Boozy Book Review: Imbibing for Introverts

Jeff Cioletti, author of The Drinkable Globe, has just released Imbibing for Introverts: A Guide to Social Drinking for the Anti-Social. It is exactly as it sounds, a book dedicated to helping introverts survive rare forays into public spaces where adult beverages are served.

Where to Drink

The book is broken into three sections: drinking alone, venturing out, and imbibing internationally. The first section proclaims, “I drink alone, but not in a self-destructive George Thorogood kind of way,” and instead breaks down the type of media and sub-genres that go with different drinks. The Sazerac cocktail obviously goes with Jazz and surf music goes with Tiki cocktails, according to Cioletti, but more surprising is that Bourbon goes with Industrial music. Cioletti also proclaims that country music probably goes with cheap beer or cheaper whiskey, but backpedals on that significantly in the interview below.

When watching television, Cioletti rightly points out that Lagavullin goes with Parks and Rec and drinking straight from the bottle of whatever is closest pairs perfectly with The Handmaid’s Tale.

In section two, Cioletti ventures out to bars across the United States, proclaiming at one point, “The world would be a happier place if every drink in every bar came with a side of olives and pickles.” Hard agree.

At times, Imbibing for Introverts reminded me of the reserved adventurousness of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential crossed with a nerdier and less self-destructive version of Hunter S. Thompson’s Rum Diary. The drinking is the whole point, except that that’s Cioletti’s job. It’s part instruction manual, part memoir, or as Cioletti himself put it, an instruction manual for himself.

There is a conversion chart in the back right before the index, which is really handy for anyone making drinks at home.  

Book Format  

My biggest gripe about this book is that the formatting is a little wonky and can cause confusion at times. There are usually a few pages of introduction followed by coordinating recipes, and instead of having a recipe on the left and a photo on the right and starting the next section on the next right page, it goes right into the next section, so that the new section is thrown right in after the previous section’s recipe on the same facing pages. There are very few large, high-quality photos associated with cocktails, bars, or distilleries, and many of the photos are extremely small and seem like an afterthought.

There are, however, 60 cocktail recipes throughout the book, giving readers plentiful options when looking for something new to try with their favorite television show, record, or mood. And it entices readers to check out a local watering hole wherever your travels may lead.

After finishing Imbibing for Introverts, I had some questions for Cioletti, starting with his lack of acknowledgement of Dolly Parton.

So you don't like country music, but what about Dolly Parton? What drink would you associate with Dolly?

This is the part I regret the most because I painted in very broad strokes with this genre and there are always exceptions. I really meant modern pop country and anything about a pickup truck. How can anyone not love Dolly? She's an icon. Since she's from Tennessee, I'm going to go with any good Tennessee whiskey, neat. And now that I'm going down this rabbit hole, let's talk about another icon: Willie. Since he's well-known for his *herbal* interests, I'm going to say any kind of herbal, earthy liqueur (the danker the better). I love Johnny Cash too, but out of respect for his history of substance abuse, I don't want to go there. (As I write this, I realize I love a lot more country than I thought). Patsy Cline: She was a Virginian (and her first name was Virginia), and the Commonwealth is rye whiskey country, so pour some Virginia-made rye. 

Why did you feel that introverts needed their own book on imbibing?

I feel like there's a lot of self-consciousness sometimes about going into a bar alone because of the social pressure society puts on us. I wanted my fellow introverts to know that they don't have to force themselves to get into party mode to go out and have a drink. Most of introverts' typical favorite solo pastimes—reading, puzzles, listening to music, watching movies and just generally "observing" one's surroundings—pair perfectly well with a drink. I've done a lot of solo traveling and discovered that sitting alone with a great drink in a great bar is one of the best ways to experience a place. 

How did you choose which cocktails to go with each genre/TV show/movie/etc.?

Some were tied to a place. For instance, a Jamaican rum Old Fashioned was an obvious match for Reggae. Awamori was an ideal choice for Cobra Kai because of the Okinawa connection. Chicago was an epicenter of American industrial music (Wax Trax! Records was based there) so I selected some Chicago-made spirits. (and I also needed to point out that one of the best industrial bands in history, Skinny Puppy, hailed from Vancouver—so I had to leave room for some Canadian whisky). Jazz has such a strong New Orleans connection, that an obvious pairing is a Big Easy-born cocktail. And sometimes the pairing is just about attitude. To me, nothing says punk rock like a no-nonsense, no-pretension Boilermaker. The first draft I turned in was about 13,000 words longer than I was contracted for and I had to cut most of those words out and this section, sadly, was one of the biggest casualties. There were so many more shows and music genres that I had originally gone into.

What's the best bar atmosphere you found during your research?

It really depends on the time of day and my mood at the time. There's nothing like a dive bar in L.A. before 10 a.m. It's great for just observing. When I'm feeling contemplative, a place like Brandy Library in NY at around 5:30pm—it's not the typical happy hour crowd, so it doesn't get noisy—is best with that, paired with a nice pour of Calvados. Late nights, there's nothing like a sake bar. Bonus if there's karaoke. And, regardless of time of day, there is never going to be a substitute for a traditional English pub (a real one, not an American replica). 

What's the worst bar atmosphere you found during your research?

This was another victim of my "kill-your-darlings" paring down of 13,000 words. I had an entire chapter on sports bars from the perspective of someone who is not into sports (me) that I made the very difficult decision to cut. I certainly made the most of my time there (for research purposes), but sports bars, in my take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt opinion, are the worst atmospheres for drinking of any kind. 

What advice do you have for bar owners to lure introverts to their bars?

Offer some cozy corners that would be good for solos (or pairs who don't want to be bothered by the crows) to sit. I used the term "fuck-off seats" in the book to describe tiny little nooks that are set apart from the common areas that are perfect for the introverted. I'd also suggest that the managers or bartenders shouldn't feel they need to give introverts, especially solo ones, any special attention. It's very likely they're there alone by choice and they're happy with that choice. They're not to be pitied! 

Also, if possible, have a bookshelf, maybe some games that can be played alone. Small puzzles are always good. But it's not even really necessary to have all of those things, just be a welcoming enough environment for those sorts of activities, because it's likely your introverted guests will be bringing their own. 

Is there a cocktail recipe from the book you would like to highlight?

The cocktail I want to highlight was created by Tess Posthumus, owner of 2 bars, Flying Dutchmen Cocktails and Dutch Courage, in Amsterdam. I'm a sucker for anything with jenever. It's called Zilt.

Zilt  

Created by Tess Posthumus, Flying Dutchmen Cocktails and Dutch Courage, Amsterdam 

Zilt at Dutch Courage photo by Ming Chao

2 ounces jenever (preferably old-style)

1 teaspoon Px sherry

1⁄2 teaspoon salted muscovado syrup (2 parts muscovado to 1 part water with a pinch of salt)

1 dash Fee Brothers Black Walnut bitters

Cubed ice (to fill the glass)

Orange twist and salted and caramelized walnut (for garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir and strain into a rocks glass over cubed ice. Garnish with an orange twist and a salted and caramelized walnut.