Unabridged text of the jerry thomas 1862 bartenders guide, offered here for chump change. In 1862, jerry thomas published the bartenders guide, the first book of cocktail recipes. We do not propose to persuade any man to drink, for instance, a punch, or a julep, or a cocktail. First published in 1862, this seminal work in bartending marks the first time many of todays classics were recorded in print. This 2 page, blue cover 1887 edition of jerry thomas bartenders guide 1887 reprint is the best available as the jerry thomas bartenders guide 1862 edition has over 100 pages on the distillation of liquors, which was condensed by the original 1887 publishers into only the useful information in the 1887 edition here. It can be served long or short, a pleasure to be shared either way. It was of the first cocktail recipe books ever written and published. A natural showman, thomas toured the united states as a celebrity bartender, paving the way for others to follow suit. The first drinks book in the english language to contain recipes for cocktails, the bartenders guide or how to mix drinks by jerry the professor thomas. Thomas was the godfather of flair bartending, the spiritual ancestor of tom cruise in cocktail, the author of the worlds first surviving cocktail book, and a new york. In honor of professor jerry thomas, formerly the principal bartender at the metropolitan hotel, new york and the planters house, st. It is considered the first cocktail book, and this reproduction is based on the first published edition. The savoy cocktail book by harry craddock, because it made an immediate difference to my craft.
Not only does wondrich dispel lots of myths about jerry thomas, and many, many cocktailsthe birth of the sazerac, for instancehe does it with such wit, turning phrase after phrase in the manner of a master wordsmith. Its known variously as the bartenders guide, how to mix drinks, and the bonvivants companion. The rest we owe to the inspiration of jerry thomas himself, and as he is as inexorable as the medes and persians in his principle that no excellent drink can be made out of any thing but excellent materials, we conceive that we are safe in asserting that whatever may be prepared after his instructions will be able to speak eloquently for itself. He also wrote the first cocktail book, the bon vivants. The bartender who started it all the new york times. Jerry thomas to whom the famous savoy cocktail book is dedicated presents 236 recipes for social drinks apart from water and those of the breakfast and. Swap whiskey for champagne in the old fashioned template, and youll get this pedigreed cocktail, which was first mentioned in jerry thomass 1862 how to mix drinks. Have ready thirty quarts of cold water that has boiled. The jerry thomas project the jerry thomas speakeasy arises from the idea of bringing back to light a forgotten classic mixing style. From absinthe cocktail to whiskey smash, a salute in stories and drinks to professor jerry thomas, pioneer of the american bar hardcover april 7, 2015. I would say that this is a perfectly mixed drink in a room evocative of a gin joint in paris. Jerry thomas to whom the famous savoy cocktail book is dedicated presents 236 recipes for social drinks apart from water and those of the breakfast and teatable. This cocktail first printed in jerry thomass the bon vivants companion finds its origins somewhere along the mississippi, according to cocktail historian, david wondrich.
Smashes can also be made with gin or brandy, but mouton opts for bourbon whiskey, along with simple syrup, lemon juice and mint. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It is the original guide for bartenders on mixed drinks. The book includes an extensively researched biography of jerry thomas, as well as the majority of thomas cocktails, taken directly from his books and adapted to modernday measurement methods ie. Thomas was the godfather of flair bartending, the spiritual ancestor of tom cruise in cocktail, the author of the worlds first surviving cocktail book, and a new york icon, too. The corpse reviver is one of my favorites, yet there are so many. Oct 31, 2007 hingston was looking at none other than jerry thomas, the jupiter olympus of the bar, to lift a phrase from the bartenders own drink book, the first ever published in the united states.
Punch, his 2010 followup, has helped refill the flowing bowl around the world. Jun 19, 2017 unabridged text of the jerry thomas 1862 bartenders guide, offered here for chump change. Within this befogged prospect a few monuments of mixology loom large, and of these perhaps the most colossal is the professor jerry thomass the bartenders guide. This rare, old bartenders cocktail book the bon vivants companion or how to mix drinks by professor jerry thomas, was printed b. Collected here by jerry thomasamericas most famous bartenderare dozens of cocktail recipes, from old standards to mixes invented by thomas himself, including his trademark drink, the blue blazer. A buyers guide to vintage cocktail books serious eats. This book is a fascinating read about the first celebrity bartender jerry thomas and a handson approach to early cocktail culture.
Page 33 in twenty quarts of french brandy put the peels of thirty lemons and thirty oranges, pared so thin that not the least of the white is left. For the perfection of this education, the name, alone, of jerry thomas is a sufficient guarantee. Cocktail writer david wondrich has written a book about jerry thomas entitled imbibe. Thomas may well have served this recipe to the actual prince of wales. Equal parts swagger and hammerwith the soul of a poet and the fashion sense of a sailortom vaught is the modernday embodiment of the legendary 19thcentury bartender jerry thomas. Hingston was looking at none other than jerry thomas, the jupiter olympus of the bar, to lift a phrase from the bartenders own drink book, the first ever published in the united states. This homage is as characterful as its name sake, so join in, get experimental and doff your hat to the man who brought us the first ever published cocktail book. In a cocktailbesotted era, thomas was first without equals. Recipes for hundreds of tasty libations appear in this groundbreaking volume, originally published in 1862 and widely considered by drink historians as the first serious american book on cocktails and punches. Page 79 of jerry thomass seminal 1862 work how to mix drinks, or the bon vivants companion has always stood out to me. Dozens, if not hundreds, of other books appeared in the decades between thomas s and the enactment of prohibition. The book was first published in 2007 and was the first cocktail book to win a james beard award.
