6 Books Every Bartender Should Read

Millions of people now see bartending as a long-term career. More and more good people are joining the service industry by choice rather than happenstance. It’s refreshing, it’s revitalizing, and it’s a shame that the coronavirus of 2020 has affected our beloved industry so adversely.

The idea that bartenders need to read books to hone their craft would have seemed insane to most people just a couple of decades ago. In fact, the idea of bartending as a craft still seems crazy to the people who haven’t realized the shift in the service industry over the past two decades.

That said, the past 20 years have been a golden age for the professional bartender. By proxy, it’s been a golden age for bar and cocktail books. As a hospitality professional (bartender, server, barista) for most of my adult life, I’ve read my fair share of bar books, articles, and online courses. Quarantine gave me a chance to read even more. Now yet another round of shutdowns in Los Angeles allows me a chance to write about some of the more useful books for bartenders.

You don’t have to be a bartender to enjoy these books. They are for you if…

• You’re thinking about jumping behind the stick (probably when all this is over).
• You want to create better cocktails at home.
• You’re feeling…