The Curious Bartender, Volume I

Preparing a first-class cocktail relies upon a deep understanding of its ingredients, the delicate alchemy of how they work together.

In The Curious Bartender, Tristan Stephenson explores and experiments with the art of mixing the perfect cocktail, explaining the fascinating modern turns mixology has taken. Showcasing a selection of classic cocktails, he explains their intriguing origins, introducing the colourful historical characters who inspired or created them. Moving on, he reinvents each drink from his laboratory, adding contemporary twists to breathe fresh life into these vintage classics. Stay true to the originals with a Sazerac or a Rob Roy, or experiment with some of his modern variations to create a Green Fairy Sazerac topped with an absinthe ‘air’ or an Insta-age Rob Roy with the ‘age’ on the side. Also included is a reference section detailing all the techniques you will need, making this an essential anthology for the cocktail enthusiast.

About the Author

Tristan Stephenson has been involved in the hospitality industry for over 15 years and is renowned as one of the leading experts in the bar community on cocktail science and molecular mixology. In 2005, he set up the bar at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall, before taking on a role as a Brand Ambassador for the Reserve Brands Group in 2007, training bartenders at some of the highest regarded bars and restaurants in the UK, including The Ritz. In 2009, Tristan co-founded Fluid Movement, a breakthrough events and consultancy company for the drinks industry. This lead to the opening of his first bar Purl in 2010, the Worship Street Whistling Shop in 2011, Dach & Sons (a New York inspired hot dog, beer and bourbon bar) in 2012, and the Surfside beach cafe, in Cornwall, in 2014.

Tristan has travelled to over 200 distilleries and breweries all over the world in his research, worked closely with critically acclaimed writers and flavour perception experts. Tristan was awarded UK Bartender of the Year in 2012 by Class Magazine (having been a runner up in 2011) and was also included in Evening Standard's 2012 top 1000 most influential people in London.

Tristan appears frequently on TV and is a regular contributor to various print and online drinks publications. Tristan spends most of his time involved with bar consultancy, writing and training, and travelling.