New ebook -- Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink

Update (10/9): Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink is now available! See post below (beginning of the 2nd page) for more details.

Inspired by a recent discussion on this message board (thank you for the idea!), I've put together a new ebook called Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink that will be publishing in two weeks (October 8th) with Amazon.com.

Here's what Tiki legend Sven Kirsten had to say about it:

"Good (Tiki) god! I had no idea there are so many new versions of this potion out there -- and most by reputable bartenders. A good thing that someone collected them all, or else there would have to be a mid-21st century Jeff Berry (a "Son of the Beachbum"?) to dig all THOSE up! Zombie Horde will give the drink a whole new level of recognition. The Zombie is ALIVE!"
--Sven Kirsten, author of The Book of Tiki and father of the modern Tiki revival

And here's the complete description:

One of the world’s most sublime drinking pleasures, the Zombie is the cocktail that launched a thousand Tiki bars. A sweet and sour mélange of citrus, spice, and lots of rum, the Zombie stands as one of the most significant cocktail creations of the past century. Invented by Don the Beachcomber in 1934, it took the world by storm, and soon became the quintessential Tiki drink. Often imitated but never duplicated, the Zombie appeared on the menu of thousands of bars and restaurants around the world.

In this debut book by David J. Montgomery, Professor Cocktail leads you on a journey through the history of the Zombie, starting with its humble beginnings in Hollywood, and following it as it evolved and spread over the decades.

Zombie Horde includes recipes from notable bartenders like Trader Vic, David Embury, Salvatore Calabrese, and Dale DeGroff, as well as the formulas for the Zombies served at famous Tiki joints like the Tonga Room in San Francisco, Mahiki in London, and the Luau Room in San Diego. It also includes recent cocktails that were inspired by the Zombie, with offerings from Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove), Brian Miller (Death & Company), Allan Katz (Caña Rum Bar), Brian Dressel (Midnight Cowboy), Frank Cisneros (Bourgeois Pig Brooklyn), Joseph Swifka (La Descarga), and Audrey Saunders (Pegu Club).

To top it all off, Zombie Horde showcases three brand-new drinks -- from Jim Meehan (PDT), Tom Brown (Hogo), and Jeff Kinder (Distil) -- that are appearing in print for the very first time.

About the Author

David J. Montgomery mixes his love of history and alcohol into one potent concoction through his work at ProfessorCocktail.com. He is also a nationally renowned book critic and commentator on writing and the publishing industry. Mr. Montgomery is an emeritus columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Beast, and has written for USA Today, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and other fine publications. His short fiction has appeared both online and in print. A former Professor of History, he lives in the Washington, D.C. suburbs with his wife and two daughters.

David J. Montgomery writes about cocktails and spirits at ProfessorCocktail.com.

[ Edited by: djmont 2013-10-09 07:43 ]

Congrats, David!

Looking forward to it!

Thanks, Jack!

I just counted them up and there are currently 80 recipes. (There might be a few more coming in.) It's enough to get a body buzzed for the better part of a year.

Congratulations Professor Cocktail! I am looking forward to this one. . . my liver somewhat less so. :)

If it helps any, a couple are only in there for historical curiosity. You don't necessarily have to try them.

But the rest.... Yeah.

Thread copyist! But you've expanded it so cheers to you :)

The Zombie recipes from modern bartenders sound most interesting to me, Id like to remake the Mahiki one & see which others catch my eye! :)

Sounds intriguing -- remind us when it's out again

Adam, I just confirmed with Georgi Radev that the recipe for Mahiki's Zombie is appearing here in print for the first time -- including the list of 7 rums that go into their "Mahiki Grog," which forms the basis for their Zombie.

This sounds great. I'm a big fan of the Zombie so it will be interesting to see so many different recipes in the one place. I'm not a fan of grapefruit or maraschino so any versions that i've tried that has either one of those i haven't enjoyed but with 80 recipes to choose from i'm sure there will be plenty of them that do not use those ingredients at all.

