Classic Vintage Books on Bartending and Mixology

1827 - Oxford Night Caps [online] by Richard Cook (Oxford, England)
The first known book on mixed drinks written in English, as the name suggests this was written by Richard cook, a resident at Oxford University, for students. A collection of drinks enjoyed at the university halls and residences in the early 1800s, it was originally published in 1827 as a pamphlet but grew into a book over three subsequent editions: 1835, 1847, 1871, 1931

1862 - The Bar-Tender's Guide A Complete Cyclopedia of Plain And Fancy Drinks[online] by Jerry Thomas
The first known book specifically aimed at bartenders.
Flipping through the first known cocktail book printed before Prohibition is like stepping back in time, and it's remarkable just how serious and impressive America's cocktail options were during the golden age. Inside its pages, author and America's first 'celebrity bartender' Jerry Thomas compiles a wide swath of slings, cobblers, juleps, bitters, and shrubs, including drinks that are still around today like the Mint Julep, Philadelphia Fish House Punch, and Tom and Jerry.
1876 - The Bar-tenders Guide or How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks[online] by Jerry Thomas (New York, USA).
1885 - The Bar-tenders Guide or How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks (3rd edition)[online] by Jerry Thomas (New York, USA).
1928 - The Bon Vivants Companion or How To Mix Drinks[online] by Professor Jerry Thomas (who died in 1885) edited with an introduction by Herbert Asbury.

1863 - Cups and Their Customs[online] by G. E. Roberts

1869 - Steward and Barkeepers Manual[online][repro editions] by J. Haney

1869 - Cooling Cups and Danty Drinks (1st edition)[online] by William Terrington (London, England).
1872 - Cooling Cups and Danty Drinks (2nd edition)[online] by William Terrington (London, England).

1871 - Gentleman's Table Guide[online] by E. Ricket and C. Thomas (London, England).

1874 - American Bar-Tender or the Art and Mystery of Making Drinks[online] by E. A. Simmons (New York, USA)

1878 - American and Other Drinks by Leo Engel (England)

1879 - Intoxicating Drinks, Their History and Mystery[online] by J. Kirtion

1879 - The Modern Bartender's Guide by O.H. Byron
1884 - The Modern Bartender's Guide[online] by O.H. Byron (New York, USA).

1882 - Harry Johnson's Bartender's Manual or How To Mix Drinks of the Present Style ("New & Improved")[online] [repro editions] by Harry Johnson (New York, USA)
1887 - Harry Johnson's Bartender's Manual or How To Mix Drinks of the Present Style ("New & Improved")[online] by Harry Johnson (New York, USA)
1900 - Harry Johnson's Bartenders' Manual or How To Mix Drinks or the Present Style (The New and Improved Illustrated" edition)[online][repro edition] by Harry Johnson (New York, USA)
1934 - Harry Johnson's New and Improved Bartender's Manual and a Guide for Hotels and Restaurants (revised edition)[online] by Harry Johnson (New Jersey, USA)

1884 - Scientific Bar-Keeping[online]

1884 - Behind The Bar - The Complete Bartender Art of Mixing Plain and Fancy Drinks[online] (Royal Publishing Co., Philadelphia, USA)

1884 - How To Mix Drinks-Bar-Keeper's Handbook[online] by George Winter

1887 - Dishes and Drinks by "an old Bohemian"

1891 - Cocktail Boothby's American Bartender (first edition) [online]by William T. Boothby (San Francisco, USA)
1900 - Cocktail Boothby's American Bartender (second edition)[online] by by William T. Boothby (San Francisco, USA)
1908 - The World's Drinks and How To Mix Them Standard Authority ("latest edition")[online][repro edition] by Hon. Wm. "Cocktail" Boothby (San Francisco, USA)
1914 - The World's Drinks and How To Mix Them Standard Authority (second edition) by Hon. Wm. (Cocktail) Boothby (San Francisco, USA)
1934 - The World's Drinks And How To Mix Them[online][repro edition] by William Boothby

1891 - The Flowing Bowl - What And When To Drink[online][repro edition] by 'The Only William' Schmidt (New York, USA)
1896 - Fancy Drinks and Popular Beverages[online] by 'The Only William' Schmidt (New York, USA)

1895 - The Mixicologist or How To Mix All Kinds Of Fancy Drinks ("revised edition")[online]by C. F. Lawlor (Cincinnati)

1895 - Modern American Drinks - How to Mix and Serve All Kinds of Cups and Drinks[online][repro edition] by George J. Kappeler

1895 - American Bar Tender[online] by R. C. Miller (Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA)

1896 - Bariana: Recueil de toutes boissons americains et anglaises [repro edition] by Louis Fouquet (Paris, France). This is the second known French cocktail book.

