How to

Start Your Own

Cocktail Journal

Have you found the perfect recipe for a strawberry daiquiri? Do friends continually request your whiskey sour mash? It’s easy to experiment and concoct drink recipes, and sometimes just as easy to forget what makes them special. With a cocktail journal, your homemade drink recipes are easily within reach. Many options exist for creating and organizing a cocktail journal. Take a look at these great ideas from us at Pottery Barn for some inspiration.

Gather Your Recipes

Each time you discover a cocktail recipe or create one of your own that’s especially tasty, put it in an easy-to-find location. When you begin your journal, you’ll have all the recipes you want to include within reach. Clip recipes from magazines, print them from websites and jot down ingredients as you make your own cocktails. Store them somewhere handy like a woven lidded basket.

When you’re ready to begin your cocktail journal, create piles or categories based on how you want to organize the recipes. You might divide them by season, type of liquor, easy versus difficult or hand-mix versus blended. This may take some time as you find the best way to sort your recipes. If you have a home bar that you always keep stocked with certain types of alcohol, sorting by type might make the most sense. If you’re always trying out new things or you host lots of parties, sorting by season might be most effective.

Finding the Right Journal

Ready-made journals exist specifically for cocktail recipes. If you’re feeling inventive, create your own using a wood and galvanized steel cabinet, a letter bin or a blank book. Whichever style of journal you choose, think about selecting one that offers room to expand your recipe collection. You also might want to include photos of especially pretty drinks, liqueurs labels and any other reminders to jog your memory about what made each drink so memorable.

Label sections according to the types of drinks. Cut out pictures of fruit to indicate tropical drinks, or put a sprig of dried holly in the holiday section. Remember that this is your journal, so personalize it the way you want to.

What to Include in Your Journal

What made a drink memorable? Was the flavor unique? Did guests “ooh” and “ah” about its refreshing quality? Would it pair well with a holiday dinner? Does it beg to be savored on a hot summer evening? In addition to ingredients, note what sets apart this recipe from others. Also, note any variations. For instance, if a margarita gets an extra kick from an infusion of basil, add that in your notes.

Other thoughts to include might be the time each drink takes to prepare, the cost of ingredients and the amount of drinks each recipe makes. Detail special drink accessories necessary for the recipe. If a drink needs to be chilled, mention that an ice bucket should be handy. Detail the type of shaker that you use for specialty cocktails. For example, you may be partial to a copper cocktail shaker. Or, you may prefer using a bar tool set with a strainer and shot measure.

Final Touches

Capture the essence of homemade cocktails through descriptive words and images. A photo of a chair and umbrella at the beach conveys the ideal spot for a piña colada. A roaring fire in a cozy den sets the tone for a hot toddy. A mint julep might taste refreshing, crisp and smooth, while a whiskey sour packs an unexpected punch. Fill your cocktail journal with photos of family and friends enjoying your specialty drinks in memorable locations. Umbrella-topped drinks in tall glasses that you enjoyed poolside on a summer day take you back to a cherished moment with loved ones.

Give your journal the touches you need to not only remember the drinks you most love, but to recall the atmosphere that enhanced their flavor. Make the journal easy to follow so you can share recipes with others. Include as many details as possible so that you, and those with whom you share the recipes with, will understand their delicious flavor and the added enjoyment they bring to a special occasion or a simple evening at home.