The popularizer of cocktails in the united states, jerry thomas is also known for his flashy style and showmanship i strongly. The proprietor of saloons in california and new york, he developed showy techniques and engaged in heavy selfpromotion. Reverted it to the jerry thomas recipe, fixed attribution. Read about the first celebrity bartender, jerry thomas, and why hes still. The library begins with the first cocktail book ever printed in 1862, jerry thomas bartenders guide. More than just a historical depiction, it tells the story of thomas through thomas own drink recipes and the history behind each. The father of american mixology, jerry thomas 183085 wrote the first cocktail book and was the most famous bartender of his era. The first known cocktail manual of any regard is jerry thomass book of 1862. How to mix drinks first edition jerry thomas bauman rare books. This is the online access to the euvs vintage cocktail books. Jerry thomas was a legend in his own time having run famous bars on both coasts. Written by the grandfather of mixology jerry thomas, the bartenders guide was the beginning of what would become a popular genre in the world of books. It opened my eyes to what constitutes a good cocktail and what can work in a cocktail. Pdf jerry thomas bartenders guide 1862 reprint download.
Thomas october 30, 1830 december 15, 1885 was an american bartender who owned and operated saloons in new york city. The history of cocktails and cocktail books is an interesting one. It is considered the first cocktail book, and this reproduction is. Nov 29, 2019 this cocktail first printed in jerry thomass the bon vivants companion finds its origins somewhere along the mississippi, according to cocktail historian, david wondrich. In golf its a copy of the original confidential guide to golf courses by tom doak which youll regularly see going for over a. It struck us that a list of all the social drinks of america would really be one of the curiosities of jovial literature. This drink recipe book is probably the most famous bartenders and cocktail book of all times, and it was the first real cocktail book ever published in the united states.
Jerry thomas cocktails drink up columbus columbus blog. Recipes for these and hundreds of other tasty libations appear in this landmark volume. The 10 best bartending guides and cocktail books of 2020. First published in 1862, thomass short book was the first ever printed guide to mixing cocktails. How to mix drinks first edition jerry thomas bauman rare. Originally published in 1862, jerry thomas bartenders guide is widely considered by drink historians as the first serious american book on cocktails and punches. How to mix drinks by jerry thomas was first written and published in 1862. He was the first celebrity bartender and at his best, thomas made the same wages as the vice president of the. A new beverage is the pride of the bartender, and its appreciation. In 2010 a group of bartenders decided to open a small club in the heart of rome in which colleagues, spirit passionate, curious and industry representatives could meet and share their expertise and knowledge. Imbibe, his 2007 tribute to professor jerry thomas, has become an essential text for bartenders and cocktail geeks alike and was the first cocktail book to win a james beard award. Oct 26, 2005 one of the earliest guides to bartending was published in 1862 by jerry thomas.
One of the earliest guides to bartending was published in 1862 by jerry thomas. While many of the drinks in his book still seem current and are made today, these three stick out as relics of spirits and gins distant past. The first known cocktail manual of any regard is jerry thomas s book of 1862. Jerry thomass arcane gin cocktails by the gin is in. Imbibe from absinthe cocktail to whiskey smash, a salute. David wondrich is the author of the james beard awardwinning book imbibe. This is the most complete first edition a reprint of the very first 1862 edition of jerry thomas bartenders guide how to mix drinks or a bon vivants companion. Outside of his love of the handlebar mustache, he is credited for writing the first modern cocktail book. The bitter truth jerry thomas aromatic bitters for old.
This book is an invaluable reference to any aspiring mixologist. How to mix drinks first edition jerry thomas bauman. Jul 20, 2016 originally published in 1862, jerry thomas bartenders guide is widely considered by drink historians as the first serious american book on cocktails and punches. Jun 29, 2016 in 1862, jerry thomas published the bartenders guide, the first book of cocktail recipes.
The first american cocktail book was published in 1862. This 1862 edition includes a manual for the manufacture of cordials, liquors, fancy syrups, etc. From absinthe cocktail to whiskey smash, a salute in stories and drinks to professor jerry thomas, pioneer of the american bar and the new book punch. Jerry thomas was slightly dismissive of the smash as the unloved stepchild of the julepmy words, not hisbut the smash nevertheless exceeded even the julep in popularity in the mid19th century. This book contains some of the first references to todays classic cocktails, such as the manhattan, pousse cafes, juleps and collins. The bartenders guide or how to mix drinks by jerry thomas. Oct 30, 2008 this is the most complete first edition a reprint of the very first 1862 edition of jerry thomas bartenders guide how to mix drinks or a bon vivants companion. Mar 20, 2020 if i were in a charitable mood, i would tell you that rome cocktail culture split into pre jerry thomas project and post jerry thomas project. Jerry thomas bartenders guide jerry thomas 9780486806211. Because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktails across the united. Imbibe from absinthe cocktail to whiskey smash, a salute in. Dozens, if not hundreds, of other books appeared in the decades between thomass and the enactment of prohibition.
The museum is dedicated to the history of wines and spirits with a beautiful collection of old bottles from around the world and vintage cocktail books. It seems like every niche or industry has a handful of holy grail books out there. A new beverage is the pride of the bartender, and its appreciation and adoption his crowning glory, declared jerry thomas 183085, the most famous bartender of his era. This must have been really sweet back in the day, but thomas suggests that if the guest prefers it very sweet, add two dashes of gum syrup. Imbibe is the best book ever written on the subject of cocktails and mixed drinks.
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