The Vodka King

Born in a Russian village in 1831, Pyotr Smirnov relied on vodka to turn a life of scarcity and anonymity into one of immense wealth and international recognition. Starting from the back rooms and side streets of nineteeth-century Moscow, Smirnov exploited brilliant grassroots marketing strategies to popularize his products and ensconce his brand in the thirsts and imaginations of drinkers around the world. His vodka would be gulped in the taverns of Russia and Europe, be praised with accolades at world fairs, and become a staple on the tables of tsars. But his improbable ascent would be halted by the chaos of the Bolshevik Revolution, and only a bizarre set of coincidences—including an incredible prison escape by one of Smirnov’s sons in 1919—would prevent Smirnov’s legacy from fading into obscurity. Set against a backdrop of political and ideological currents that would determine the course of global events, The King of Vodka is much more than a biography of a humble serf who rose to create one of the most celebrated business empires the world has ever known. It is a work of sweeping narrative history on an epic scale.

This history of vodka scion Pyotr Smirnov and his family is the story of a humble serf who rose to create one of the most celebrated business empires the world has ever known. Pyotr Smirnov comes to life as a hero of wonderful complexity -- a man of intense ambition and uncanny business sense, a patriarch of a family that would help define Russian society, and a loyalist to a nation that would one day honor him as a treasure of the state. Set against a backdrop of political and ideological currents that would determine the course of global history -- from the fall of the tsars to the rise of communism -- this is much more than a biography of an extraordinary man. It is a story of triumph and tragedy and a work of narrative history on an epic scale. Photos.

It began as poisonous rotgut in Medieval Russia—Ivan the Terrible liked it, Peter the Great loved it—but this grain alcohol “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” has become our uncontested king of spirits. Over a th

"Royalty." A single word that invokes daydreams of champagne, lavish lifestyles, and extravagant parties. In How to Drink Like a Royal, Albert W. A. Schmid offers readers a taste of how the other half lives, with cocktail recipes inspired by some of the world's most famous dynasties. To ensure that you will delight even royal guests, Schmid also provides tips for proper etiquette, such as the requirement to stand if the Monarch is standing and to never, ever try to take a selfie. Discover cocktails like the Golden Doublet, created to celebrate the marriage of England's Princess Anne to Captain Mark Phillips, or the Savoy Royale created for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on her visit to the Savoy Hotel, London. Other recipes give ode to royal families from works of literature, like the Beowulf Cocktail honoring King Hrothgar of the Danes. Even the royalty of the United States is featured through the Hawaiian Martini, an homage to the Hawaiian royal family who reigned from their palaces until 1893. With easy-to-follow glossaries for both royal and cocktail-making terms alongside 180 reciepes for a wide array of drinks that will quench any sort of thirst, How to Drink Like a Royal is an informative and light-hearted manual to help you cultivate your inner prince or princess.

Written by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell—the founders of Kings County Distillery, New York City’s first distillery since Prohibition—this spirited illustrated book explores America’s age-old love affair with whiskey. A new generation of urban bootleggers is distilling whiskey at home, and cocktail enthusiasts have embraced the nuances of brown liquors. The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining presents whiskey’s history and culture from 1640 to today, when the DIY trend and the classic cocktail craze have conspired to make it the next big thing. For those thirsty for practical information, this book provides a detailed, easy-to-follow guide to safe home distilling, complete with a list of supplies, step-by-step instructions, and helpful pictures, anecdotes, and tips. The final section focuses on the contemporary whiskey scene, featuring a list of microdistillers, cocktail and food recipes from the country’s hottest mixologists and chefs, and an opinionated guide to building your own whiskey collection. “The moonshining world is notoriously full of orally-perpetuated misinformation and the legitimate whiskey industry is full of marketing lies and half-truths; Spoelman and Haskell have thankfully defied those traditions and released an educational book of honesty and transparency.” —Serious Eats

