Beverages Books

Make drinks like a master mixologist with 1,000 recipes Bartenders are the life of the party—and it’s never been easier to prepare and serve drinks that keep partygoers coming back for more! Whether you want to break into professional bartending or up your ante as a home mixologist, this clear, easy-to-follow guide has you covered. With tips on stocking your bar and working with the right tools and garnishes, as well as information on the latest liquor trends and popular new cocktails, it won’t be long before you hear, “Bartender, may I have another?” Concoct the perfect timeless and modern drinks Learn how to create perfect low and no-alcohol options Replicate everyone’s favorite ready-to-drink cocktails Stock your bar with the best glasses and tools If you’re looking for fresh ideas to keep your friends or customers happy, Bartending For Dummies is the perfect how-to resource for making a splash with great drinks.

Get hoppin’ with this guide to microbrewing your own beer Thinking of brewing your own beer or want to know how it’s done? Homebrewing For Dummies is for you. If you’re ready to take a crack at making your own brew, you’ll need this guide to the supplies, ingredients, and process of crafting the perfect beer. Follow our recipes for lager, porter, stout, and other brew types—or invent your own. When you’ve tasted your perfect creation (and after the hangover wears off), we’ve got you covered with ideas for entering your beer into homebrewing competitions and selling your beer. This new edition keeps pace with the exciting world of small-batch beer, introducing you to new flavors and varieties that are popular on the microbrew circuit. We’ve also got the details on the latest at-home brewing equipment, software and apps, and resources you can tap (get it?) to make a better beer. Not an IPA person? Not to worry! You can also make your own hard seltzers, flavored malt beverages, and juice drinks with this handy how-to. Get recipes and instructions for brewing lagers, porters, and other beers at home Enhance the quality of your small-batch brews and make your operations more eco friendly Enter homebrewing competitions with your beer, hard seltzer, and malt beverages Discover new gadgets, apps, and resources that can make home brewing even easierHomebrewing For Dummies is for anyone looking for a fun and easy-to-use guide to the exciting, rewarding, and refreshing hobby of beer brewing.

Wine enthusiasts: raise a glass! The global wine market has expanded rapidly in the past few years and is forecasted to increase through 2019. Consumption, new wine styles, online wine purchasing, and a growing younger population of wine enthusiasts are all contributing factors. In Wine For Dummies, the authors—both recognized wine authorities and accredited Certified Wine Educators—share their expertise, revealing the latest on what's in, what's out, and what's new in wine.  Featuring information on both classic and cutting-edge wines, it’s packed with everything you need to hold your own in tasting rooms, shops, and beyond!   Includes updated information on navigating wine shops and selecting wines in restaurants Covers the latest expert advice on buying wine online thanks to the online retail boom Provides updated vintage charts and price guidelines Offers information on trends in wine, including packaging innovations such as wine in a can, kegs, and boxes  Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate wine enthusiast, this is your no-nonsense guide to choosing wine, understanding wine lists, exploring new varieties, serving, sharing, and more!

The easy way to learn to pair food with wine Knowing the best wine to serve with food can be a real challenge, and can make or break a meal. Pairing Food and Wine For Dummies helps you understand the principles behind matching wine and food. From European to Asian, fine dining to burgers and barbeque, you'll learn strategies for knowing just what wine to choose with anything you're having for dinner. Pairing Food and Wine For Dummies goes beyond offering a simple list of which wines to drink with which food. This helpful guide gives you access to the principles that enable you to make your own informed matches on the fly, whatever wine or food is on the table. Gives you expert insight at the fraction of a cost of those pricey food and wine pairing courses Helps you find the perfect match for tricky dishes, like curries and vegetarian food Offers tips on how to hold lively food and wine tasting parties If you're new to wine and want to get a handle on everything you need to expertly match food and wine, Pairing Food and Wine For Dummies has you covered.

Become fluent in the universal language of beer Beer For Dummies is your companion as you explore the wide world of the third most-consumed beverage globally. Learn to recognize the characteristics of ales, lagers, and other beer styles. Perfect beer-and-food pairings. And embark on the ultimate beer tour, Dummies-style! Whether you're a beer novice or a brewery regular, there’s always something new to learn. We’ll help you pick the right beer for any occasion, understand why beers taste the way they do, and give you a handy reference to their strengths and ideal serving temperatures. This updated edition takes you a journey around the world of new beers—hazy-juicy in the U.S., Italian grape ale, Brazilian Catarina sour. You’ll also get up to date on the latest beer review apps and how the internet is shaping and reshaping beerdom. Cheers! Make an informed choice when selecting a beer and pairing with food Learn the fascinating process of brewing the different types of beer Discover world beer culture and new beer innovations Heighten your enjoyment of the subtleties of craft beerThis book is an excellent resource for aiding your understanding, purchasing, drinking, and enjoyment of beer.

An informative, fun guide to making your own wine It's estimated that one million North Americans make their own wine. Relatively inexpensive to make (a homemade bottle costs from $2 to $4), a bottle with your own label (and grapes) is a fantasy even someone with modest aspirations can fulfill. Author Tim Patterson, an award-winning home winemaker, shows how it's possible for anyone to create a great wine. In Home Winemaking For Dummies, he discusses the art of winemaking from grape to bottle, including how to get the best grapes (and figure out how many you need); determine what equipment is required; select the right yeast and figure out if any other additives are needed; and store, age, and test wine. With detailed tips on creating many varieties -- from bold reds and demure whites to enchanting rosés and delightful sparkling wines -- this guide is your ultimate winemaking resource.

