If you want to become a bartender, you’re going to need to learn a lot. And we mean a lot.

The best way for you to begin to learn how to become a bartender is through reading. These are some of the best books that you should start with–

The Drunken Botanist


The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart is a must-read book for those of you wanting to learn more about the literal process of creating your favorite liquors- plus this knowledge makes for a great conversation starter.

This is not just a book about how liquor is made though. You’ll learn more than fifty recipes for some of the best cocktails in the world, which should be more than enough to get you started in the bartending world!

The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails


The Ultimate Bar Book is a great read for those of you looking to learn how to create more cocktail drinks to serve. Of course every bartender should know how to make a classic Moscow Mule, but they should also have a few rare, random cocktail recipes up their sleeve as well. This book has more than enough recipes for you to learn a new one every day for three years!

Not only does this book give you over 1,000 cocktail recipes to learn, but you’re also able to learn more about bartending, such as mixing tips and what tools you’ll need. Overall, this is one of the best books you can get regarding bartending!

The Art of Mixology


The Art of Mixology is a great book for those of you that want to learn how master the art of mixing cocktails. You’re not going learn just how to make drinks in this book though- you’re going to learn how to make each and every drink a magical experience! This will really hone your skills.

The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique


The Bar Book is a great guide for those of you interested in picking up your cocktail making game. Although a lot of other books on this list have more recipes, this is still a must read because you’ll be learning from one of the best bartenders around – Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

Jeffrey goes in-depth about the fine details that make a bartender great. Mastering these techniques will make you into a bartending legend.

Bartending Basics: A Complete Beginner’s Guide


Bartending Basics is a great book for those of you who have very little experience in the bartending realm. With a book like this, you’re not going to get the fine techniques down, but you will learn all the high-level basics that will put you on strong foundation to grow as a bartender in the future.

Conclusion

You should read these books and practice the techniques taught as often as possible. This will help put beginner bartenders on solid footing, and help advanced bartenders hone their craft even further.

Overall, every single one of these books is very helpful, and it’s up to you to decide which ones you should focus the most on. Now read up and prosper!