Think of it as the capsule closet for cocktails. Five bottles around which your inner bartender can emerge with skill, savvy and a little flare for the dramatic when it’s called for.

Playwright, columnist, and co-founder of Ampersand Distilling Company, Jessica Schacht knows we all contain multitudes and believes with a little curation and mastery of the basics, we can succeed at elevating the everyday and cultivating a good cocktail hour.

The bottles: gin, whiskey, sweet and dry vermouth, and Campari (plus bonus recipes for bubbly). The setting: living room, backyard, window seat, and the wild beyond. The mixologist? Oh, that’s you.

In this beautifully photographed collection, Jessica Schacht, co-founder of Ampersand Distilling Company, presents her take on classics (like the G & T, the Old Fashioned, the Martini, and the Negroni), collections (sours, punches, and such), and contemporaries (a few inventive new drinks to pique your creativity). There’s a chapter of zero-proofs in part inspired by the abundance of new alcohol-free spirits on the market now, and another dedicated to keeping your vacation drinks game classy, from the airplane to the B&B to the beach.

In addition to the recipes The Five-Bottle Bar supplies a solid foundation in bartending basics (tools, techniques, thoughts on glassware and garnishes), the condensed history of spirits, and tips for setting up your minimalist bar cart.

Details: 

• Hardcover
• Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches

Jessica Schacht is the cofounder of the multigenerational family-run Ampersand Distilling Company and author of the History Glass column in the Cowichan Valley Voice. When she’s not whipping up new recipes for the distillery, you can bet she’s tending to her garden or walking in the woods. She is grateful to live in the Cowichan Valley in the home she shares with her husband and sons.