Book of the Month – Dryads: Spirits of the Trees by Brian D. Hoefling

Welcome to Chilled’s Bartender Book of the Month Club.

Your monthly guide to essential reads for bartenders. Each month, we spotlight a standout book to add to your collection and keep your creativity flowing.

Our Book of the Month is Dryads: Spirits of the Trees by Brian D. Hoefling.

Could Tree Sap Be the Next Frontier Behind the Bar?

Bartenders are constantly searching for new ingredients, unfamiliar flavor profiles, and spirits with a story to tell. But one of the most intriguing categories to explore may not actually be new at all.

In Dryads: Spirits of the Trees, author Brian D. Hoefling turns his attention to an ancient but underrecognized group of spirits distilled from tree saps. Hoefling uses the term “dryads,” inspired by the tree spirits of Greek mythology, to bring together distilling traditions that span cultures and continents.

Among them are arrack, distilled from coconut palms in Sri Lanka; lambanog, made from coconut palms in the Philippines; ogorogo, produced from raffia palms in Nigeria; and acerum, Quebec’s distinctive maple-based spirit.

For bartenders, that means an entirely different world of spirits and flavors to explore.
Hoefling, author of The Cocktail Seminars, traveled extensively to research the history, culture, and production behind these spirits. The resulting 320-page book examines not only how they are made and where they come from, but how they can be used and enjoyed today.

And that’s where things get especially interesting behind the bar.

Dryads includes approximately 60 cocktail recipes that demonstrate how these lesser-known spirits can translate into modern drinks. Rather than simply documenting an obscure category, Hoefling gives bartenders a practical entry point for understanding its possibilities.

At a time when bartenders are increasingly looking beyond familiar base spirits for inspiration, Dryads makes the case for looking to the trees.

Why Bartenders Should Know Dryads

For beverage professionals, the appeal goes beyond discovering another bottle for the backbar. These spirits offer an opportunity to explore regional traditions, production methods, ingredients, and flavor profiles that remain unfamiliar to many American drinkers. They also open the door to something bartenders are always looking for: a new story to tell across the bar.

From Sri Lanka and the Philippines to Nigeria and Quebec, Dryads connects traditions separated by thousands of miles through one fascinating common denominator: the tree.

What Bartenders Are Saying

“Dryads reads like the tale of a musician hearing new sounds or a painter uncovering unseen pigments. With an enthusiastic guide like this, a broader canopy of distillates emerge like the majestic shade of a mature stand of trees we no longer take for granted, if we ever ruefully did.”

— Jim Meehan, author of The Bartender’s Pantry

“From Australia nearly to the Arctic and spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Brian Hoefling has sought out spirits made from tree sap in this first-of-its-kind global survey. . . Along the way we meet category experts, tree-climbing sap harvesters, home distillers, and several generations of producers. And to help those of us who can’t replicate this epic journey ourselves, Hoefling provides comparative tasting notes and suggested cocktail recipes for each spirit. . . Dryads is a serious accomplishment.”

— Camper English, author of The Ice Book and Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails 

The Bartender’s Bookshelf: Book of the Month Club

Welcome to Chilled’s Bartender Book of the Month Club, your monthly guide to essential reads for bartenders, cocktail enthusiasts, industry pros and anyone looking to elevate their craft. Each month, we spotlight a standout book—whether it’s a deep dive into cocktail history, a recipe-packed guide, or a memoir from a legendary bartender—Chilled will help you build a library that inspires and educates while keeping your creative spirits flowing.

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