I think one of the very first Zombies i ever tried when i first became interested in Tiki culture and cocktails was the recipe that can be found in David Embury's book 'The Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks'.

P.S. Will this only be available as an ebook or are there plans to release a hardcopy version at some stage?

I'm only anticipating an ebook at this point, but we'll see how it goes. The ebook will be available on multiple international Amazon sites, if you don't have a tablet, you can get the Kindle app for your PC.

On 2013-09-25 17:32, djmont wrote:
Adam, I just confirmed with Georgi Radev that the recipe for Mahiki's Zombie is appearing here in print for the first time -- including the list of 7 rums that go into their "Mahiki Grog," which forms the basis for their Zombie.

Im intrigued - I couldn't put my finger on what one of the tastes from their Zombie was but it seemed so familiar, it'd be good to recreate it at home!

Definitely give this thread a bump when its out :)

Cheers!

I'm printing this out and having it spiral bound when it comes out!

Ha! Now that's dedication!

If the book seems to generate enough interest to justify it, I'll investigate having a print edition put together. The problem is that it would likely cost so much that few people would buy it.

You don't need an ereader or tablet to read Kindle books, though. You can also read them on a computer or most smartphones. (Not always ideal, I realize...But better than nothing, maybe.)

Just got another great blurb for ZOMBIE HORDE, this one from author Philip Greene.

“A thoroughly researched, dare I say exhaustive, compendium of this immortal (pun intended) and classic cocktail. It's a drink like the Zombie that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my vocation (trademark attorney) with my avocation (cocktail geek). Indeed, in no other field do you find such rampant disregard for the sanctity of a name. But there is great chaos under the cocktail heavens and, as Zombie Horde so ably shows, the situation is excellent. Highly entertaining! Hats off to Professor Cocktail, Corpse Compiler No. 1!”
--Philip Greene, author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion and co-founder of The Museum of the American Cocktail

Here's what Wayne Curtis, author and contributing editor at The Atlantic, has to say about Professor Cocktail's Zombie Horde:

"The Zombie's family tree is immense, gnarly, and (in parts) wholly fabricated from unnatural elements. Also, it has many dead limbs. Professor Cocktail has done us all a favor by taking on the pruning, grafting, and fertilizing, and by eschewing all topiary embellishment. A great addition to your cocktail library."

--Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in 10 Cocktails

Coming next week!

At long last, the Zombie is alive! Zombie Horde, that is.

You can download it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FNZOUSA

The full title is Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink. It's a collection of eighty-six recipes for Zombies, Zombie-variants, and Zombie-inspired cocktails, ranging all the way from the Don the Beachcomber original to creations by the hottest mixologists working today. It also includes some interesting history, as it traces the proliferation of the Zombie over the decades and makes the case for it being the essential Tiki drink.

The recipes in Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde have been culled from sources both common and obscure, and include ten that have never before appeared in print, two of which were created especially for Zombie Horde.

The ebook will be available exclusively through Amazon, and costs just $2.99 to download. There are no plans for a print edition at this time, although it's possible that could change. You don't need a Kindle to read the book, though. You can also use the Kindle app that's available for various platforms, including PC, Mac, various tablets (iPad, Android, etc.), and smartphones (iPhone, Android, etc.).

You guys helped inspire this book, so a big thank you to you!

Cheers,
David

Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink
By David J. Montgomery

One of the world’s most sublime drinking pleasures, the Zombie is the cocktail that launched a thousand Tiki bars. A sweet and sour mélange of citrus, spice, and lots of rum, the Zombie stands as one of the most significant cocktails of the past century. Created by Don the Beachcomber in 1934, the Zombie took the world by storm, and soon became the quintessential Tiki drink. Eventually, it would appear on the menus of thousands of bars and restaurants around the world.

In Zombie Horde, David J. Montgomery (aka Professor Cocktail) leads you on a journey through the history of the Zombie, starting with its humble beginnings in Hollywood, and following it as it evolved and spread over the decades. Zombie Horde includes recipes from notable bartenders like Trader Vic, David Embury, Salvatore Calabrese, and Dale DeGroff, as well as the formulas for the Zombies served at famous Tiki joints like the Tonga Room in San Francisco, Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas, and the Luau Room in San Diego.

