My sister-in-law, Andrea Hammer, knows I like science fiction and whiskey, so she found this book as a gift for Christmas. It is a fun little cocktail book with some interesting cocktails. Unfortunately, very few of them call for Bourbon or Rye whiskey, as gin and vodka recipes dominate. However, I thought I would review the book and give some of the recipes at the end of the review.

Star Trek Cocktails: A Stellar Compendium, Glenn Dakin. Mixology consultants Simon Pellet, Adrian Calderbank. London: Hero Collector Books, A Division of Eaglemoss Ltd., 2021, Contents, Index, Illustrated, 140pp.

Star Trek is an iconic television and movie franchise with many fans. The films often place characters having drinks while on shore leave or at a space station bar. It was only a matter of time before someone decided to print a book featuring recipes of cocktails that these characters might drink. Many of the recipes are versions of popular cocktails of today and this is good. It is saying these are good cocktails that will last well into the future and our great, great, great grandchildren will be enjoying many of the same drinks we enjoy today.

The book is not a lengthy tome. It is well designed and indexed. Recipes are easy to find and well written. Each cocktail has an introduction suggesting where the cocktail were drank and which character was enjoying it. There are plenty of fun, color illustrations of the characters drawn by Adrian Salmon and color photographs of cocktails by David Burton and Jess Esposito. 

This book is a must-have book for the library of a whiskey drinker who watches Star Trek. It is a fun read and has a lot of good cocktail recipes.

23rd Century Manhattan

2fl.oz. / 50 ml Rye whiskey or Bourbon

1fl.oz. / 25 ml sweet vermouth

Angostura bitters, two dashes

Plum or Rhubarb Bitters optional

Garnish with a couple of Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients in a chilled coup or martini glass and stir. Garnish with cherries.

Kirk’s Old Fashioned

2fl.oz. / 50 ml Rye whiskey (if not available, try Bourbon)

Angostura bitters – 2 dashes

1 sugar cube

Soda

Ice

Garnish – Twist of orange

In an old fashioned glass, muddle the sugar cube with the bitters. Add a little whiskey. And a drop of soda. Add ice, then the whiskey, and garnish with an orange twist on the rim.

McCoy’s Mint Julep

2fl.oz. / 50ml Bourbon

1 ½ teaspoon / 7.5ml simple syrup

7-8 mint leaves

Mint, cardamom or classic bitters (optional)

Garnish – mint leaves

Crush the mint leaves well, then add the syrup and Bourbon in a rocks glass (if you don’t have a Julep glass like Bones). Fill half the glass with crushed ice. Give a good stir, pack in more ice, then decorate with mint sprigs. You can also add a dash of mint, cardamom, or classic bitters.

To Bibble With Tribbles

2 tbsp /30ml Irish Cream

1 1/2fl.oz. / 30 ml Bourbon or Rye whiskey

4 tsp / 20 ml coffee liqueur

2 tsp. /10ml hazelnut syrup

Garnish – Marshmallows, chocolate or cinnamon powder to taste

Mix ingredient in a shaker, then pour into a rocks glass. For garnish, place an absinthe spoon on the glass, burnt marshmallows with chocolate or cinnamon powder – to remind you of those cute little tribbles.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller