DrinkWire is Liquor.com's showcase for the best articles, recipe and reviews from the web's top writers and bloggers. In this post, Just Cocktails offers a look at Brian Hart Hoffman's book, The Coupe.

--------

Cocktail guides and drinks manuals seem to arrive in greater number each year. Although you can see a mixture of professional guides blended with curated recipes manuals are everywhere. How do you discern the mediocre from the standout?

The Coupe by Brian Hart Hoffman one of these: A curation of recipes, classics and new age drinks, that fit into a coupe glass, the favorite of professionals and home bartenders for ages. The Coupe celebrates that history, the natural intersections of craft cocktails and vintage collectibles.

By design, this book is a coffee-table volume, a guide for the consummate host to share some interesting beverages and desserts, with categories by spirit and colorful photography.

The Coupe‘s foreword paints a lovely picture of the nostalgia in the “coupé” glass. In addition to touching on drinks history. Written by Patrick Dunne, a respected culinary antiques dealer from New Orleans.

Beyond this particular piece of prose, there is little else aside from recipes. The photography feels a little homogenous with a clear formula: a coupé glass on a tray. Although the wonderful lighting and focus make for thoughtful images.

From a professional perspective, you can see some flaws. On camera, egg whites curdle and appear less than emulsified. Some drinks suffer with chunky fruit and cheese garnishes. Within the Tequila section, nearly half of the recipes call for mezcal. With the eyes of a professional bartender, these small mistakes would have avoided. Because of these issues, this book is not for me.

Here is a play on the Chicago Cocktail in my favorite “coupé du jour” —

Obama’s Chicago

• 1 oz Marquis De Villard Brandy
• 1 oz Alberta Darkhorse Whisky
• 1/4 oz Bittermens Amere Nouvelle
• 1/4 oz Pierre Ferrand Curaçao
• 1 barspoon sherry
• 1 barspoon lemongrass-infused simple syrup
• Meyer lemon rind

Stir and strain.

The Coupe; a home bartenders curated guide