1900 - Modern American Drinks[online][repro edition] by George J Kappeler (New York, USA)
1906 - Modern American Drinks - How to Mix and Serve All Kinds of Cups and Drinks[online] by George J Kappeler (New York, USA)

1902 - Fancy Drinks[online] by Frederic Lawrence Knowles.

1902 - The Cocktail Book: A Sideboard Manual For Gentlemen[online] [repro edition] by Bishop & Babcock Company.
1929 - Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen

1903 - The Flowing Bowl[online] by Edward Spencer, London, England

1903 - Daly's Bartenders Encyclopedia[online] by Tim Daly, USA
Noted for Daly's reference to Martinis served frappe, the second known Marguerite Cocktail recipe, and his "Bottle of Martini Cocktail" recipe stating that "this is supposed to be a very dry cocktail" so the first suggestion of a "Dry Martini".

1904 - Drinks As They Are Mixed[online] "by leading bartenders" edited by Paul E Lowe (Chicago, USA)

Nov 1904 - Stuart's Fancy Drinks And How To Mix Them[online][repro edition] by Thos. Stuart (New York, USA)

1904 - American-Bar Recettes des Boissons Anglaises et Américaine[online] (American Bar Drinks and Recipes of the English American) by Frank P Newman (Paris, France)
Written by a bartender at the Ritz, this 1904 edition of a book, originally printed in 1900, is notable for its inclusion of the first-known recipe for a "Dry Martini Cocktail".

1904 - Applegreen's Bar Book[online] by John Applegreen (Chicago, USA)
Contains a recipe for both a "Martini Cocktail" and a ""Martini Cocktail, Dry" as well as a "Crisp Cocktail" that is basically an equal parts Dry Martini with a twist.

1905 - Consolidated Library of Modern Cooking and Household Recipes, volume 5[online] by Christine Terhune Herrick and M. Harland

1905 - The Hoffman House Bartender's Guide - How to Open a Saloon and Make It Pay[online] by Charles S. Mahoney (New York, USA)
1908 - The Hoffman House Bartender's Guide[online] by Charles S. Mahoney (New York, USA)
1910 - The Hoffman House Bartender's Guide - How to Open a Saloon and Make It Pay[online] by Charles S. Mahoney (New York, USA)
1912 - The Hoffman House Bartender's Guide[online][repro edition] by Charles S. Mahoney (New York, USA)

1906 - Louis' Mixed Drinks[online] By Louis Muckensturm (Boston, USA)
Noted for being the first book in the English language to use the name "Dry Martini" for a recipe combining gin and dry vermouth. The first known mention was in French - see 1904.

1908 - Jack's Bar Manual 1st Edition[online] by Jacob Abraham Grohusko (New York, USA)
1910 - Jack's Bar Manual 2nd Edition[online] by Jacob Abraham Grohusko (New York, USA)
1933 - Jack's Bar Manual 5th Edition[online] by Jacob Abraham Grohusko (New York, USA)
1916 - Jack's Bar Manual 4th Edition[online] by Jacob Abraham Grohusko (New York, USA)

1909 - Recipes of American and Other Iced Drinks[online] mainly by Charlie Paul (London, England)

1913 - Bartender's Manual[online] by the Bartender's Association of America

1913 - Straub's Manual of Mixed Drinks[online] by Jacques Straub (Chicago, USA).
1914 - Drinks[online][repro edition] by Jacques Straub (Chicago, USA).
1920 - Drinks[online][repro edition] by Jacques Straub (Chicago).

1916 - Recipes for Mixed Drinks (1st Edition)[online] Hugo R. Ensslin (New York, USA)
Noted for: first Aviation recipe and first equal parts Alexander recipe
1917 - Recipes for Mixed Drinks (2nd Edition)[online][repro edition] by Hugo R. Ensslin (New York, USA)
Noted for: The last major pre-Prohibition cocktail book.

