Est. 2026 · Cocktails, coffee & more

Stirred, shaken, explained.

Cocktails, mocktails, coffee and tea, explained in thirty seconds. Every recipe ends with the tools, machines and glassware to make it, at three prices.

Browse recipes Stock the bar

Tonight's menu

  1. Why does red wine make your mouth feel dry? Tannin, and a grip dial for style, age and foodWine, Beer & Cider
  2. Capsules or beans? What a cup of coffee really costs at home, with a break-even calculatorHome Bar & Gear
  3. Why does pastis turn cloudy with water? The ouzo effect, with a louche glass you can diluteSpirits & Liqueurs
  4. How long does tea stay fresh? Where to keep it, with a freshness checkerTea & Infusions
  5. Why a Bramble is poured over crushed ice: the spec, the blackberry drizzle and a builderModern Cocktails

drinkMX

Drink of the week · Home Bar & GearPicker · 4 min Capsules or beans? What a cup of coffee really costs at home, with a break-even calculator A capsule costs more than a spoonful of beans, but a cheap machine also costs less up front. Which one wins depends on how many cups you make. Put in your own capsule price, bean… Get the recipe → Stock the bar BargainDeLonghi Nespresso Inissia EN 80.B capsule machine€67.99 Best valueDeLonghi Dedica Style EC 685.S/M espressomachine€147 SplurgeDe'Longhi Magnifica S ECAM21.117.B€279

On the menu

Everything we've poured →
Wine, Beer & Cider Why does red wine make your mouth feel dry? Tannin, and a grip dial for style, age and food Picker · 5 min Wine, Beer & Cider · Picker · 5 min Why does red wine make your mouth feel dry? Tannin, and a grip dial for style, age and food Red wine can leave your mouth feeling dry and rough, and that feeling has nothing to do with taste. It is tannin, a plant molecule that sticks to the proteins in your saliva…
4min Home Bar & Gear · Picker Capsules or beans? What a cup of coffee really costs at home, with a break-even calculator A capsule costs more than a spoonful of beans, but a cheap machine also costs less up front. Which one wins… 4min Spirits & Liqueurs · Picker Why does pastis turn cloudy with water? The ouzo effect, with a louche glass you can dilute Add water to pastis, ouzo or absinthe and the drink turns milky in seconds. Nothing is added: aniseed oil… 4min Tea & Infusions · Picker How long does tea stay fresh? Where to keep it, with a freshness checker Tea doesn't go off like milk, it goes stale: the aroma thins and the cup turns flat. How fast depends on the… 4min Modern Cocktails · Picker Why a Bramble is poured over crushed ice: the spec, the blackberry drizzle and a builder The Bramble is a gin sour with a trick: a blackberry liqueur poured over crushed ice so it bleeds down… 4min Bar & Barista Technique · Picker Why is bar ice clear? Freeze it one way, with a clear-cube planner Tray ice goes white because air and minerals get pushed into the last water to freeze, and freeze in with it…

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No. 01 Why does red wine make your mouth feel dry? Tannin, and a grip dial for style, age and food Red wine can leave your mouth feeling dry and rough, and that feeling has nothing to do with taste. It is… Start · 5 min No. 02 Capsules or beans? What a cup of coffee really costs at home, with a break-even calculator A capsule costs more than a spoonful of beans, but a cheap machine also costs less up front. Which one wins… Start · 4 min No. 03 Why does pastis turn cloudy with water? The ouzo effect, with a louche glass you can dilute Add water to pastis, ouzo or absinthe and the drink turns milky in seconds. Nothing is added: aniseed oil… Start · 4 min No. 04 How long does tea stay fresh? Where to keep it, with a freshness checker Tea doesn't go off like milk, it goes stale: the aroma thins and the cup turns flat. How fast depends on the… Start · 4 min No. 05 Why a Bramble is poured over crushed ice: the spec, the blackberry drizzle and a builder The Bramble is a gin sour with a trick: a blackberry liqueur poured over crushed ice so it bleeds down… Start · 4 min No. 06 Why is bar ice clear? Freeze it one way, with a clear-cube planner Tray ice goes white because air and minerals get pushed into the last water to freeze, and freeze in with it… Start · 4 min

Behind the bar

The kit our recipes come back to most.

Best value
DeLonghi Dedica Style EC 685.S/M espressomachine€147
15 bar · Ground coffee · Manual steam wand
from “Capsules or beans? What a cup of coffee really costs at home, with a break-even calculator” Coolblue
Best value
SodaStream DUO Grijs€99
Glass carafe · Plastic bottle too · 3 fizz levels
from “Is a soda maker worth it for a home bar? A planner for fizz, drinks per week and gas cylinders” Coolblue
Bargain
SodaStream Terra Sparkling Water Maker - Starter Kit - Black€72.04
Starter kit · Sparkling water maker · Quick Connect gas
from “Is a soda maker worth it for a home bar? A planner for fizz, drinks per week and gas cylinders” RueDuCommerce
Bargain
Pierre Waterkoker PWK7000 Glas met instelbare temperatuur€69
Adjustable temperature · Glass body
from “Do you need a temperature-control kettle? A picker by what you brew” Coolblue
Bargain
Pierre Melkopschuimer PMF3000 Zwart€29.99
300 ml jug · Hot or cold froth · 4 settings
from “Which milk frother do you need? A batch picker by drink and cups” Coolblue
Best value
Philips Baristina Melkopschuimer Zwart€83
120 ml jug · Hot & cold foam · Magnetic whisk
from “Which milk frother do you need? A batch picker by drink and cups” Coolblue

The sections

01 Bar & Barista TechniqueIce, dilution, syrups, tamping and steaming milk. 12 02 Classic CocktailsThe drinks every bar should know, and why they work. 13 03 Coffee & EspressoBeans, brewing, espresso and milk drinks. 13 04 Home Bar & GearTools, machines and glassware, and what to buy first. 12 05 Low & NoMocktails, spritzes and alcohol-free drinks with flavour. 12 06 Modern CocktailsNewer recipes and twists worth learning. 12 07 Parties & BatchesPunches, pitchers and drinks for a crowd. 12 08 Spirits & LiqueursGin, whisky, rum, agave and how each is made. 12 09 Tea & InfusionsGreen, black, oolong, herbal and how to brew them. 12 10 Wine, Beer & CiderGrapes, styles, pairing and serving it right. 12

House rules

How we write recipes, how we pick the kit and how the shop works.

  1. 01Every recipe gives measures in ml, a method and the glass. We explain why it works, not just what goes in.
  2. 02Not every drink needs alcohol. Coffee, tea and alcohol-free drinks get the same care as cocktails.
  3. 03Picks are tools, machines and glassware chosen for the recipe at three prices. Nobody pays to be picked.
  4. 04Links are affiliate links, marked sponsored. We may earn a commission, but your price doesn’t change. Please drink responsibly, and only if you’re of legal age.