My cocktail book arrived!! (well sort of)

There was a swift knock at the front door late yesterday afternoon. Standing there was the AusPost delivery driver holding the very first copy of my book, Steve the Bartender's Cocktail Guide. The package was barely in the door and Kat had already popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate ...but in all the excitement I proceeded to spill half a glass of bubbly goodness on my very first copy!! 🤦‍♂️

After sitting back and flicking through recipes I was inspired to mix up my first drink from my champagne-soaked book. Given that it was recently Mezcal Week I quickly decided on the Naked & Famous and damn, it was the perfect drink to enjoy! Smokey, honeyed herbal notes yet citrusy and bright...

Only 56 days left until the official book release - hold tight!

📷 VIDEOS

Nothing too fancy here - just a few simple techniques to garnish your drinks with citrus. An oldie but the video got a very positive response so I hope you find it useful :)

OTHER VIDEOS:

• 50 Cocktails you NEED to try | The Educated Barfly

• 10 Bar Tool Essentials | Anders Erikson

• 6 Great Whiskeys for Beginners | Jeremy Siers

• 8 Cocktail YouTubers make a Ramos Gin Fizz | Behind the Bar

🔥 TIP OF THE WEEK

Pineapple leaves make a great garnish especially in tropical drinks but I've always found that I couldn't shouldn't consume enough tiki drinks to make use of all the (fronds/leaves/spears?) on a single pineapple before they have a chance to wither and dry out... BUT, there is a solution!

Freeze them! When you acquire your pineapple immediately pick all the best quality leaves and transfer them into an airtight container and place them in the freezer. You'll have a simple yet great looking garnish at ANY time without having to go out and purchase a whole pineapple.

PRO TIP: grab yourself a pair of pinking scissors to cut one side of your pineapple leaf to elevate your garnish. Here is a pic of the result and a garnished drink with them.

📚 RECOMMENDED READING

shameless self plug ahead!

Now that my copy has arrived I have to take the opportunity to shamelessly self plug my book. Here's a list of the 10 key features I've included that I believe make it perfect for beginner and intermediate bartenders:

1. a brief history of cocktails

2. cocktail categories

3. how to stock your bar

4. intro to spirits, liqueurs, aromatised wines, etc.

5. recommended bottles

6. syrups and techniques

7. cocktail menus

8. 125 modern and classic cocktails (full page photos)

9. 125 NEW videos (linked via QR code)

10. 3 indexes (sorted by spirit, alphabetical and ingredients)

Order a copy (available worldwide)

🛒 PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Nick & Nora glasses are my favourite cocktail glasses by far! They look elegant, sophisticated and elevate the presentation of any drink that is served in them. These teardrop style Nick & Nora glasses are a collaboration between The Educated Barfly and Amehla Glassware.

If you made it this far, let me know what you think of today's issue of The Stir Down in the comments!

Cheers,

Steve the Bartender

📚 Want a copy of my book? View stockists

🤔 Got a question? DM me on Instagram!