Author Talk: Brett Adams and Jacob Grier, The Bartender's Library

We are thrilled to welcome Portland’s Multnomah Whiskey Library spirits educators and co-authors Brett Adams and Jacob Grier to the shop on Wednesday, October 21st, for an author talk to celebrate their latest book The Bartender's Library! This comprehensive handbook is the ultimate guide to curating your spirits - everything from whisky, brandy, rum, agave spirits, gin, vodka, and more - and building your home bar. Join us for an engaging conversation with Brett and Jacob, followed by audience Q&A and book signing/personalizing! Moderator to be announced.

Reservations are non-refundable and can include a signed copy of the $29.95 book. Applicable sales tax and a $2.50 transaction fee are also included. Can't attend but still want a signed book? Order here for shipping or in-store pickup.

About the book:

Here is the ultimate guide to curating your spirits and building your home bar. Knowing the process of making spirits, from fermentation to distillation and manipulation, is key to understanding what goes into the bottle, how to select them, and what you’re tasting. Seasoned bar professionals Brett Adams and Jacob Grier walk you through the fundamentals of spirits—from fermentation and distillation to cask aging—so you can pick bottles confidently and curate your collection.

The Bartender’s Library is a comprehensive handbook and a tool for discovering what you like and how best to drink it, whether as a pour, a flight, or a cocktail. Included are:

• Guides to curating and collecting individual spirits
• Specific flights to help you explore categories and develop your palate
• Recipes for cocktails, including the Whiskey Library’s signature old fashioned
• And much more.

Whether it’s demystifying myths (older does not necessarily equal better) or helping you decipher industry lingo, Adams and Grier equip you to purchase with precision. With encyclopedic knowledge and surprising curatorial insights, this book is a chat with your favorite bartender, best enjoyed with a glass in hand.

About the authors:

Brett Adams has over two decades of experience working in restaurants and bars and is the spirits curator and education manager at the Multnomah Whiskey Library. He is the coauthor of Raising the Bar. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and cats, where he spends his time skiing, cycling, and trying to persuade people to put more vermouth in their martinis. 

Jacob Grier is a writer, bartender, and close-up magician. His previous books include Cocktails on Tap, The Rediscovery of Tobacco, The New Prohibition, and (with Brett Adams) Raising the Bar. His writing has appeared in Slate, The Atlantic, Reason, Inside Hook, Imbibe, and many other publications. He is also the founder of the international Aquavit Week and the link-sharing platform Seabird. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he can be found riding his bike to coffee shops, playing soccer, and performing card tricks on street corners