Cocktail Boothby's
American Bartender

Foreward by Fritz Maytag & David Burkhart

Born in San Francisco in 1862, William T. “Cocktail” Boothby was the city by the bay’s premier pre-Prohibition mixologist. His
bartending artistry was on display at the Palace Hotel, where his
repertoire ranged from historic gold-rush libations to his signature drink, the Boothby Cocktail. In 1891, Cocktail Bill published this fascinating guide, overflowing with uniquely San Franciscan drink recipes and practical advice for the 19th-century bartender. Many copies of this important book were lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, and only a few survive today.

Anchor Distilling is proud to present the first modern edition of Cocktail Boothby’s American Bartender. From a rare copy at the California Historical Society, its hundreds of recipes are as delectable today as they were over a century ago. This new Anchor Distilling edition is a complete and meticulous reproduction of William T. Boothby’s original, including his Ten Commandments for the Bartender. It also includes twenty-five never-before-published recipes, newly discovered photographs and biographical material, and an insightful new foreword by Anchor Distilling’s Fritz Maytag and David Burkhart. And—of course—the original recipe for the San Francisco classic: the Boothby Cocktail. Cheers!

Anchor Distilling, 2008