The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes by Dale DeGroff

  • Abbey cocktail (page 72)

    from The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff

    • Categories: Cocktails / drinks (with alcohol)
    • Ingredients: gin; Lillet Blanc; oranges; Angostura bitters
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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Abbey cocktail

    • anya_sf on March 03, 2021

      Nice drink. I've had similar drinks made with lemon instead of orange juice and I slightly prefer lemon, but this is nice if you have oranges on hand.

  • Blood and sand

    • anya_sf on November 01, 2024

      I didn't know quite what to expect, but this was pretty good. I used Irish whisky instead of Scotch and garnished with a cherry instead of orange peel.

  • Bloody Maria

    • cthdawn on December 30, 2018

      Used zing zang as tomato juice, English prime rib rub and a habanero. Olives in bottom of glass. Excellent

  • Caricature cocktail

    • anya_sf on March 14, 2021

      The generous amount of simple syrup did balance the various bitter ingredients but also made the drink rather cloying. Okay flavor, but not a favorite. 1.5x the recipe made 2 normal sized drinks.

  • Casino royale

    • anya_sf on January 05, 2021

      Pretty good champagne cocktail. The recipe doesn't say how much champagne to add - just "fill to top" - so the taste could vary. Great name though.

  • Corpse reviver

    • anya_sf on January 18, 2019

      Great version of this classic cocktail.

  • Crawdaddy

    • anya_sf on September 07, 2022

      I never knew there was a name for this drink other than just "vodka lemonade", but thanks to EYB, now I do.

  • Cosmopolitan

    • anya_sf on March 07, 2026

      Classic, not too sweet. Not sure the flamed orange peel added much.

  • Edith's fizz

    • anya_sf on September 27, 2018

      A refreshing, citrusy drink that's easy to make and not too strong.

  • Espresso cocktail

    • anya_sf on September 17, 2025

      I appreciated that this was lower alcohol than the modern "standard" espresso martini, but I didn't like it quite as much. With less vodka, it was unsurprisingly more coffee-forward and sweeter.

  • Fancy Nancy

    • anya_sf on April 01, 2024

      I only had regular vodka, but this was still very good - not too strong, sweet, or bitter. I used blood orange juice and the color was quite striking.

  • Flamingo

    • anya_sf on October 16, 2020

      Mt Gay amber rum worked fine here. Made with artisanal grenadine, this drink was not overly sweet and maybe could have used the optional splash of simple syrup, although I liked it without. It was a pleasant, not cloying, tropical drink.

  • Flirtini

    • anya_sf on May 26, 2026

      It was okay, kind of like a mimosa. I just used inexpensive sparkling wine, but maybe good champagne would make a difference - I just hate to waste that on a mixed drink.

  • Silver fizz

    • anya_sf on August 04, 2023

      I used lime juice instead of lemon. The amount of syrup seemed excessive so I only used half and the drink was plenty sweet for my taste - ended up adding another squeeze of lime. We liked the foam from the egg white (used 1 for 2 drinks).

  • French flamingo

    • anya_sf on November 27, 2020

      Even with regular vodka, this was still a great drink, similar to a cosmo, but less strong.

  • Gin gin mule

    • Baxter850 on February 28, 2019

      Does not work with store bought ginger beer. Too sweet and can’t shake. Try again with the special ginger beer recipe provided.

  • Grasshopper

  • Jacana

  • Pineapple julep

    • Bloominanglophile on May 09, 2014

      I really use the Maker's Mark I have in the house for cooking, but since I had all the ingredients for this cocktail, I decided to indulge in this libation to help me get through a mountain of dirty dishes! I really like the addition of the pineapple, and I augmented its flavor by adding 1/2 oz. pineapple juice (unsweetened) to the drink. Next time I make this, however, I would decrease the simple syrup--the sweetness is a bit cloying to my taste.

  • Lemon drop

    • Bloominanglophile on April 05, 2014

      This isn't a bad recipe, but I don't care for the addition of the Cointreau. It gives it a bit of a funny aftertaste, IMHO.

    • peaceoutdesign on May 21, 2021

      I changed the proportions to 2oz citrus vodka, 3/4 oz Cointreau(or 1/4 Cointreau and 1/2 infused simple syrup, 1/2oz lemon juice. Infused Simple syrups that are good: rosemary ginger or an oolong tea simple syrup.

  • Lemon meringue

  • Madison Avenue cocktail

    • anya_sf on June 07, 2018

      A delicious, strong cocktail. I used light amber rum instead of white and it was fine - I think you just want to avoid a rum that's too dark or strongly flavored.

