Al's Cocktail Lounge
Seven chapters, one home bar — original creations, whiskey classics, a season of gimlets, a season of rickeys, and the bottles worth knowing behind them all.
House Creations
Al's own recipes — the drinks that don't come from any book.
Al's Shortcut Smash
Al Fashioned
Pirate's Courage
Laissez Les
Triple Lindy
Dedicated to my good friend Rob, who is always willing to have just one more.
Whiskey & Rye
Bourbon, rye, and cognac, built the old-fashioned way.
Classic Favorites & New Legends
Gin, rum, tequila, and vodka standards.
The Gin Room
Six gin standards, properly measured.
The Gimlet Series
One foundation — gin, fresh lime, simple syrup — reimagined through twelve modifiers, each dosed at a uniform ¼ oz so gin and lime hold the center while one or two accents shift the glass toward fresh, herbal, spiced, or floral ground.
Tasting note: at ¼ oz, each modifier steps forward enough to state its own identity, while the gin and lime still anchor the glass. Shake with ice, double-strain.
The Rickey Series
Born dry and unsweetened — gin, lime, and soda over ice. What follows keeps that snap while letting one accent lead: floral, savory, spiced, or golden.
A note on proportions — Licor 43 is sweeter and lower-proof than gin; best used as an accent (½–¾ oz) rather than a full spirit swap, to keep the Rickey's characteristic dry snap.
A Guide to Spirits & Liqueurs
Six bottles worth knowing on their own terms — and where each finds its natural place beside gin.