1917 - The Ideal Bartender[online][repro edition] by Tom Bullock (St. Louis, Missouri, USA)

1920 - What to Drink[online] by Bertha E. L. Stockbridge (New York)

16th January 1920 - U.S. Prohibition starts
America was the main driver in the evolution of cocktail so Prohibition (following the 18th Amendment 16th January 1919) obviously had a dramatic effect on bartending and the cocktail books published during the period.

1922 - Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails[repro edition]
1923 - "Harry" of Ciro's ABC of Mixing Cocktails[online] by Christopher & Co. (London, England)
1926 - Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails (4th Edition) by Harry MacElhone.
1930 - "Harry" of Ciro's ABC of Mixing Cocktails (9th Impression) [online] by Dean & Son (London, England)

1922 - Cocktails: How to Mix Them[online][vintage edition] by Robert Vermeire

1924 - Manual del Caninero

1925 - About Town Cocktail Book[online] (Vancouver, Canada)

1925 - Drinks-Long and Short by Nina Toye, Arthur H. Adair (W. Heinemann, London). Notes for the first appearance of the Champs-Élysées cocktail.

1927 - Here's How! by Judge Jr.
1927 - Here's How! Revised Edition[online] (content almost entirely different to above) by Judge Jr.
1928 - Here's How Again! by Judge Jr.
1930 - Noble Experiments[online] by Judge Jr.

1927 - Barflies and Cocktails[online] by Harry McElhone (Paris, France)

1928 - Giggle Water - How to make home-made mixed drinks, cordials, wines, etc.[online] by Charles S Warnock.

1929 - Cocktails de Paris Presentes Par RIP[online]

1929 - Libro de Cocktail

1930 - Cocktails by Jimmy Late Of Ciro's London[online] (published by David McKay Company Inc. New York)
1932 - The Green Cocktail Book[online] By "Jimmy" late of Ciro's London (published by T. Warner Aaurie Ltd, London)

1930 - The Savoy Cocktail Book (1st Edition)[online][repro edition] [vintage edition] by Harry Craddock (London, England)
This homage to cocktails of the 1920's and '30s was written by Harry Craddock, an Englishman who learned the art of mixing in the States before moving back to London during Prohibition to be the head bartender at one of the most influential cocktail bars of all time—The Savoy Hotel. When the text was rediscovered, it quickly turned into a guide for modern bartenders, many of whom ended up hosting Savoy Cocktail Book nights, where they'd make drinks like the White Lady and Corpse Reviver #2 (or perhaps more obscure ones) from the 750 recipe-strong oeuvre for history buffs. It's a great book to that shows the way people used to drink, and how those flavors and cocktail recipes developed overseas during Prohibition.

1930 - The Home Bartender's Guide and Song Book[online] by Charlie Roe and Jim Schwenck (Experimenter Publications Inc., New York City, USA)

1931 - Old Waldorf Bar Days[online][repro edition] by Albert Stevens Crockett (New York, USA)
1934 - The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book (2nd edition) by A. S. Crockett
1935 - Old Waldorf Bar Days (3rd edition "with amendments due to repeal of the 18th")[online][repro edition] by Albert Stevens Crockett (New York, USA)

1932 - Sloppy Joe's Bar Season 1931-1932[online] (Havana, Cuba)

1933 - Bar La Florida Cocktails (1st edition)[repro edition]

1933 - What'll You Have? By Julien J. Proskauer[repro edition]

1933 - Hollywood Cocktails[online] (Buzza-Cardozo, Hollywood, California, USA). Published in November 1933, just prior to the end of U.S. Prohibition, page 1 has the telling phraise "Whenever it Becomes Legal to Serve"
1933 - Hollywood Cocktails[online] (Buzza-Cardozo, Hollywood, USA)

1933 - Odell's Book of Cocktails and Fancy Drinks (Fourth Edition[online]

5th December 1933 - U.S. Prohibition ends
On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified, repealing the 21st Amendment and ending Prohibition. Bartenders and publishers were quick to supply a thirsty nation, leading to a profusion of new cocktail books.

