The History of Mixed Drinks

How did a mixture of spirits, sugar, water and bitters become something we call a cocktail? And how did drinks such as the Martini, Manhattan, Daiquiri and Negroni find their way from bars and hotels into the wider world?

The History of Mixed Drinks tells the story of the drinks we know, and the people, events and coincidences that brought them into existence.

From the medicinal wines of early apothecaries and the punch bowls of sailors to grand hotels, Prohibition and modern cocktail culture, the book traces the evolution of the mixed drink across several centuries.

It is a story of trade, ingenuity, fashion, mythology and humanity's seemingly endless desire to pour things into a glass and see what happens.

Written for bartenders, historians, curious drinkers and anyone who has ever wondered how their favourite cocktail came to be, this book asks no more of its readers than an interest in what is in their glass, and perhaps a little curiosity about how it got there.

This is not a recipe book. It is the history of why we drink the way we do.