“Shake It Up: Cocktails Inspired by 
the Music of Taylor Swift” is a delightful little cocktail book filled with delicious cocktails, tips and tricks for making them, and of course, Taylor Swift music puns. This book provides you with a cute little introduction all about the pop princess herself as well as “The Basics”, which includes recommended bar equipment, glassware, spirits every good bar should have, the best way to set up your bar, proper alcohol storage, and the techniques you’ll be using to make your cocktails. Do you know how to muddle your mint? Layer your shots? Do you know the difference between shaken or stirred? Well, this book covers it all and more for you.
You’ll be making bar quality cocktails to impress your Swiftie besties in no time! There are SIXTY FIVE Taylor Inspired cocktail recipes waiting for you to try. If you’re in your Gin Era, try out the “Dear John Collins” or the “Shake of Grace”. Maybe you love a wine based cocktail, so give the “Mr. Perfectly Wine” or “August Wine Spritz” a go. (No really, try the “August Wine Spritz”, my friends and I made it and it’s a solid 10 out of 10).
Now, no good review is complete without testing a few of the recipes, so I got together with two of my favorite Swifties and we tried out the “August Wine Spritz”, the “All You Had to do was Shake”, and the “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Gins”. Each was a totally different cocktail experience that made it even more fun. There is truly something for everyone in this book. The wine spritz was light and sweet which was perfect for a summer night drink. Nice Gins was complex and layered in its flavors, which left your tastebuds guessing as to what was coming next. And All You Had to do Was Shake was so fresh and fruity, you could easily get yourself in to trouble with how good it was. So put on your favorite Taylor Album, stock your bar, and enjoy a great cocktail with “Shake it Up”!
Shake It Up:Cocktails Inspired by the Music of Taylor Swift is published by Welbeck Publishing with illustrations by Lauréne Boglio. The book is set to be released on September 17th. Pick it up from your favorite bookseller.
Thanks to Welback Publishing for sending this along.
-Jacob Rausch
