Strong, Sweet and Bitter: Your Guide to All Things Cocktails, Bartending and Booze from Behind the Bar

Strong, Sweet and Bitter is the debut cocktail recipe book by hostess of popular YouTube series Behind the Bar, Cara Devine. Using the Flavor Triangle (strong, sweet and bitter or sour flavors) as the basis, this book shows you how to master the fundamentals of flavor and craft a drink from anything available on hand.

Drawing upon her expertise as cocktail bar Bomba’s manager, Devine explores the different ingredients and techniques required to craft anything from classic cocktails to their lesser-known but equally delicious counterparts. Anyone from those who haven’t ever made a cocktail before to the most experienced of bartenders can start off by learning to make a base from scratch (or finding out which to pick from the store), what equipment is required to make cocktails, which ingredients marry well together, the science behind cocktails and how certain cocktails came to be throughout history to craft the perfect drink. The book then splits into types of cocktails, rather than spirit, to match your mood and introduce you to drinks based on your preference.

Looking for something short and boozy? Or craving something citrus-y and fresh? You might just discover a cocktail you like using a spirit you never thought you’d enjoy all based on your mood or preference. The book also explores how to be a great host and contains breakout boxes filled with little facts and tidbits for hosts to share with their guests.

This is the ideal, most comprehensive foray into cocktail making for anyone looking to learn the ins and outs of being behind the bar.

Cara Devine is the manager at Bomba Rooftop and host of the hugely popular web series Behind the Bar. She began working in hospitality at the age of 16, but started taking it seriously while working as a hostess in a cocktail bar in Vancouver after graduating university. After a move back home to Scotland and a job in a five-star hotel bar, she moved to Melbourne and has been soaking up knowledge from the city’s hospitality scene ever since, as well as sharing some of her own. Behind the Bar, launched in 2019, shows professional bartenders, as well as viewers at home, how to make Penicillins, Daiquiris and more, with other episodes featuring product comparisons or deep-dives on topics like Japanese whisky, vermouth and bartending tools.