Get geeky with these cocktail recipes inspired by your favorite fandoms.
Hello there! I’m Kendall, the craft cocktail connoisseur and geeky drinks enthusiast behind Novel Nightcaps.
After several years of taste-testing my way through my library of cocktail books—exploring everything from timeless classics to modern riffs and seasonal creations—I found my niche in geeky drinks: the ones inspired by fandoms, literature, pop culture, and fantasy that invite a bit of magic into the glass. Now, whether I’m dreaming up a new concoction based on an author’s fictional world or unearthing a past bartender’s oddball experiment, my favorite part of bartending is diving into ingredient pairings with unique origin stories that make them fun to revisit again and again.
Here within my recipe archive, you’ll find hundreds of cocktails I’ve tried (and some originals I’ve developed myself), complete with histories, techniques, and tasting notes—all written for fellow imbibers who appreciate well-crafted drinks and the story behind them too.
Cheers,
If geeky drinks aren’t your thing, check out a few of the highest-rated vintage, modern, and seasonal cocktail recipes I’ve tried.
A modern classic cocktail made with mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice
A spring cocktail made with carrot juice, dill aquavit, honey syrup, lemon juice, caper brine, hot sauce, lime, pimenton salt, and parsley
An autumn cocktail made with apple cider, bourbon, heavy cream, Licor 43, demerara syrup, and nutmeg
A modern cocktail made with butterfly pea blossom gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice, simple syrup, absinthe, and rosemary
A summer cocktail made with white rum, lime juice, simple syrup, pomegranate molasses, raspberry, and lime
A tiki cocktail made with gin, honey syrup, lemon juice, cold-brew coffee concentrate, ginger syrup, and lemon
Welcome the warmth of spring with these fresh and flavorful cocktails.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
