Embrace the winter spirit with these cozy cold-weather recipes.
Salut! I’m Kendall, the cocktail historian and geeky drinks enthusiast behind Novel Nightcaps.
Over the years, I’ve been taste-testing my way through an ever-growing library of cocktail books—exploring everything from timeless classics to modern riffs and seasonal creations. Somewhere along the way, I found my niche in geeky drinks: the ones inspired by fandoms, literature, and pop culture that invite a bit of whimsy into the glass. Whether I’m recreating a fictional favorite or unearthing an old bartender’s oddball experiment, I enjoy diving into the history, ingredients, and stories that make these recipes worth revisiting.
Here on my website, you’ll find hundreds of cocktails I’ve tried (and some originals of my own), complete with notes, methods, and honest reviews—all aimed at making the craft cocktail world a little more fun and approachable for everyone.
Cheers,
Check out a few of my highest-rated cocktail recipes.
The Junior Colada is a rum-based tiki cocktail recipe that was created by David Perez at Lei Low in Houston, Texas. This variation was adapted
The À La Mode is a whiskey-based dessert cocktail recipe that was created by Karin Stanley at Dutch Kills in New York City, New York.
The Garden Rose is a tequila and sparkling wine-based cocktail recipe that was originally created at Gitano Jungle Room in New York City, New York.
A sparkling wine-based cocktail recipe created in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy
The Iron Ranger is a whiskey-based tiki cocktail recipe that was created by Erick Castro at Raised by Wolves in San Diego, California. This variation
The Bee My Valentine is a gin-based Valentine’s Day cocktail recipe that was created by Emma Stokes. This variation was adapted from her book Have
Get geeky with these cocktail recipes inspired by fictional worlds.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
Find out what I thought of different cocktail recipe books as I tasted my way through them.
