Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Bar Cart Bible: The Cocktail Book for the New Home Bartender

Stock-pouring-cocktail
If you go to any bookstore, or look on any e-commerce site, you’re going to find a lot of cocktail books. (The Wine & Spirits section of books on Amazon yields over 10,000 results alone). Those books, though, range wildly, from self-published tomes to high-production cocktail books from the best bars in the world. If you’ve never made a drink in your life, though—or if your drink-making is limited to pouring booze in a Solo cup and topping it with a mixer and maybe adding a lime wedge—then the majority of these books aren’t for you. There’s nothing wrong with that, mind you, it’s just how it is. There’s no point in learning how to freeze-dry ingredients or how to cook certain things sous vide if you don’t know the difference between a Manhattan and a Martini.

That is where The Bar Cart Bible: Everything You Need to Stock Your Home Bar and Make Delicious Classic Cocktails (Adams Media, 2017) comes in. It is one of the better books out there for the bartender who is looking to up his game from zero. With easy-to-follow directions and a good deal of information packed into 223 pages, this book is great for the newbie or to give as a gift if you need something to go with that bottle of bourbon you’re giving your brother-in-law because you don’t really talk to him but know he likes to drink.

Related Videos
the-bar-cart-bible

The first three sections and the appendices are the most useful parts of this book. Section 1 covers cocktail basics (if you’ve never made a drink more complicated than a vodka cranberry, start here) and Section 2 covers the equipment you’ll need—glassware and tools—to make most of the cocktails you’ll need to worry about when starting out. Section 3 covers basic ingredients, helping you stock your bar cart with the necessary booze and accoutrement for the cocktails located in the next sections of the book. The appendices are great for when you’ve got a little bit of cocktail knowledge under your belt and want to start improving on the ingredients that you’re using. Appendix A covers cocktail additives such as as syrups and mixers and Appendix B is a US/Metric conversion chart for those of us that don’t know how to convert those in our heads (read: probably everyone reading this).

The majority of the book, obviously, is devoted to cocktails. There are eleven sections covering everything from beer cocktails to shots and shooters to seasonal drinks. The cocktails are not complicated, and the directions are easy to follow. Spread throughout, too—and this helps make the book more engaging—are various fun facts and historical tidbits about the various sections. For example, did you know the Tequila Sunrise was created to welcome tourists to Acupulco and Cancun in the 1950s? You do now. There are numerous classic cocktails within the pages of The Bar Cart Bible, as well as others that you might not see on many menus, but are worth a shot, anyway.

Below, we’ve included two cocktails to get you started: The Brain Hemorrhage and the Commodore.

Brain Hemorrhage

  • 1 oz peach schnapps
  • .25 oz Irish cream
  • .25 oz grenadine

Method: First, pour the peach schnapps into a shot glass. Slowly add the Irish cream, and it will clump and settle at the bottom. Next, slowly pour the grenadine to give it a bloody, disgusting brain-hemorrhage look.

The Commodore

  • 2 oz rye whiskey
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 2 dashes orange bitters

Method: Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Editors' Recommendations

Here are the best bourbons, according to top bartenders
If you're looking for a great bourbon, check out this list curated by esteemed bartenders from all over the nation.
A Bourbon Whiskey Decanter and Bourbon on the Rocks in a Tumbler sitting on a bar with bottles in the background.

One of the best ways to nail a "best of" list is to check in with true insiders. You know, like reaching out to sommeliers about their favorite wines or asking brewers about their favorite beers. With a category as vast as bourbon, we figured we could use a little extra help and wisdom from some top bartenders.

Bourbon is America's spin on whiskey. It's often made in Kentucky but, increasingly, it being produced all over the country, from distilleries in New York to farm-like establishments in Nevada. There are many, many options, ranging in both price and quality. Pro mixers have experience with any number of brands and have settled on favorites over the years based on factors like approachability, price point, and how it functions as the base of a cocktail.

Read more
These are the 7 best Mexican restaurants this side of the border
There's no shortage of good Mexican restaurants here in the states — These are the very best
The Original Ninfa’s

Of the many truly great cuisines out there, Mexican must be in the mix. It belongs in the same breath as Italian and French, full of diversity, dynamism, incredible age-old recipes and techniques, and a lot of food that's just plain fun to eat.

Yes, our country is home to some fantastic Mexican restaurants, from family-friendly outposts to high-end establishments redefining the very genre. And it's not just happening in border states like Texas, Arizona, and California. There's great Mexican cuisine all over the United States.
So, while this is by no means the definitive list of best Mexican restaurants in the nation, it is a collection of some of the finest. If you’re looking for an iconic experience, authentic dishes, or simply a great a meal, these options will never disappoint.

Read more
These 10 NYC restaurants are worth splurging for
Ready to splurge on a memorable meal in the Big Apple? Here are your ten best bets for a fantastic dining experience
A dish at Per Se in NYC.

Most New Yorkers have an opinion on the best restaurants in their city and no two ever seem to be exactly alike. Makes sense, given the countless number of great eateries in the Big Apple. From incredible ethnic food to high-end fusion, New York City has it all.

But if one really had to whittle it down to a list of must-visits while there, what would that list look like? We did the homework and came up with a top ten for the ages, full of restaurants that offer jaw-dropping culinary experiences. You'd be lucky to land at any one of these tables over a lifetime as these restaurants are home to some of the best chefs in the world.

Read more