📰 The Wolfsden Dispatch- Issue #3

📚🍹7 Bartending Books We Reference Often at The Wolfsden

Author

Treewolf West
July 01, 2025

July 1, 2025

🐺 Welcome back to The Wolfsden Dispatch, where cocktails meet cameras — and where we believe every home bar deserves the same respect as any proper shop.

This week, we’re putting down the tools for a moment and picking up the books. These are seven titles we reach for often at The Wolfsden — the ones we’re featuring right now because they back our specs, teach us history, and refine our techniques. We’ve also included links for each in case you want to add them to your own home library, which we highly recommend.

📚 The Wolfsden Home Bar Library – 7 Essentials

• Imbibe! by David Wondrich
Widely regarded as the leading cocktail historian working today. We use this book for cocktail history, original recipes, and context on classics.
 https://amzn.to/3TPqKVf

• The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff
Often called “King Cocktail,” he helped revive craft cocktails in America. We pull this book off the shelf for classic specs and balanced builds.
 https://amzn.to/4lSGSBB

• Death & Co. by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald & Alex Day
Founders of the influential Death & Co. bars, credited with modernizing cocktail balance and menu design. We lean on this book for advanced flavor strategy and ratio work, especially when developing riffs.
 https://amzn.to/44zZE9Q

• Smuggler’s Cove by Martin & Rebecca Cate
The team behind one of the world’s most awarded tiki bars. We reach for this book when building rum cocktails, studying tiki structure, and refining garnish work.
 https://amzn.to/3I6dglm

• Steve the Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steven Roennfeldt
Known for clear, no-nonsense cocktail videos that reach millions. We keep this book handy to quickly cross-check specs and builds. Plus, having had the pleasure of interacting with this cocktail rockstar, I can say Steve is a genuinely great guy in the industry!
 https://amzn.to/45Uq0FP

• The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler
A respected voice on modern bartending technique and prep. We open this book for syrup ratios, shaking vs stirring methods, and the “why” behind it all.
 https://amzn.to/4lqy8lC

• The Ultimate Bar Book by Mittie Hellmich
A go-to for quick specs, glassware guidelines, and even a few bar snacks. We use this book to dial in standards when building from scratch or confirming ratios on the fly.
 https://amzn.to/40zNXyr

Some of these links are affiliate links. If you pick up a book through these links, it helps support The Wolfsden at no extra cost to you.

🐺 What do you want to see next at The Wolfsden?

If there’s a cocktail build you’d like us to feature, a technique you’re curious about, or even a photography breakdown you want us to tackle, just hit reply and tell us. You can also drop a comment on the latest video or send us snail mail— it helps us know exactly what matters to you and gives us more ideas to pour into The Wolfsden.

 🐺 This Week’s Shoutout: The Early Subscribers 

This shoutout is for every early subscriber who has backed The Wolfsden from the start.

To those who’ve subscribed to the YouTube channel, sent thoughtful emails here at the Den, commented on posts and videos, or even mailed gifts that help keep this bar stocked and the cameras rolling — I see you, I hear you, and I’m grateful!

You’re the ones growing this Pack into something that truly matters, and for that reason, this week’s shout-out goes out to you!

#WolfsdenWeeklyShoutout 🍸 📷 💛 🐺

📍 Connect with The Wolfsden:

📸 🍸 🐺💛 Support the Den

If you enjoyed this issue, please share it with a friend.

If you believe in what we’re building—clear methods, beautiful cocktails, and a creative space for real people—you can help keep the bar stocked and the cameras rolling.

Support gifts of any kind are appreciated:

🍸 A bar tool or memento
📬 A personal note
 💵 A contribution toward gear, ingredients, or editing time

Every bit helps us pour into this craft and share it with the world.

📫 Mail something to:
The Wolfsden Home Bar
PO Box 101
Eastport, NY 11941

📲 Prefer to support digitally?

Scan the QR code below, or support the Pack!

or you can choose to help keep the cocktails flowing with our custom checkout!

Cheers for backing the Pack and keeping the cameras rolling!

🍹Cocktails. 📷 Cameras. 💛 Community.

Some of the links in this Dispatch are affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Wolfsden! 🐺

Thanks for stepping into the craft. —Treewolf West

Please enjoy… and if you drink, drink responsibly.