    • okcook on June 09, 2018

      We love, love this cocktail. Use ingredients specified.

    • TrishaCP on November 23, 2019

      This was pretty good. We ended up adding a bit more Cointreau for balance and that was more to our taste.

  • Margarita

    • Bloominanglophile on April 05, 2014

      My husband and I have used this recipe as a jumping-off point for our own "house" margarita. I personally like to have a little simple syrup in my margarita to balance out the acidity of the lime and the sting of the spirits. I felt the amount of lime juice needed to be upped, also.

  • French martini

    • anya_sf on November 01, 2024

      Not sure what makes this French (Chambord?) or a martini (the glass?), but it was good.

  • Million-dollar cocktail

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      Quite enjoyable, fairly gin-forward, with a nice frothiness from the egg. I had artisanal grenadine which is darker and much less red than regular, and the resulting drink was an odd tan color.

  • Paris

    • TrishaCP on November 17, 2019

      A nice cocktail - better for those who prefer things on the sweet side.

  • Poinsettia

    • anya_sf on November 26, 2022

      Really nice, easy holiday drink. Inexpensive sparkling wine was fine. I wasn't sure about floating the Cointreau on top (vs mixing it in), but it worked.

  • Presidente

    • Baxter850 on April 11, 2020

      Dry vermouth is an old spec although it can still make sense if you’re using Dolin. Thinking a cross of dry and blanc vermouth is the best option.

  • City rickey

    • anya_sf on November 23, 2022

      Nice variation on a gin rickey. The quantities of club soda and cranberry juice aren't specified. I added a splash of cranberry, then filled the glass with soda, but ended up adding another splash of cranberry (but that would also depend on the size of the glass).

  • Ritz cocktail

    • anya_sf on February 27, 2021

      Very enjoyable even with inexpensive sparkling wine. Drinking it made me feel fancy :-)

    • TrishaCP on March 11, 2023

      The citrus and the sparkling wine are wonderful together (We just used Prosecco.)

  • Singapore sling

    • anya_sf on August 26, 2025

      Even with 2 oz pineapple juice, this version of a Singapore Sling was not overly sweet. Quite enjoyable.

  • Stone fence

    • anya_sf on November 17, 2021

      I can't always tolerate bourbon, but I really liked this drink, made with Basil Hayden's. Nicely balanced. Half a drink was plenty for me though.

  • Virgin kir royale

    • anya_sf on July 15, 2025

      I didn't really need a recipe for this, but the recipe's ratio was good. The lemon twist was also a nice touch.

  • Zombie

    • Baxter850 on April 22, 2020

      These specs stray far from Donn’s although I haven’t tried it. The Essential Cocktail specs are much closer to Donn’s.

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  • ISBN 10 0609608754
  • ISBN 13 9780609608753
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Oct 15 2002
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 240
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Random House
  • Imprint Crown Publications

Publishers Text

Cocktails are bigger than ever, and this is the first real cookbook for them, covering the entire breadth of this rich subject. The Craft of the Cocktail provides much more than merely the same old recipes: it delves into history, personalities, and anecdotes; it shows you how to set up a bar, master important techniques, and use tools correctly; and it delivers unique concoctions, many featuring Dale DeGroff’s signature use of fresh juices, as well as all the classics.

Debonair, a great raconteur, and an unparalleled authority, Dale DeGroff is the epitome of Perfect Bartender, universally acknowledged as the world’s premier mixologist. From Entertainment Weekly and USA Today to the Culinary Institute of America and the nation’s best restaurants, whenever anybody wants information or training on the bar, they turn to Dale for recipes, for history, for anecdotes, for fun—for cocktail-party conversation as well as for cocktails.

That’s what The Craft of the Cocktail is—the full party, conversation and all. It begins with the history of spirits, how they’re made (but without too much boring science), the development of the mixed drink, and the culture it created, all drawn from Dale’s vast library of vintage cocktail books. Then on to stocking the essential bar, choosing the right tools and ingredients, mastering key techniques—hints worthy of a pro, the same information that Dale shares with the bartenders he trains in seminars and through his videos. And then the meat of the matter: 500 recipes, including everything from tried-and-true classics to of-the-moment originals. Throughout are rich stories, vintage recipes, fast facts, and other entertaining asides. Beautiful color photographs and a striking design round out the cookbook approach to this subject, highlighting the difference between an under-the-bar handbook and a stylish, full-blown treatment. The Craft of the Cocktail is that treatment, destined to become the bible of the bar.

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