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 tiki cocktail made with gin, orgeat syrup, lemon juice, orange bitters, and mint
A spring cocktail made with gin, triple sec, crème de violette, lemon juice, and orange
A modern cocktail made with mezcal, ginger wort, lime juice, passion fruit purée, agave syrup, cucumber, candied ginger, and Tajín
A Valentine’s Day cocktail made with sparkling wine, brandy, orange curaçao, and red wine syrup
A spring cocktail made with pisco, strawberry syrup, lime juice, egg white, rose water, and strawberry
A modern classic cocktail made with sparkling wine, dark rum, lime juice, honey syrup, and lime
Embrace the winter spirit with these cozy cold-weather recipes.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
