What are some great books to read to get into inventing my own cocktails?

Question

I want to start inventing my own cocktails but don't know where to start. There are tons of cocktail books out there but I don't know which are the best to read if I want to invent cocktails. I have been looking at The Bar Book and The Joy Of Mixology but don't know if they will give me the info necessary to invent cocktails. For flavor pairings I was looking at The Flavor Bible. 

Answer 1

You should understand the components of a cocktail and what each type of spirit or mixer does to the balance of the drink.  They just start.



If you have the money, consider signing up for Master Class and watch the class by Lynnette Marrero & Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr. Lyon).  These two are at the top of the bartending world in terms of skill and success.  The not only teach the basics but their own specific riffs on classic cocktails and how to branch out. 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcIT1c6pmJg

Answer 2

You could start with the Old Mr Boston De Luxe Official Bartender's Guide in one of the earlier editions, to learn the classics. You have chosen well for branching out beyond recipes. What will also help is understanding the lineage of cocktails, how they started and then modifications through time. Then it's a question of playing what if with the most recent drinks.

Answer 3

Presuming you have mastered basic technique, stop reading and start mixing.



There are no books that taught Shakespeare, Beethoven, Gates or Ramsey how to think of something new. 

Answer 4

Plato's "Republic".