About

TheCocktailDB contains over 600 verified cocktail recipes with standardized measurements. This tool queries that database in real time across three search vectors: name substring match, single-ingredient filter, and random selection. Ingredient quantities follow the oz/cl/ml measurement conventions used in professional bartending (IBA standards). Saved recipes persist in your browser's local storage - no account required, but clearing browser data removes them. The tool does not validate spirit availability or substitution compatibility; cross-reference with your bar inventory separately.

Measurement precision matters. A recipe calling for 0.75 oz of citrus versus 1 oz changes the sour-to-sweet balance measurably. This tool preserves the original database measurements without rounding. Note: some community-submitted recipes lack standardized IBA formatting. Pro tip: filter by a base spirit (e.g., "Vodka") first to narrow results before searching by name.

Reference Data

Base Spirit	ABV Range	Classic Cocktails	Flavor Profile	Standard Pour	IBA Category
Vodka	37.5 - 50%	Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, Martini	Neutral, clean	1.5 oz	Unforgettables / Contemporary
Gin	37.5 - 47%	Negroni, Tom Collins, Gimlet	Botanical, juniper	1.5 oz	Unforgettables
Rum (White)	37.5 - 40%	Mojito, Daiquiri, Piña Colada	Sweet, grassy	2 oz	Unforgettables / Contemporary
Rum (Dark)	40 - 57%	Dark 'n Stormy, Hurricane, Zombie	Caramel, molasses	1.5 oz	New Era
Tequila	38 - 40%	Margarita, Paloma, Tequila Sunrise	Agave, earthy	2 oz	Unforgettables / Contemporary
Whiskey (Bourbon)	40 - 50%	Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep	Vanilla, oak, caramel	2 oz	Unforgettables
Whiskey (Scotch)	40 - 46%	Rob Roy, Penicillin, Blood & Sand	Smoky, malty	2 oz	Unforgettables / New Era
Brandy / Cognac	40 - 60%	Sidecar, Brandy Alexander, Sazerac	Fruity, warm	1.5 oz	Unforgettables
Mezcal	40 - 55%	Oaxaca Old Fashioned, Mezcal Mule	Smoky, vegetal	1.5 oz	New Era
Absinthe	45 - 74%	Corpse Reviver #2, Death in the Afternoon	Anise, herbal	0.25 oz (rinse)	Unforgettables
Amaretto	21 - 28%	Amaretto Sour, Godfather	Almond, sweet	1.5 oz	Contemporary
Triple Sec / Curaçao	15 - 40%	Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Mai Tai	Orange, sweet-bitter	0.5 - 1 oz	Modifier
Vermouth (Dry)	15 - 18%	Dry Martini, El Presidente	Herbal, dry	0.5 - 1 oz	Modifier
Vermouth (Sweet)	15 - 18%	Manhattan, Negroni, Americano	Herbal, bittersweet	1 oz	Modifier
Campari	20.5 - 28%	Negroni, Americano, Boulevardier	Bitter, citrus	1 oz	Modifier
Kahlúa / Coffee Liqueur	16 - 20%	White Russian, Espresso Martini, B-52	Coffee, sweet	1 oz	Contemporary
Chartreuse (Green)	55%	Last Word, Bijou	Herbal, complex	0.75 oz	Unforgettables
Pisco	38 - 48%	Pisco Sour, Chilcano	Grape, floral	2 oz	Contemporary

Frequently Asked Questions

The filter endpoint (/filter.php?i=) returns only drink ID, name, and thumbnail. Full details (ingredients, measures, instructions) require a second lookup call to /lookup.php?i=idDrink. This tool performs that second call automatically when you click on a drink card from filtered results.

Favorites are serialized as JSON in the browser's LocalStorage under the key drinkFinder_favorites. Most browsers allocate 5 - 10 MB per origin. A typical saved drink object is approximately 2 - 4 KB, allowing roughly 1,500 - 3,000 saved recipes before hitting limits. Clearing browser data or using private/incognito mode will erase saved drinks.

Yes. The search-by-name endpoint returns all matching drinks regardless of alcohol content. Each drink object includes a strAlcoholic field with values like "Alcoholic", "Non alcoholic", or "Optional alcohol". This tool displays an alcohol badge on each card and provides a filter toggle to show only non-alcoholic results.

TheCocktailDB is community-maintained. Some entries lack high-resolution images. The API returns strDrinkThumb as a URL; if the image server is unreachable or the URL is null, the tool displays a fallback cocktail icon. This is an upstream data quality issue, not a tool limitation.

Recipes use the original measurements from the database, which are predominantly US customary (oz, tsp, tbsp). The standard conversion is 1 oz = 29.5735 ml. Some recipes use metric or freeform descriptions ("splash", "dash"). This tool does not auto-convert units; professional bartending references define a "dash" as approximately 0.92 ml and a "splash" as 5 - 10 ml.

No. The API endpoint /random.php performs a uniform random selection from the full database on each request. With over 600 drinks, the probability of consecutive duplicates is approximately 1600 (≈ 0.17%), but it is not zero. The tool tracks recently shown random drinks in the current session and will re-fetch if a duplicate is detected, up to 3 retry attempts.