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 cocktail made with vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, triple sec, and lemon
A tiki cocktail made with gin, carrot juice, coconut cream, Amaro Montenegro, marjoram & pink peppercorn syrup, lemon juice, and carrot
A tiki cocktail made with dark rum, hibiscus honey syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and soda water
A tiki cocktail made with dark rum, orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, allspice liqueur, aromatic bitters, orange, and cinnamon
A Valentine’s Day cocktail made with brandy, sweet & sour mix, dessert wine, and red wine syrup
A summer cocktail made with white rum, lime juice, simple syrup, pomegranate molasses, raspberry, and lime
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.
