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 spring cocktail made with tequila blanco, honey syrup, lime juice, and lime
A modern cocktail made with manzanilla sherry, Aperitivo Cappelletti Americano Rosso, rye, lemon juice, orgeat syrup, orange bitters, orange flower water, almond, and orange
A tiki cocktail made with gin, orgeat syrup, lemon juice, orange bitters, and mint
A Halloween cocktail made with red wine, cranberry grape juice, raspberry liqueur, brandy, blackberry, red grape, and black plum
A Valentine’s Day cocktail made with brandy, sweet & sour mix, dessert wine, and red wine syrup
A dessert cocktail made with mezcal, white crème de cacao, ancho chile liqueur, chocolate bitters, and orange
Cool off with these refreshing cocktail recipes perfect for summertime.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
