Interesting web site: www.cocktaildb.com

Dug up this database today...

http://cocktaildb.com/index

There are a lot of drink recipe web sites out there, but this one seems pretty good.

I like how on the pages for all of the recipes there are big chunky pictures of all of the ingredients you'll need, right down to the glass type and the ice scoop!

And, most of the liquor bottles shown are some vintage looking bottles (are the web designers extra cool, or is it that they don't want to endorse any particular current brands?).

I like how you can also click on the bottles or any time the name of the ingredient aappears in the text to learn more about that ingredient.

Some of the recipes are a bit off though.

I looked up a bunch of the classic Tiki drinks, and most of the recipes were in the ballpark but not spot-on.

For example, their Mai Tai recipe doubles the proper amount of lime juice, adds unnecessary Falernum and grenadine, and omits the all-important mint sprig. But it closer than some others I have seen (on many Tropicals, not just the Mai Tai).

It is also interesting how there's a check-box marked "Exclude recipes that contain defunct ingredients" - those are the FUN ones to attempt!

Nice site! The old vintage spirit bottles are a nice touch. It could probably do with a little tweaking in parts for instance, my search for a weak breakfast cocktail came up with:

"Chill cocktail glass. Prepare as follows:

In pre-chilled cocktail shaker combine

• 1½ oz pear brandy
• 1 oz Rhum Negrita
• ½ of one Vov
• ½ oz cocktail Sherry
• 3 drops Controy

Shake and sob like Johnny Ray with a generosity of ice."
I'll probably stick to the usual cup of coffee before work.

The site's a lot of fun, though.

Trader Woody

Hi all, I'd like to gab with you a little bit about the Internet Cocktail Database because it's my baby! First a little intro: Sven Kirsten is a dear friend of mine who alerted me to your fine forums some time ago. We started out, both film biz folks, vying to see who'd get their drink-oriented book published first, and Svenski won - in a BIG way! He did a great thing for pop culture historians everywhere. He beat Jeff Berry (another bud) and Jeff beat me too. Doh! Actually I was thrilled for them, and now we are all together in das boot. My point is, I am not uneducated about realms tiki, be it culture or cocktails. But here's the thing about CocktailDB... we take all of our recipes from legit published sources, and though in most cases you can't see them when you view the recipe, they are known by the database. Our initial launch has the content of a BUNCH of books, mostly just post-prohibition, but also recipes from the 70s that caught us up to a certain point. We are dead serious about adding more recipes, book-by-book, and I AM aware that our tiki-oriented drinks just slightly land this side of sucking. I want to input barguides that have a better clue about excellent tiki drinks, but it just is going to take more time. We are simply neck-deep in corrections now! Because of our charter, (only legitimately published recipes) we can't just change the formulae we have in there, but we can take your suggestions about tropical drink books you feel get the recipes RIGHT. Chances are we have them; all you have to do is suggest. I have Vic's '47 guide and his '72. I have the Bum's 2 drink guides (and I wrote liner notes for his upcoming tiki food book, but that's another story) and I have Chas. Schumann's Tropical Bar Book. You tell me - which should be first to satisfy tiki aficianados?

Every drink book has its challenges because unlike the printed editions, ours are scalable by glass size and the ingredients link to our definitions. It's tough work because all these books tell us their recipes in different ways. That's why we seem as slow as Trader Vic's grenadine when it comes to updates.Just stick with us. We're on YOUR side.

Thanks! --Doc.

Oh, one more post about Trader Woody's experience: That was the Mixilator, Woody. The recipe you got was never seen by another human being ever. It was a recipe dedicated to you. It may not have been good but, by gum, it was random! That you thought it was a real recipe, well, that is a testement to how well the Mixilator works (or how badly). You can also access the Mixilator directly from http://www.mixilator.com/ . Read the advanced notes and I assure you, you'll get it!

--Doc.

I'm also a fan of the website for some time now, it really is a good source for cocktails.
I'm wainting for your book, Dr Cocktail, and by the way, welcome in Tikicentral. I'm sure you'll have fun with us.

I've just had a play on the Mixilator and it's great fun. Another toy for the cocktail cabinet.

Hey Doc
Thanks for popping in and saying hi. Glad to have you here. As I originally posted, I think your site is teee-riff, and if I nitpicked about a few recipes, well, that's just my nature to be (sometimes overly) critical. Keep up the good work.

Nope. you were right. We need all of your input to make CocktailDB what it needs to be. Throw out your impressions. We're glad to have 'em!

Thanks! --Doc.

Hi Doc! It's so, so great to see you here. We met briefly at Sven's house a few months ago (I was the skinny blond tiki chick). Your database looks great! It would be great if all the recipes showed what source they came from... is that in the works? My vote would be that you start with Jeff's two books before the others, but after that the TV books would be great to have in there.

If you'd be interested in it, I'd love to be able to link to CocktailDB for those drink recipes you have that are location specific (e.g., I could have my Trader Vic's entries link to Trader Vic's-specific entries in your database).

I see Jeff on Wednesdays at Tiki-Ti frequently, it would be fun if you could make it sometime and I could pick BOTH your brains!

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2005-09-23 15:51 ]

Of course I remember you! Very charming. And to complete the circle, I had beverages (Navy Grog, Great White) at Tiki Ti with the Bum and Sven just last night. Sorry you were absent!

The latest on my recent notoriety is that I am to be interviewed for the NPR show Day to Day this Thursday. Airdate to be determined, but I'll keep you updated!

--Doc.

Being a "professional" banquet bartender for some time now, you can get a little absent minded with mixology because in banquets it's usually just gin and tonics, vodka sodas, etc..
Dr.Cocktail, I have been coming to your site for some time now for reference, and just wanted to thank you for a really great site.
Don’t be a stranger to TC.