I drank every cocktail

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Favorite Cocktails & Experiments

  • Commenters latch onto specific standouts (Rabo de Galo, Porto Flip, Bijou, Negroni, Jack Rose, Dirty Martini, Betón, Sgroppino) and share riffs and substitutions.
  • Strong emphasis on bittersweet, spirit‑forward classics (Negroni variants, Bijou, Hanky Panky, Rusty Nail).
  • Some note that certain “official” cocktails are obscure or regionally skewed (Pornstar Martini popular in UK, White Lady not obscure, Monkey Gland’s odd history).

IBA List, Authenticity & “Every Cocktail”

  • Several argue that saying “every cocktail” but using the IBA list is misleading; the list is narrow, rotates over time, and omits popular drinks (Dirty Martini, Gimlet, Jack Rose, etc.).
  • Debate over whether you can really claim to have had certain classics when key ingredients no longer exist (Vesper with Kina Lillet; Chartreuse scarcity and non‑substitutability).
  • Some feel brand‑specified recipes can be annoying at home; others say certain brands (Green Chartreuse, Kina Lillet) effectively are unique ingredients.

Ingredient Quality, Technique & Home Bartending

  • Repeated advice: know when quality matters. Fresh citrus, good vermouth, and good cherries have big payoff; high‑end vodka is usually poor value in cocktails.
  • Detailed spirit buying heuristics across gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, rye, vodka; warnings about Canadian “rye” and big‑brand rum/tequila.
  • Strong focus on technique: ice quantity, dilution, and temperature as “hidden ingredients”; some recommend a pinch of salt to balance bitterness/sourness.
  • Encouragement to make simple syrups and grenadine at home, refrigerate vermouth, and taste ingredients neat.

Alcohol Use, Health & Culture

  • Discussion around whether “2 drinks a night” constitutes a problem: answers range from “normal, especially in Europe” to concern about dependence, sleep quality, and HRV effects.
  • Nordic participants describe high taxes and state alcohol monopolies; debated as both protective and burdensome.

Learning Tools, Apps & Resources

  • Multiple tools shared: a checklist app for the IBA list, open‑source cocktail apps, paid apps that optimize recipes by your inventory.
  • Recommendations for books, blogs, and YouTube channels that teach cocktail “grammar” (sour ratios, Manhattan/Negroni families) rather than just recipes.

Reaction to the Blog Post & Broader “Lists”

  • Many found the write‑up charming and well‑written, praising the prominent trigger warning about alcohol.
  • Several are inspired to adopt similar long‑term “lists” (cocktails, sci‑fi, etc.) as slow, open‑ended life projects rather than speedruns.