It also includes recent cocktails that were inspired by the Zombie, with offerings from Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove), Brian Miller (Death & Company), Allan Katz (Caña Rum Bar), Brian Dressel (Midnight Cowboy), and Audrey Saunders (Pegu Club).

As a special bonus, Zombie Horde showcases seven new drinks -- from Jim Meehan (PDT), Tom Brown (Hogo), Jeff Kinder (Distil), Joseph Swifka (La Descarga), Craig Lane (Bar Agricole), Jack Fetterman (PKNY), and Frank Cisneros (Bourgeois Pig Brooklyn) -- that are appearing in print for the first time. Also making their print debut are the recipes for the Zombies served at Mahiki in London, Otto’s Shrunken Head in New York City, and Founding Farmers in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

“Zombie Horde is a marvelous compendium of fabulous and fascinating recipes. Tiki bars are near and dear to my heart, and I'm grateful for David J. Montgomery's work.”
--Michael Ruhlman, best-selling author of The Soul of a Chef, The French Laundry Cookbook, and Ruhlman’s Twenty

"Good (Tiki) god! I had no idea there are so many new versions of this potion out there -- and most by reputable bartenders. A good thing that someone collected them all, or else there would have to be a mid-21st century Jeff Berry (a "Son of the Beachbum"?) to dig all THOSE up! Zombie Horde will give the drink a whole new level of recognition. The Zombie is ALIVE!"
--Sven Kirsten, author of The Book of Tiki and father of the modern Tiki revival

"The Zombie's family tree is immense, gnarly, and (in parts) wholly fabricated from unnatural elements. Also, it has many dead limbs. Professor Cocktail has done us all a favor by taking on the pruning, grafting, and fertilizing, and by eschewing all topiary embellishment. A great addition to your cocktail library."
--Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in 10 Cocktails

“As I’ve said before, Tiki drinks occupy a space somewhere in the Venn diagram of the American psyche where escapism, irony, and kitsch overlap. No Tiki cocktail is more famous -- or infamous -- than the Zombie. It is proof that mixology treads a thin line between insanity and genius. Attempting to chart the history and evolution of the Zombie feels like a new level of madness. But David J. Montgomery has survived to admirably tell the tale in this entertaining, insightful ode to a drink that will knock you on your ass.”
--Jason Wilson, author of Boozehound: On The Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits and the wine series Planet of the Grapes

“A thoroughly researched, dare I say exhaustive, compendium of this immortal (pun intended) and classic cocktail. It's a drink like the Zombie that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my vocation (trademark attorney) with my avocation (cocktail geek). Indeed, in no other field do you find such rampant disregard for the sanctity of a name. But there is great chaos under the cocktail heavens and, as Zombie Horde so ably shows, the situation is excellent. Highly entertaining! Hats off to Professor Cocktail, Corpse Compiler No. 1!”
--Philip Greene, author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion and co-founder of The Museum of the American Cocktail

About the Author

David J. Montgomery mixes his love of history and alcohol into one potent concoction through his work at ProfessorCocktail.com. He is also a nationally renowned book critic and commentator on writing and the publishing industry. Mr. Montgomery is an emeritus columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Beast, and has written for USA Today, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and other fine publications. His short fiction has appeared both online and in print. A former Professor of History, he lives in the Washington, D.C. suburbs with his wife and two daughters.

Congrats, will download asap!

Thanks!

I think there's a lot of fun stuff in there. Especially for Tiki-philes, of course. :)

Just downloaded and skimmed it.

Great work, David! And yeah, these recipes should keep me busy for a while!

Brainwashed Rum huh, Martin? Crazy stuff!

Cheers!

I know, that recipe is insane. As I was typing it up, I kept going, "Really?" :)

On 2013-09-30 09:16, Hale Tiki wrote:
I'm printing this out and having it spiral bound when it comes out!

