Cookbook Review: Classic Cocktail Revival

As the weather cools down and the days get shorter, I’ve been in the mood for simplicity: nowhere more so than in my cocktail ritual. Fortunately, my copy of Classic Cocktail Revival by Jennifer Brian (University of Kentucky Press, 2025) arrived about this same time, and I’ve kept it close in my quest for a drink that feels special but doesn’t require a lot of work.

The book begins with a short but entertaining introduction to re-creating cocktails at home that are as delicious and satisfying as ones you may have had at a bar from a professional mixologist. Brian calls this her “Sermon on the Mount,” and the book takes this theme of cocktails as religion and ritual cleverly throughout chapters on cocktail rules, instruments, spirits, and infused simple syrups—in Brian’s words, she’s “here to spread the good news about booze.” She identifies basic formulas, from how to batch any cocktail to categorizing the four foundation ingredients. She also demystifies techniques like smoking and fat washing, offering the simplest instructions I’ve seen.