal DIYs, and magically-infused craft cocktails. Witchcraft meets cocktail craft in Potions, a contemporary introduction to the world of infusions, tisanes and herbal teas, homemade tinctures, and expertly mixed alcoholic beverages, all imbued with a healthy dose of everyday enchantment. As with all magic, intention is what makes a potion a potion, and author Nikki Van De Car uses her signature blend of holistic remedies, DIY projects, and accessible magical rituals to guide readers through the wide world of potion-making. From homebrewed kombuchas to crystal-charged cocktails, this fully illustrated guide is an essential addition to the arsenal of kitchen witches and enchanted mixologists. Organized around a series of intentions -- including Creativity, Calm, Love, Harmony, and Protection -- the chapters in this book each include teas, cocktails, kombuchas, non-alcoholic beverages, and DIY components like bitters, shrubs, and infusions, that enhance the reader's spellwork. Every recipe will involve a brief ritual of some kind, whether setting an intention, or using a crystal, sun magic, or moon magic, and each recipe will involve some form of herbal magic. Each cocktail is accompanied by a vibrant, full-color illustration, and each chapter includes longer mystical rituals to support the reader's overall magical practice.

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book is the essential reference book for everyone who buys wine - in shops, restaurants, or on the internet. Now in its 41st year of publication, it has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide. Hugh Johnson provides clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world. He reveals which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both. This new edition also contains a colour supplement on Syrah and Garnacha grapes.

Embrace the magic of tarot and perfectly match the cards with mixed drinks in this beautifully illustrated bar book. "Don't take advice from tequila, that's the tarot's job." Tarot & Tequila is a positive and spiritually uplifting guide that includes both basic and humorous tequila-inspired meanings of all 78 tarot cards that both beginners and experienced tarot card readers will relate to. Featuring 40 cocktail recipes-one for each Major Arcana card plus bonus Minor Arcana drinks, too-based on the attributes of the cards themselves, as well as a mystical pairing that explains why professional tarot card reader David Ross chose to pair each card to their respective drink, this magical mixology book can be used as both a guide and a recipe book. Try drinks like: -The High Priestess, an elixir of tequila, lemon juice, thyme, and seltzer -The Chariot, a tequila version of a Moscow Mule, with lemon, beet, and apple juices -The Four of Wands, a positive concoction of rum, homemade fennel liqueur, and more Perfect for fans of drinking, bartending, and tarot alike, this beautifully illustrated book makes both a perfect gift and a must-have addition to any home bar.