Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

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

5 Boozy Books to Read this Summer

By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s reading season, and what better book to read than one about what is probably nestled right next to you? Booze! Since more than just the spirits industry is paying attention to spirits, there are more (and more amazing) books that explore every aspect of booze you could think of.

Below, check out some of our top picks for boozy books to read this summer. Just be prepared, because you’re going to want a drink before, during, after, or at all times when reading these tomes.

Recommended Videos
Cocktails Across America – Diane Lapis and Anne Peck-Davis
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A visual-driven book, this one is for the vintage lovers out there. Using vintage postcards, Cocktails Across America paints a picture of what it used to be like to drink in these United States. Whether you’re into the crazy bars and lounges that architects used to devise or the equally-crazy cocktails that were served in those dens of respite, this book chronicles it all. Not only do you get a look at boozy times past, but Lapis and Peck-Davis teach you to make some vintage cocktails too. (Countryman Press, 2018)

Read it

Related
The Golden Elixir of the West – Sherry Monahan with Jane Perkins
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whiskey has pretty much always been an essential part of the story of American. Whether it’s through the growth, decline, and regrowth of bourbon, our national spirit, or tales of expansion as people helped America find itself, the brown (or clear) stuff has always been there. Golden Elixir looks at how whiskey impacted the West, made it a little wilder, and ultimately shaped what we know as our country today. (Two Dot Press, 2017)

Read it

The Connoisseur’s Guide to Worldwide Spirits – Richard Carleton Hacker
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This book might be more for after the beach (the size and weight are better for a coffee table than a beach blanket), but Hacker’s book explores (in 32 chapters) pretty much every major spirit produced across the globe. While you’ve heard of bourbon, rye, and tequila, Hacker also delves into spirits such as grappa, cachaça, and baijiu (many of which you’ve heard of if you’re a consistent reader of The Manual). This is a solid compendium of knowledge for those looking to one-up their friends in alcohol trivia. (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018)

Read It

A Short History of Drunkenness – Mark Forsyth
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Written by the author of the best-selling book, The Etymologicon (about the English language), A Short History of Drunkenness takes long, hard look at humankind’s connection to booze. From when we first started drinking to today, Forsyth explores the various connections people have had to getting completely tanked throughout time, regardless of whether the reason was religious, royal, sexual, or something else entirely. It’s a fascinating read — you’ll have boozy fun facts for days with this one. (Three Rivers Press, 2018)

Read it

The New Rum – Bryce T. Bauer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yo ho ho. With more and more educated drinkers flocking to this tropical spirit, now is a better time than ever before to sit down and get your learning on before you find yourself in a rum bar, babbling about rhum agricoles, when you don’t even know what they are. In The New Rum, Bauer tackles the history of the spirit all the way through to the rum renaissance happening around us today. In addition, a rum guide fills you in on 40 different producers and 10 classic cocktails along the way. (Countryman Press, 2018)

Read it

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Watermelon, cucumber, and bourbon make for the perfect summer cocktail
Mix yourself a juicy, refreshing 52 Reasons cocktail to sip for the summer
52 reasons cocktail 1

Does anything say summer more than a great big slice of fresh, juicy watermelon? As a cool and refreshing snack, watermelon is a staple favorite for picnics and barbecues. But this fruit doesn't get used in cocktails all that often, which is a shame. While there are watermelon cocktail recipes out there, it's always a pleasure to see some more. And a new recipe from Eric LeGrand Bourbon called the 52 Reasons incorporates watermelon juice for a fruity, sippable summer delight.

The recipe calls for both watermelon juice (which is easy to make in a blender -- just blend chunks of watermelon with some water and a dash of sugar to taste) and cucumber mint simple syrup. The cucumber adds to the cool, juicy nature of the drink, and the mint adds some freshness. These balance with the spicy, sweet notes of the bourbon.

Read more
It’s summer, so make yourself a sunflower cocktail
A light and floral variation on the Corpse Reviver No. 2
Green cocktail with black background

Last Word (Green) cocktail at two fifteen. two fifteen

One of the classics of the cocktail canon is the Corpse Reviver No. 2, a combination of gin, Lillet Blanc, and triple sec that is fruity and complex and has been popular since its inception in the 1930s. But while many cocktail enthusiasts know this drink well and often order it at bars, there are also many variations on this well-known choice that are worth trying out as well.

Read more
This summer’s most refreshing cocktail is the Lillet Spritz
Lillet

Now that the days are getting longer and the evenings warmer, it's time to enjoy the pleasures of a refreshing summer drink. A classic summer cocktail should be light, easy to sip, and capture some of the tastes of the season -- and for a bonus, it should be easy to make as well. After all, who wants to be sweating over a busy bar when there's a balmy summer evening to enjoy?

The go-to summer sipper I'd recommend for a relaxed evening is a Lillet Spritz. If you haven't tried Lillet, an aromatized wine that's similar to vermouth, you can drink it neat or over ice. But it's great for cocktails, too, as it has a blend of sweet grape flavors and herbal bitterness that makes it an interesting and complex ingredient to mix with.
How to make a Lillet Spritz
A Lillet Spritz is just about as simple as a drink can be: equal parts of Lillet Blanc and soda water, for a bubbly, refreshing beverage. What sets this apart, though, is the addition of extras. Some people like to add mint or strawberry, but the thing I can't get enough of is cucumber. Add thinly sliced cucumber wheels to your spritz -- and I mean a lot of cucumber wheels -- and it'll add a lovely savory, green note that goes great with the underlying herbal flavors of the Lillet. I like to serve this in a big copa glass with one large ice cube to keep it cool without watering it down.

Read more