Hale,

Please let me know if you were able to do this. I bought the book and it was downloaded to my Kindle account. I can't seem to find any print options.

Just downloaded and digging into it now. Drinking Zombies on a school night? Why not?!!

Congratulations!

Read Zombie Horde cover to cover, was intrigued by several recipes. . . and aghast at several others although I appreciate the historic importance of including the turds alongside the gems. Currently thoroughly enjoying a Martin Cate Undead Gentleman made with LH151 and Appleton 12. I am a fan of the Captain's Blood cocktail and this tastes like a Captain's Blood on steroids.

I think one of the tequila variations is up next.

Zombie nightcap tonight is the PKNY Reposado Zombie with Corralejo Reposado, Lucid Absinthe and a 1/4 oz LH151 float. Very appealing flavor combination but the full oz of absinthe overpowers the remaining components. Will definitely come back to this one but will knock the absinthe back to 1/2 oz, and will possibly double the float as well.

On 2013-10-09 19:21, El Jefe wrote:

On 2013-09-30 09:16, Hale Tiki wrote:
I'm printing this out and having it spiral bound when it comes out!

Hale,

Please let me know if you were able to do this. I bought the book and it was downloaded to my Kindle account. I can't seem to find any print options.

Ditto.

Thanks so much, guys, for buying the book and for saying nice things. It really means a lot to me.

I debated whether or not to include the shitty recipes. But I thought they might be of interest, out of historical curiosity if nothing else. Plus, they add to the "horror" aspect of Zombies. :) I tried to indicate which ones I thought weren't very good, so hopefully that comes across.

If any of you would like to help spread the gospel of Tiki (in the form of the Zombie), I hope you'll consider posting a review on Amazon. That really helps drive the prominence of the listing, so more people can find the book. Also, I just know you'll want to tell your friends... :)

Thanks again, Brothers and Sisters of Tiki!

There is no simple way to print out a Kindle book.

I found a blog post that discusses ways of doing it:

http://www.mywritingblog.com/2012/11/how-to-print-out-kindle-book.html

David - Congrats on your book! I'll download it tonight. Now get to work on your Mai Tai book.

Ariano -- you'll definitely want to read it, since I thank you specifically in the acknowledgements.

As for the rest of you, here's the first paragraph of the acks:

"First off, I need to thank the regulars on the Tiki Central message board (Tikiroom.com) whose posts first gave me the idea for this book. In particular, I'd like to thank Arian Collins for sharing some recipes from his private collection."

Thanks guys and gals!

dj,

What was the reason for leaving out one of Don's versions? I think you said it was the 1964? Just curious. Thanks.

Yeah, the Aku Aku Zombie from 1964, which is generally believed to have been created by Don the Beachcomber.

When I was putting the book together, I made a special effort not to draw too much from Jeff Berry's work. There were a few recipes that had to be included -- recipes that Jeff worked so hard to uncover. But I didn't want to tread on his heels and borrow more from his books than fair use would allow.

I'm pleased to say that Jeff reviewed the manuscript before it was published and gave it his blessing and endorsement, both of which meant a lot to me. The book wouldn't have been possible without his original research and I owe him a great debt.

Cool. Thanks for the info.

And the Aku Aku Zombie is an absolutely spectacular drink. Hits all the notes of the 1934 and is perfectly balanced but without the danger level of alcohol of the original. If I ran a commercial establishment I would probably serve the Aku as my Zombie just to keep patrons from getting too sloshed too quickly.

I was surprised how many Zombie versions in the book include papaya juice. Until I pick some up there are a lot of versions I'm not able to spin up.

Working through a W.C. Whitfield Zombie (1941). Used Smith&Cross, Flor de Cana 4 dark, Cruzan white, ED 5 and Lemon Hart 151 as the rums. The whole is not as good as the sum of it's parts would suggest. Not undrinkable, but not much going on other than a big slug of rum and some juice and apricot brandy.