The biography of Paul Ricard—whose eponymous company Pernod Ricard produced and popularized pastis, an anise aperitif from his native Marseille—embodies a wonderfully rich business success story of the 20th century. Overcoming significant adversity amid the turmoil of the 1930s, Ricard built a renowned premium spirits brand, parlaying the beauty and mystique of Provence into a worldwide libation. A savvy marketer and maverick, Paul Ricard started a company in Marseille, France, to introduce pernod, the beloved local aperitif, to the world. With its striking, colorful branding that evoked sunny Provence, the company thrived until the arrival of World War II, when Ricard was forced to close down operations. Ever the entrepreneur, he pivoted to agriculture and built up a successful rice farm from scratch. After the war, Ricard rebuilt his brand anew and lay the groundwork for the global leader it is today. This is the story of Ricard’s extraordinary life, a timeless tale of adventure, business prowess, and endless adaptability. In addition to his successful spirits company, Ricard opened a popular racecar circuit; transformed Mediterranean islands into vacation destinations; and pursued his lifelong love of painting. With endless optimism, strategic acumen, and unwavering determination, Ricard navigated his way through turbulent political and economic times to create a successful business that has stood the test of time and now includes more than 35 international brands, from Absolut Vodka to Chival Regal.

Moonshine! A word that evokes images of America's outlaw heritage. Making moonshine has been such a huge part of our culture that many historians credit it as one of the cornerstones of our nations foundations. How to make moonshine? Is quite likely the very question that brought you here. A yearning to learn the traditions that are in danger of being forgotten in the modern, digital era. I wrote this book to pass along the knowledge that was taught to me in the hills of Kentucky over 30 years ago. Along the way though I developed my own style. I boiled down what I learned and created a simplified style that any beginner can follow. I've developed designs that can be used right in the comfort of you own kitchen or out back in the woods! The truth is that Moonshining, aka "Home Distilling" is a folk art that helped build this country. Together we can make it live again, and have a little fun in the process! And a quick thank you to all my readers who have helped make The Home Distiller the best selling book ever on the art and science of making moonshine. Shine On!

“Mr. King looks at all our upcoming problems, and imagines a local reaction to each one. The result is often funny, usually sardonic, and always imaginative, what with all the mole rats, flesh drones, dimeheads, and especially ‘The Grifter’s Guide to the Territories FKA USA,’ a notable addition to the line of imaginary authorities.” —The Wall Street Journal Indie Next Pick for July Best of June: io9, AV Club, Amazing Stories, The Verge Reed King’s amazingly audacious novel is something of a cross between L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, Douglas Adams’s A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, and Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One. In Reed King’s wildly imaginative and possibly prescient debut, the United States has dissolved in the wake of environmental disasters and the catastrophic policies of its final president. It is 2085, and Truckee Wallace, a factory worker in Crunchtown 407 (formerly Little Rock, Arkansas, before the secessions), has no grand ambitions besides maybe, possibly, losing his virginity someday. But when Truckee is thrust unexpectedly into the spotlight he is tapped by the President for a sensitive political mission: to deliver a talking goat across the continent. The fate of the world depends upon it. The problem is—Truckee’s not sure it’s worth it. Joined on the road by an android who wants to be human and a former convict lobotomized in Texas, Truckee will navigate an environmentally depleted and lawless continent with devastating—and hilarious—parallels to our own, dodging body pickers and Elvis-worshippers and logo girls, body subbers, and VR addicts. Elvis-willing, he may even lose his virginity. FKA USA is the epic novel we’ve all been waiting for about the American end of times, with its unavoidable sense of being on the wrong end of the roller coaster ride. It is a masterwork of ambition, humor, and satire with the power to make us cry, despair, and laugh out loud all at once. It is a tour de force unlike anything else you will read this year.

James Bond's favorite weapon of choice, vodka, is the soon-to-be crowned king of the alcohol market, following its premium gentrification. What once used to be the crude and rude Russian cousin of gin, is now the toast of upmarket towns and swanky city bars, arriving for the first time ever in all manner of flavors and celebrity sponsors. The Little Book of Vodka is a large swig and glug of stats, facts, quotes, notes, icons, origins of all things vodka-based, from its eastern European origins to its latest reincarnation as every taste-makers' go-to mixer and chaser. This tiny tome is a complete compendium, your ideal companion as you wait in line at the trendy new bar you've always wanted to go. Vodka is back, baby, and it's worth a shot! 'I no longer know If I wish to drown myself in love, vodka or the sea.' Franz Kafka 'There's no absolutes in life – only vodka.' Mick Jagger 'Vodka is kind of a hobby.' Betty White"