Brian D. Hoefling

(The "o" is silent.)

I founded the Herzog Cocktail School in 2012 to bring the fruits of the cocktail renaissance to a wider audience, through hands-on lessons in the history and preparation of classic drinks. I’ve been stunned by the enthusiasm with which that project has been met: the classes I’ve taught have ranged in size from intimate engagement parties to college reunions, and have included ongoing lesson series in Boston and New Haven as well as seminars at Thirst Boston and the San Antonio Cocktail Conference. As ubiquitous as cocktails have become since I started doing this, there is still no shortage of people who want to learn more about them - and I’ll keep giving lessons as long as that’s the case.

In 2016, Abbeville Press published my first book, Distilled Knowledge: The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends, and Unanswered Questions. That project touched off an ongoing interest in alcohol and science, which I indulge by staying up to date on published research and occasionally conducting my own experiments.

My second book, Classic Cocktails, a pocket-sized guide to 150 essential recipes for the home bartender, was published by Abbeville in 2020. I received invaluable assistance with the recipe testing and refining process from subscribers to the Herzog Cocktail School’s mailing list.

My third book, The Cocktail Seminars, extended that research process while returning me to my roots as a cocktail pedagogue: the recipes are presented as five academic curricula, imagining progressively more advanced college-level courses in the art of the cocktail. It is intended to give the reader a comprehensive grounding in the discipline, including major ingredients, canonical recipes, important techniques, and a deep investigation of mixological theory. I’m grateful to Abbeville for bringing me back a third time, and for giving me the chance to write a book that I had been wanting to for nearly a decade.

I’m also a freelance writer, with a special fondness for topics in cocktail history and New England culture; I’ve had the pleasure of writing for publications as diverse as First Things and the Boston Business Journal. A selection of my written work and recorded appearances is indexed here.

When not working, I enjoy a glass of fine, aged rum. When working, I enjoy it all the more.