Unlock the Secrets of Spirits and Cocktails: A Comprehensive Guide to Drinking, Mixing and Enjoying More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails

Peter & Stephanie Watters: This book is a perfect combination of spirit and cocktail history and recipes. This is a perfect gift for any mixologist or cocktail lover.

United States on Nov 19, 2023

Adrián Alejandro Martínez Hidalgo: Ahora puedo preparar los cócteles que todo quiera, es un recetario ideal para los amantes de las bebidas

Mexico on Dec 06, 2022

J. FowlerJ. Fowler: I have a weakness for cocktail based literature and I have an embarrassing number of books on the subject. During my journey, I have landed some stinkers, some keepers, and some genuine treasures that I return to time and time again. This book is firmly in the treasure category.
Sother Teague's "I'm Just Here For The Drinks" is a must for any level of mixologist/bartender/drink lover. It is a perfectly balanced collection of history, pragmatic tips based on experience, and recipes. His humor, thoughtful opinions, and genuine passion for his craft leads to an enthralling read compared to the myriad of cocktail book offerings available. The style is even top notch, including the layout and typesetting. In addition, the photography is fantastic which just adds to the experience.
I generally don't have many things I "learn" from these types of books at this point. That is not arrogance or ego, it is just admitting to having read too many redundant books (and wasting some hard earned money in the process). This book is an exception. Sother's love of Amaro including his overview of it and some of its most recognized offerings was worth the price alone.
If I were to criticize...

United States on Mar 26, 2022

Client d'Amazon: This was my first cocktail book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Introduction to each spirit was excellent and I keep going back to this book for cocktail ideas and recipes.

France on Dec 16, 2021

Thumper: Good book, but was hoping for more "inside baseball" and more of his incredible recipes too.

Germany on Feb 14, 2021

John E.John E.: This book is very similar to Sother’s bars: friendly and approachable, but full of depth. I’m Just Here for the Drinks features over 100 well-balanced cocktail recipes, including Sother’s own creations, his takes on various classic cocktails (both ubiquitous and lesser-known libations), and favorite recipes of industry luminaries like Dale DeGroff and Gaz Regan.

Sother’s superpower is teaching; he’s able to distill complex cocktail concepts & techniques into easy-to-follow overviews & instructions, as well as summarize hundreds of years of spirit history into a few short pages per category. The “Sother Says” sidebars are loaded with tips of the trade and suggested variations to adjust cocktails to meet the needs of differing taste profiles. Sother is great at explaining the “why” behind his recipes; why this specific spirit (when any old whiskey or gin will do, he’ll tell you), why these specific proportions, and why James Bond arguably set back sophisticated drinking culture by a few decades!

The end result is one of the most accessible and enjoyable cocktail primers available; a great introduction for those just starting out on their...

United States on Nov 16, 2019

Morgan M-W.: I almost didn't buy this book because I already have an extensive cocktail library and I thought I had all my bases covered. I'm so happy I decided to get it though because I've now read it cover to cover several times and it contains so much useful information and so many delicious, original cocktails. Top 3 in my library for sure (along with Death & Co. and Brad Thomas Parson's Amaro).

Canada on Nov 01, 2018

Jenna Handford: This is a must-have for any drinks enthusiast!

With the recent influx in publications from bartenders, restaurants, etc over recent years I must admit that I was somewhat sceptical about what kind of information and recipes this book would contain that hadn't been written about before. I have dozens upon dozens of cocktail books - is there still a gap? Had we not written about pretty much everything that a home bartender or professional should know by now? What niche was this filling?

Was I ever wrong!

What I had hoped for with this book was some insight into how recipes are developed at Amor y Amargo, but what it delivers on is that and so much more. Sother lays out the best foundation for cocktail/spirits lovers that I’ve come across in any book before. It provides the breadth to help draw in those who might be new, as well as depth for those who might have significant knowledge and experience in the space. Tack on the quality storytelling and good humour, in addition to the input from industry titans - this book reads like one of the many great Cocktail recipes it includes: it’s more than the sum of its parts.

If I was only ever able to recommend...

Canada on Sep 18, 2018