An all-inclusive, easy-to-use primer to all things wine Want to learn about wine, but don't know where to start? Wine All-In-One For Dummies provides comprehensive information about the basics of wine in one easy-to-understand volume. Combining the bestselling Wine For Dummies with our regional and specific wine titles, this book gives you the guidance you need to understand, purchase, drink and enjoy wine. You'll start at the beginning as you discover how wine is made. From there you'll explore grape varieties and vineyards, read labels and wine lists, and discover all the nuances of tasting wine. You'll see how to successfully store wine and serve it to your guests-and even build up an impressive collection of wine. Plus, you'll find suggestions for perfect food pairings and complete coverage on wines from around the world. Features wine tasting, serving, storing, collecting, and buying tips, all in a single authoritative volume Includes information on California wines, as well as other domestic and foreign locations including the US, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Helps you choose the best vintage for your needs Also covers champagne, sherry, and port wine Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan are the authors of seven Dummies books on wine including the bestselling Wine For Dummies, 4th Edition, other contributing authors are recognized wine experts and journalists in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada Whether you're a wine novice or a budding sommelier, Wine All-In-One For Dummies is the one guide you need on your shelf to make your wine experience complete.

Discover the nuances of California wines and increase your drinking pleasure! Want to be a California wine connoisseur? This friendly guide gives you the knowledge you need to appreciate these fine wines, showing you how to taste them, select a good bottle, pair wine with food, and much more. You'll see why certain wine regions are renowned and how to further enrich your wine-drinking experience. California wine 101 ― understand the range of California wines, what makes them unique, and what a varietal wine is Review the regions ― explore the major wine regions of California and what makes each one special, from the soil to the climate Open the bottle ― become fluent in the Big Six: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel Go beyond the basics ― appreciate Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Syrah, sparkling wines, and more Round out your wine experience ― pair and share wines, learn about the proper glassware and serving temperatures, and prepare for a winery visit Open the book and find: An overview of California wine today Wine recommendations for all budgets Explanations of wine label language A map of wine regions Tips for aging and collecting California wines Winery tasting etiquette The ins and outs of recent vintages Top wine country travel destinations

You are invited to join in appreciating this family of noble beverages, step-by-step, flavor-by-flavorWould you like to better appreciate fine distilled spirits? Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies is your complete guide to selecting and enjoying this family of noble beverages, flavor by flavor. From whiskey, rum, and brandy to vodka, gin, and cordials, this handy reference traces the history of distilled spirits, explains how they are made, and shows you how to evaluate, serve, and savor them. Ever wonder why the Irish spell it “whiskey” and the Scottish “whisky”? This friendly book tells you as it reveals where the first whiskeys — or “dark” spirits — originated and how they came to the United States. It also explores the origins of clear spirits and the different varieties of each. You’ll compare American and European vodkas, see how to make the new and improved all-purpose Martini, and follow the spread of flavored rums across the globe. A slew of sidebars give you fascinating tidbits of information about these spirits. You’ll also discover how to: Become a sophisticated taster Shop for the best spirits Select the right mixers Use spirits in cooking Make ten classic cocktails Choose and taste cordials and liqueurs Know the nutrients in one serving of each type of distilled spirit Present spirits to guests Set up tasting events at home This thorough guide also features recipes for cooking with spirits, offering menu choices such as entrees, vegetables, and desserts that all include at least one type of spirit. Complete with an appendix of craft distillers across the United States, Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies will give you the knowledge and hands-on guidance you need to become a connoisseur of such greats as fine Scotch, Bourbon, and Cognac in no time!

“Whether you are an avid collector or wine novice, this book offers an extensive resource in an accessible format.” —Charlie Trotter, Acclaimed Chef and Award-Winning Author “This book is an invitation to discover the bountiful wine regions, each different from one another, and is an homage to the beauty and uniqueness of the delicious wines they produced.” —Georges Duboeuf, Les Vins Georges Duboeuf “The diversity of French wine is one of its attractions, but it can seem perplexing...until you pick up this marvelous guide. The route is well -marked, easy-to-follow, and the destinations are delicious.” —Kermit Lynch, Wine Merchant and author, Adventures on the Wine Route “...Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan lead us by the hand down the road of adventure to discover the wines of France that they know so well.... In their relaxed, wise, and mischievous way, they show us the joy and pleasure of drinking French wine.” —Prince Alain de Polignac, Winemaker, Champagne Pommery You no longer need to be confused or intimidated by French wine. Authored by certified wine educators and authors Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan, French Wine For Dummies introduces you to the delicious world of fine French wine. Among other things, you’ll discover how to: Translate wine labels Identify great wine bargains Develop your own wine tastes Match French wines with foods Here’s everything you need to know to sip and savor the best—and the best-value—Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Alsace, and other delicious wines. This lighthearted and informative guide covers: The story of French wine and how it came to dominate the wine world How the French name and label their wines and why France’s most important wine regions—including a region-by-region survey of the best vineyards and their products France’s other wine regions, including Champagne, Alsace, the Loire Valley, and others So pour yourself a big glass of Beaujolais Nouveau, sit back, and enjoy the ride as Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan take you on an intoxicating journey through the wonderful world of French wine.