Get geeky with these cocktail recipes inspired by fictional worlds.
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 vintage classic cocktail made with sparkling wine, brandy or gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and lemon
A modern cocktail made with butterfly pea blossom gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice, simple syrup, absinthe, and rosemary
A summer cocktail made with tequila blanco, grapefruit juice, salted sage syrup, lime juice, and soda water
A vintage cocktail made with orange juice, gin, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, triple sec, orange bitters, and orange
A vintage cocktail made with dark rum, lime juice, simple syrup, aromatic bitters, and mint
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.
