Robert Simonsonis the author of six previous books about cocktails and cocktail history, including The Old-Fashioned (2014), which kicked off an ongoing cottage industry of single-drink cocktail books; A Proper Drink (2016), the first-and so far only-history of the current cocktail renaissance; 3-Ingredient Cocktails (2017); The Martini Cocktail (2019); Mezcal & Tequila Cocktails (2021); and Modern Classic Cocktails (2022). Both 3-Ingredient Cocktails and The Martini Cocktail were nominated for James Beard Awards; Mezcal & Tequila Cocktails won a 2022 IACP Award; and The Martini Cocktail won a 2020 Spirited Award. Simonson is also the recipient of a 2019 Spirited Award for best cocktail and spirits writer and a 2021 IACP award for narrative beverage writing. He writes about cocktails, food, and travel for the New York Times, where he has been a contributor since 2000. He is a primary contributor to The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails. Simonson is the co-author, with Martin Doudoroff, of two apps, ""Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance"" and ""The Martini Cocktail."" He is also the author of the prominent Substack newsletter ""The Mix with Robert Simonson."" He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Mary Kate, and their children, Asher and Richard.
“There is no greater authority on the culture and history of all things cocktail related than Robert Simonson! This book is a deep and factual dive into cocktails, spirits, bartenders, bars, and the modern history of the cocktail revival told in Robert’s signature witty style. An informative and entertaining read for cocktail enthusiasts and professional bartenders alike.”—Julie Reiner, co-owner of Clover Club, Leyenda, and Milady’s, co-founder of Flatiron Lounge and Pegu Club, cohost of Drink Masters “The Encyclopedia of Cocktails delivers the goods, in hugely entertaining fashion. Robert Simonson, one of America’s most stylish and knowledgeable writers on drink, conducts a brilliant, panoramic tour of his subject, traveling on and off the beaten path. It’s all here: the cocktails past and present (and the stories behind them); the bars and the bartenders; the trends and the tastemakers. It makes for a heady concoction, equal parts erudition and panache. Can an encyclopedia qualify as bedside reading? In rare cases, yes. This is one of them.”—William Grimes, author of Straight Up or On the Rocks and former New York Times reporter and restaurant critic “The Simonson Encyclopedia is akin to a perfect bar, chock full of traditional wisdom along with intriguing new information. Simonson offers us a dram of his Algonquin wit with each turned page. This book is a go-to when conducting research, seeking inspiration, and attempting to quench one’s thirst for knowledge.”—Toby Maloney, founder of The Violet Hour and author of The Bartender’s Manifesto “Robert Simonson’s take on essential cocktail history is told with that great combo of wry wit and intellectual edge. From the bars and barkeeps to finely-tuned recipes, his well-observed entries made me an instant expert in all things booze.”—Alice Feiring, author of To Fall in Love, Drink This and Natural Wine for the People “The Encyclopedia of Cocktails is a crucial addition to any drink aficionado’s library. From Adonis to Zombie, every page of Robert Simonson’s opus is filled with insightful, amusing histories of the cocktails, bars, and people who transformed drinking culture. I loved it.”—Kevin Alexander, James Beard award-winning author of Burn the Ice: America’s Culinary Revolution and Its End, and bestselling co-author of California Soul and The Lemon