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 spring cocktail made with carrot juice, dill aquavit, honey syrup, lemon juice, caper brine, hot sauce, lime, pimenton salt, and parsley
A spring cocktail made with sake, cherry liqueur, gin, grenadine, triple sec, lemon juice, and cherry
A tiki cocktail made with bourbon, pineapple juice, lemon juice, velvet falernum liqueur, cinnamon syrup, aromatic bitters, and mint
A Halloween cocktail made with orange sherbet ice cream, milk, vanilla vodka, blood orange gin, Meletti Amaro, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles
A Halloween cocktail made with apple cider, tequila blanco, triple sec, spiced pumpkin butter, and ginger beer
A tiki cocktail made with dark rum, orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, allspice liqueur, aromatic bitters, orange, and cinnamon
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.
