Wherever and whenever people have been found talking, they have been found drinking: an age-old pastime with an equally storied history. Alcohol and civilization have developed in close quarters, sometimes supporting each other and sometimes getting in each other's way. The School of Sophisticated Drinking, which began as an ongoing series of lectures at Berlin's legendary Victoria Bar in 2003, traces the deep-seated lineage of drinking in the social, political, and even scientific developments of our culture. Appealing to both expert drinkers and novice barflies, each chapter delves into the sociopolitical significance of and technological innovations behind a familiar wine or spirit--brandy, vodka, whisky, rum, gin, tequila, and champagne--and shares plenty of tales of adventure, from the glamour of Hollywood and Broadway, to the tormented worlds of well-known writers, to the outbreak of wars and the unending struggle for economic and military power. The reader's thirst for knowledge can be further quenched by trying any or all of the enticing cocktail recipes gathered at the end of the book.
Reviews
"The narrative is as much erudite, as it is hedonistic and charming. All bartenders would benefit from the detailed information, not only in the their craft, but also to entertain and educate their regular patrons...Whether you are an expert drinker, or a novice barfly, this book will give you plenty to contemplate. Highly recommended."--Winesworld "The School of Sophisticated Drinking is an entertaining and insightful resource into the elaborate history of the spirits we all work with today. Kerstin Ehmer and Beate Hindermann have penned a detailed and insightful look into the development and sometimes comical past of the world of cocktail recipes and their stories." --Frankie Solarik, co-owner, Barchef Toronto and author of The Bar Chef "I can't think of a more delightful way of discovering how the industry looks from the other side of the Atlantic than by reading The School of Sophisticated Drinking. It's a very entertaining book that deserves a leather armchair, a fine cigar, and a double measure of cognac." --Gary (aka Gaz) Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology "The School of Sophisticated Drinking is just as much of a must-read book for the seriously cocktail-minded as it is for the professional bartender. Erudite, hedonistic and charming in the extreme, I can give this publication no greater compliment than to say it is The Victoria Bar in book form." --Philip Duff, beverage consultant & Director of Education, Tales of the Cocktail



Book Information
ISBN 9781771641197
Author Kerstin Ehmer
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Greystone Books,Canada
Publisher Greystone Books,Canada
Weight(grams) 340g