Book Review: The Manhattan Cocktail
Whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters. Sub in dry vermouth for some of the sweet if you want to be fancy. As most of us know it, this is the Manhattan Cocktail, one of the absolute classics of the industry and the base upon which legions of other drinks have been built.
To Albert W. A. Schmid, the above is just a starting point. There are dozens — perhaps a hundred — variations on the Manhattan, along with reams of history of the drink that require consideration from the cocktail completist.
This tiny tome, pocket-sized in dimensions and under 100 pages in length — looks like something you could digest in full during a slightly above-average visit to the bathroom. But the truth is Schmid has crafted a barside companion that Manhattan fans will want to keep near their bar setup for the long haul. The history of the drink aside, the variations that Schmid has turned up are fascinating and sometimes mouth-watering. Got celery bitters, absinthe, and fernet? Get ready to have some fun spinning your Manhattans in different directions.
At a mere 12 bucks, it’s hard not to recommend this book as a fun addition to a serious barman’s shelf or even as a little gift to the kind host who constantly lets you raid his bar.
A- / $12 / [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
The Manhattan Cocktail
$12
