Post #284410 by Swanky on Fri, Feb 9, 2007 9:17 AM

Although many of Don's recipes have become standards, in the early days they were trade secrets. In some cases, bar owners were just trying to figure them out. Often, the bartenders were hired away from Don's and used to set up some new bar. They kept their recipes secret even then. The secrets kept getting passed around and nothing original was in print. If a bartender gave out the recipes, he was no longer needed. So I imagine, the bar owners worked to get subordinates to figure them out and if they got close, the real bartender with the secrets was sent on his way. Or he just got hired away.

Berry spent many years tracking down these original bartenders and finding their code books and recipes. It is not a case of buying some recipe book and copying the recipes down and selling them to you. The Bum did the detective work. He either got the recipes from the masters or he had some recipes and he got the masters to make the drink and he compared and worked through getting a recipe that was close.

I would say your best source is the Bum. The other book, I have no idea what their sources are. I know the Bum's sources and his diligent efforts. He had real Don Beach trained bartenders to help him get the right recipes.

I think The Bum is working on his own book about our Dad, Don the Beachcomber.