Zombie Nightcap is the Tonga Room Zombie (1952). "Serviceable but hardly outstanding" about sums this one up. Similar to the Whittfield, and similarly ho-hum.

David, the recipe calls for 1oz passionfruit. I assumed this meant juice and nit syrup, but perhaps I was mistaken?

Sunny, as I recall the original recipe as printed didn't specify. I, too, assumed it meant juice. I think a full ounce of syrup would overwhelm it.

I've been under the weather, so I made the Hot Zombie last night. (It's basically a Zombified twist on the Hot Buttered Rum.) It's an interesting drink, although I'm not sure I prefer it to a plain old Hot Buttered Rum.

On 2013-10-10 17:03, Sunny&Rummy wrote:
I was surprised how many Zombie versions in the book include papaya juice. Until I pick some up there are a lot of versions I'm not able to spin up.

I know, it's crazy. Who drinks papaya juice? Lakewood Juices sells one. It's blended with apple juice, but straight papaya seems hard to find.

If you're on the fence about buying the book, maybe this will help.

I just announced a contest to give away a Zombie Prize Pack, courtesy of B.G. Reynolds' syrups.

http://www.professorcocktail.com/2013/10/win-a-zombie-gift-pack.html

(Sorry, but U.S. residents only.)

Cool! I wi send my Amazon receipt when I get a chance.

Just added this to my Kindle. Fascinating book! The historical anecdotes are great. And . . . it lays flat on my bar while I mix up one of the recipes!

I often mix drinks with recipes off my iPad. Except for the fear of spilling rum all over it, it works well.

On 2013-10-10 11:18, djmont wrote:
Ariano -- you'll definitely want to read it, since I thank you specifically in the acknowledgements.

As for the rest of you, here's the first paragraph of the acks:

"First off, I need to thank the regulars on the Tiki Central message board (Tikiroom.com) whose posts first gave me the idea for this book. In particular, I'd like to thank Arian Collins for sharing some recipes from his private collection."

Thanks guys and gals!

Wow! That's very cool, and very unexpected. Thanks! I just downloaded it this weekend, but have only had a chance to skim it so far. It looks great!

Just made the "Frankie's Tiki Room Zombie", the first of many variations in this book, and it was excellent. Pineapple juice(!) is dominant, which I usually don't like, but it works here

Pineapple juice made its first appearance in Patrick Gavin Duffy's version in 1940, and was a regular component after that, including Don the Beachcomber's mid-century recipes. It makes for a very different drink from the DTB original. But since I like pineapple, it's all good with me. :)

Thirsty Tiki People Want to know. . . David, did you draw a winner for the BG Reynolds giveaway contest yet?!?

Instead of posting a new thread that receives about 5 responses and then slowly disappears i thought i'd bump this one and keep it at the top of the board considering that my question is about the Zombie and that this thread/book is all about that.

I suppose i'm asking djmont the question first as he wrote a book about it, but i'd like to hear the definition from others, what is it that makes a Zombie a Zombie? Is it the fact that it has 3 shots of rum? All Tiki/Tropical drinks have pretty much the same/similar ingredients, just in different ratios so is it the drinks potency that defines it? I mean there are other drinks out there that have a lot of alcohol in them. Why aren't they called Zombies?

Good question - since this drink's contents have been unknown for so long, the name's taken on more of a symbolic meaning (i.e., a cocktail that'll get you really drunk, and fast), at least that's the way I've always viewed it, from ordering them back when I drank underage at a bunch of now-gone Chicago Tiki joints.

There are some common elements in the best versions but Kill Devil is right. All the bars that wanted to serve a Zombie but had no idea what went into Donn's original probably just called their strongest, most rum forward drink a Zombie.

The same question basically popped into my head yesterday when I switched up from Aku Aku Zombies and made a Jet Pilot that used the exact same 3 rums and had 5 other ingredients in common. But the Zombies were served in chimney glasses and garnished with mint and the Jet Pilot was served in a double old fashioned glass with no garnish, which clearly made them totally different drinks!! :)