Gin Cocktail Recipes

I started this site after I got hold of the book "Recipes for Mixed Drinks" by the German-born New Yorker Hugo Richard Ensslin from 1916. Until then, I assumed that many of the recipes were from Harry Craddock's "The Savoy Cocktail Book" published in London in the 1930s. 

But Ensslin's book brought some new insights, many cocktails had been around much longer than expected. And some cocktails were actually brought by Ensslin the first time at all among the people like e.g. the famous Aviation Cocktail. 

Contrary to what I had thought, these cocktails were much more balanced but also harder than the cocktails that followed in later years. If you follow the recipes exactly you get really first class cocktails.

I have then made the effort to reconstruct the many old units that no longer always correspond to today's and here all the information in oz. ml and cl. to indicate.

Also, some spirits and syrups that are no longer available today are designed with much effort so that you get the authentic taste. E.g. by adding water to the cherry syrup to recreate the taste of the currently unavailable cherry cordial. 

Anyone who buys a jigger (1.5oz. / 45ml and 1oz. / 30 ml) as equipment will be able to start directly with the terms jigger and pony without converting. 

In the original 1916 book, El Bart Gin was mentioned in some recipes elsewhere only Gin, Dry Gin, Holland Gin or other varieties. It made perfect sense here finer to distinguish that I have found out in countless attempts. 

However, the El Bart Gin was no longer available for purchase until 2022. Since I was curious why this gin was mentioned again and again and why this gin was the market leader in the U.S. for almost 30 years, I have relaunched this gin together with other companies, I am thrilled and understand why Ensslin insisted on this gin in some recipes. In some countries the gin is now available again.

I hope that you like this database with 100% authentic drinks and that you see an added value in it. Besides the classic cocktails of Ensslin you will also find some modern cocktails that contain much less alcohol and even some long drinks. 

Visit the El-Bart Gin website, the gin ranking on original-gin.com or my regular podcast about gin: GinTalk.de.