Hello friends,

I am the Bartender and Author behind the book; South Beach Cocktails Bartending from the Bottom Up.

If you are looking for the best and easiest way to learn “how to” become a bartender or entertain at home like a “pro,” you have come to the right place.

The Recipes:
Learn “How to” mix and see cocktail recipes in the eyes of a professional. In addition to the Classic cocktails and IBA-approved drinks which all bartenders should have as a part of their repertoire, I have selected the recipes from the criteria that they must have stayed in high demand for an extended time to prove themselves as “best sellers.” Additionally, I added some of the most notable South Beach (Miami) specials and a few goodies from my secret stash. Altogether, selecting and compiling a list of more than 400 of the most influential and essential drink recipes a professional bartender should know how to make.

The Stories:
My book has been years in the making; it includes my extensive research into the cocktail history and myths, which has surrounded such famous drinks as the Martini, the Gimlet, and the Tom Collins, amongst several other fun anecdotes, from Hemmingway to JFK.

The Photos:
Aside from the featured cocktail pictures, I set out to include South Beach’s famous “Art Deco District” to give my readers a taste of the Miami scene that made it all possible, and yes as a personal touch, I did actually take all the pictures myself.

My credentials:
I’m one of the select mixologists known today as ”the old school bartenders” of Miami Beach.

Working “the point” at the world-renown Clevelander hotel on Ocean Drive, I was working the trenches during the ’90s when the South Beach revival was booming.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! The party was on, cocktails and limes were flying over the bar at a staggering speed, and the tidal wave of customers never seemed to slow down. Before I blinked twice, more than a decade went by, creating cocktails for the glitterati and celebrity clientele of Miami’s infamous South Beach.

One of my responsibilities at the hotel was to train the new bartenders. During that time, I quickly realized that the A-Z standard of learning ”how too” was just not practical to quickly get a new employee ready to step behind a very busy bar. I needed a system that would illustrate the similarities between recipes, and show how I managed to memorize hundreds of recipes FAST! As such, this book was born as a recipe list for my Cocktail Servers. By the time I got to Rum, it was clear that I was on to something that – not only – could help new Bartenders and Servers get promoted, but also anyone else looking for a fast, easy way to learn.

This book is a result of my effort to pass on the “torch” to the next generation, and Barfly’s who like to entertain at home, presented in the perfect coffee-table-style gift to bring back from South Beach.

Enjoy – Nete Nentvig!