Book cover of Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail

Book description

Dave Arnold's philosophy is simple: if you think like a scientist, you can make better drinks. Liquid Intelligence takes readers behind the bar and into the lab, where Arnold tinkers with temperature, carbonation, sugar concentration and acidity in search of new ways to enhance classic cocktails, from bubble formation to…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Liquid Intelligence as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Once you’ve mastered the basics, some folks get really into the science of cocktails. If that’s of interest to you, the venerable Dave Arnold has the book for you.

This book gets at the “why” behind cocktail technique, delving deep into matters of acidity, carbonation, temperature, and more; it’s an incredible resource for true cocktail nerds. Even if you’re not likely to pull out the liquid nitrogen or quinine powder on your own, this book is an engaging and fascinating read.  

From Carey's list on The best books for home bartenders.

This is another must-have book for cocktail enthusiasts and experienced bartenders alike. Dave is the “mad scientist” of the cocktail world. From conducting experiments on the best forms of clarification to ridding himself of a cherry allergy.

Dave analyses every aspect of making drinks from the ice to the levels of acids and sugars in certain ingredients. He has done rigorous testing so you don’t have to and explains everything to the nth detail. There are also great explanations of advanced techniques such as carbonation and clarification to take your drinks making skills to the very top.

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