Websites Devoted to the Cocktail
The Cocktail is a special kind of beverage, and to truely understand it and appreciate it take a certain kind of individual. While there might be a huge number of websites that talk about cocktails, there are only a few that really try to help their users understand what a cocktail is.

The following represents what I feel are the best websites to go to in order to learn about the background, history, and construction of quality cocktails. Most of them will contain articles that examine the cocktail, and some will also include recipes and descriptions of ingredients.

	About.com Guide To Cocktails A collection of information on web resources for cocktails and spirits About.com's Guide to Cocktails is dedicated to all aspects of cocktails. It includes hundreds of hand-picked links, a recipe collection of over 700 cocktails, as well as weekly features on cocktail related subjects ranging from bartending to imbibing. There's a bulletin board, chat, surveys, feature drinks, and contests. They even have Screensavers to download, and electronic "Postcards" to send out to people.
	Ardent Spirits A website by Gary and Mardee Regan, perhaps the most prolific authors on the subject of cocktails and sprits today Almost anybody with even a passing interest in cocktails or spirits will have at least one book by the Regans. They have written several of my favorite books, including "New Classic Cocktails", and "The Martini Companion". This is a web site that they have put together in order to help their friends and fans keep track of some of their travels, research, and wry humor.
	Beachbum Berry The Virtual Beach-shack of Jeff "Beachbum" Berry Jeff Berry is the author of two of the most definative guides for tiki cocktails currently available "Beachbum Berry's Grog Log" and it's sequel "Intoxica!". On his website he provides some additional background material and information about Tiki cocktails which will delight any Tiki enthusiast.
	Hotwired's CocktailTime An excellent collection of recipes for quality cocktails. A different drink is featured each week This is a great web site from the folks at HotWired. They offer a weekly special "Drink Of The Week" along with historical background information, suggested menu accompanyments, and witty insight from their resident bartender, Paul Harrington. This is one of my favorite cocktail web-sites, and was the inspiration for me to put my own site together.
	Cocktail : UK Cocktail : UK, classic cocktail recipes and bar equipment made easy An extensive site full of recipes, information, equiptment, and information about bartending.
	Dale Degroff's Cocktail Corner Dale Degroff provides his own insights on cocktails and bartending In addition to running his own site, "King Cocktail", Dale Degroff also has a section on www.BevAccess.com where he provides regular cocktail recipes and bartending information. Dale is argueably one of the best bartenders in the US, and so it's always a welcome sight to see more information from him getting out.
	Esquire Drinking Database A great collection of cocktail recipes and wisdom. You'll find a new cocktail showcased here once a week. It is always exciting to find others who share my passion for cocktails and mixology, and doubly exciting when they love to share that with the rest of us via the web. David Wondrich is the cocktails and spirits expert for Esquire Magazine, and is doing a wonderful job at exposing his readers to the great cocktails that are available. I highly recommend that you check out this website regularly to discover a new drink to add to your collection each week.
	Extreme Bartending Specializing in training bartenders in Performance Bartending Thankfully, they don't appear to refer to it as "Flair Bartending", but the folks at Extreme Bartending do present a focus on the art of providing an entertaining performance as part of the bartending experience. In addition to training seminars, they also hire themselves out for events, trade shows, parties, etc. Looks like a lot of fun... wonder how good their drinks are.
	King Cocktail Dale DeGroff provides and excellent example of Classic American Bartending. Having bartended all over New York for many years, Dale DeGroff has honed his mixology talents to a fine edge, and on his site he shares with you a few of his insights, and recipes, on cocktails. He also has put together a very good bar kit to help you get started making cocktails at home.
	Martini Online A site dedicated to the modern Martini Martini Online contains a collection of nearly 200 different Martini recipes. Their on-line recipe file also allows users to submit their favorite recipes. Asside from the fact that their definition of "Martini" appears to allow fruit juices as well as Vodka to be employed, the site is well put together, and contains some usefull information for the beginner.
	Mattoni Grand Drink Mattoni is an internet monthly magazine sponsored by Carlsbad Mineral Water It might seem a little contradictory for a mineral water producer to provide a web-zine that provides information, news, and recipes related to cocktails, and other alcoholic beverages, but when you get right down to it they are all still just beverages in the end.
	Miss Charming Miss Charming's site presents an energetic and creative collection of information and resources Cheryl Charming is not only the author of "Miss Charming's Book of Bar Amusements" (plus several more related titles on the way), but has also designed a website in which she provides very useful information and resources to both budding and experienced bartenders throughout the world. You'll always find an answer to some question that you never even knew you were asking when you browse around through her pages.
	The Museum of the American Cocktail The nations first museum dedicated to educating the general public in the historical significance of the cocktail in America. In January 2005, The Museum Of The American Cocktail opened up it's first exhibit in New Orleans to a large and receptive crowd. The exhibit is currently housed within the popular "New Orleans Pharmacy Museum", located at 514 Chartres St. just a couple blocks off of Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. If you are planning a visit to New Orleans at any time in the near future, I highly recommend that you stop by the Pharmacy Museum and check out this facinating display of cocktail history and antiquity.
	Shaker Bartending A U.K. based company that specializes in training, consulting, and flair With a variety of courses and offerings targeted at bartenders or bar owners, these guys appear to be trying to deliver the goods on helping their fellow bartenders improve their skill. Now if only they'd learn how to be a little more judicious in the design work on their site...
	Spitzy User submitted cocktails, and message forum I'm not quite sure how the name "Spitzy" fits in here, and something tells me I don't want to know... This site contains a growing collection of cocktails, and includes reporting indicators to let you know which are the best rated, as well as most often viewed. There is also a message forum for discussing a wide variety of topics related to drinking almost any kind of beverage.
	The Ultimate Mai Tai A website that is sigularly dedicated to the Mai Tai An interesting website that is singularly dedicated to the "Mai Tai". This site includes lots of great information about the history of the Mai Tai, as well as user submitted reviews of their favorite places to order them.
	Ziggy's Martini Lounge A website dedicated to the Martini, by a self-described Martini purist This is a website that is relatively narrowly focused at the Martini. Ziggy doesn't hold back with his opinions on how to mix a proper Martini, and like me, he doesn't include Vodka in the equation at all. He backs his views up with a couple of well written articles that discuss the history of the Martini, as well as the Martini -in- history. This site also includes a simple message posting system, in which his users debate not only the Martini, but also the proper music to listen to while drinking one.