1934 - Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars[repro edition] by Charles C Mueller (New York, USA).

1934 - What Shall We Drink[online] by Magnus Bredenbek
This has chapters on how to mix cocktails and the serving of red and white wine.

August 1934 - My New Cocktail Book (2nd Edition)[online] by G. F. Steele (New York, USA)

1934 - Official Mixer's Manual (1st edition)[online][repro edition] [vintage edition] by Patrick Gavin Duffy (New York, USA)
Jun 1940 - The Official Mixer's Manual (1st edition)[online] by Patrick Gavin Duffy (New York, USA)[repro edition] [vintage edition]

1934 - Bottoms Up[online] by Jean Robert Meyer (New York, USA)

1934 - Here's How to be Healthy[online] by Bengamin Gayelord Hauser (Tempo Books Inc., New York City, USA)

1934 - 1700 Cocktails for the Man Behind the Bar by R. de Fleury

Oct 1934 - Here Is Something That Will Interest You (1st edition) [online] by The Victoria Wine Co., London.
Nov 1935 - Here Is Something That Will Interest You (reprint)[online] by The Victoria Wine Co., London.
Dec 1937 - Here Is Something That Will Interest You (3rd edition) [online] by The Victoria Wine Co., London.

Dec 1935 - So Red The Nose or Breath in the Afternoon[online] by Sterling North and Carl Kroch, USA

1936 - The Artistry of Mixing Drinks (1st edition)[online] by Frank Meier (Paris)

1936 - Mille Misture[online] by Elveio Grassi (Italy)

1936 - Burke's Complete Cocktail and Tastybite Recipe)[online]by Harman Burney Burke (USA)

1937 - The UKBG's Approved Cocktails[online]

1937 - Café Royal Cocktail Book - Coronation Edition[online][repro edition] by W. J. Tarling

1937 - The How and When (1st Edition) by Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco
1940 - The How and When (2nd Edition) by Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco.[vintage edition] This book is important due to the "Tropical Specialties" section introduced in this edition.
1945 - The How and When (3rd Edition) by Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco
1949 - The How and When (4th Edition) by Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco

Nov 1937 - Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'em (1st printing) [repro edition] [vintage edition] by Stanley Clisby Arthur (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA).
Dec 1937 - Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'em (2nd printing) [repro edition] by Stanley Clisby Arthur (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA).
Aug 1938 - Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'em (3rd printing)[online][repro edition] by Stanley Clisby Arthur (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA).

1939 - The Gentleman's Companion (Volume II) An Exotic Drinking Book or Around The World With Jigger, Beaker And Flask[online] by Charles H. Baker Jr. (New York, USA)
Published initially in two volumes. The first edition is relatively easy to find, but expensive. Volume I pertains to food. Volume II pertains to cocktails.
Baker was a writer for Esquire and Gourmet who traveled the world in the 1930s, “writing down recipes on cocktail napkins as he encountered them

1941 - Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies Companion by Crosby Gaige (New York, USA)

1941 - Here's How by W.C. Whitfield[vintage edition]

1941 - Toasts Around the World Cocktail Book by Hiram Walker and Sons

1946 - The Rowing Bartender Two Hemisphere Drinks For Home and Bar[online] by Bill Kelly (California, USA)

1946 - The Stork Club Bar Book[online][vintage edition] by Lucius Beebe (New York, USA)

1946 - Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink[vintage edition] by Victor Bergeron
Regarded as being the first Tiki book.

1948 - The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1st edition)[repro edition] [vintage edition] by David Embury

1948 - Shaking with Eddie by Eddie Clarke (London, England)
1954 - King Cocktail - Shake Again with Eddie[online] by Eddie Clarke (London, England).

1948 - El Arte del Cantinero Los Vinos Y Los Licores[online] by Hilario Alonso Sanchez (Cuba)

1949 - Esquire's Handbook for Hosts[vintage edition]

1950 - The Cocktail Bar[online][vintage edition] by Charles (Published by W. Foulsham and Co London)

1951 - Bottom's Up[repro edition] by Ted Saucier

June 1953 - The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks (first edition)[online] by The United Kingdom Bartenders' Guide (London, England)
1954 - The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks (second edition)[online] by The United Kingdom Bartenders' Guide (London, England)