The complete Bartender's Guide (Dave Broom) Carlton

The Complete Bartender's Guide is a handbook for anybody who wants to become a barman, either professionally or just to show off to family and friends. The centerpiece of the book is the cocktails section, which provides recipes and mixing instructions for around 600 of the most popular mixed drinks. And there are special features on 10 classic cocktails, detailing their history and the bartender responsible for their invention. In addition, the author explains the basics of stocking a bar at home. He advises in the correct conditions and temperatures in which to store the various ingredients which make up some of these drinks. As well as brief history of the base spirits and an explanation on the distilling processes to create them, there is also advice on the best brands to buy for all the world's principal alcoholic drinks. And, to round off The Complete Bartender's Guide, there is invaluable advice for anyone who is suffering after enjoying a cocktail or two too many.

Dave Broom is a much travelled freelance drinks writer and Glenfiddich award-winner who has at various times worked in England, Scotland, United States and Australia in various stages of wine, beer and spirits industry, at a bottling plant in Scotland, serving at a wine bar in America and in the cellars in Australia. He is now a regular contributor to Decanter, Wine Magazine, Wine and Spirit International and Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazines in the UK. He is now a renowned mixologist at one of the English south coast's best-known cocktail bars.