We all love having a few cocktails at a fancy bar, but we're not so crazy about how much they cost. Fifteen dollars for a mojito, most of which is ice and soda? It's all too easy to blow hundreds of dollars on cocktails, but this doesn't have to be the case.
If you love cocktails, you'll probably enjoy making them too (and they'll probably taste a little better). So, check out these six apps for Android that will help you become a better mixologist.
1. Cocktail Flow
Cocktail Flow has a huge range of cocktails, with recipes, that you can try out at home. There are three ways to find them: either by selecting specific spirits, such as rum or gin, by using the app's search bar, or by browsing through the app's list of cocktails.
Beware, though, you're better off using the first two options, as the app's total list of cocktails is very long. But if you're just looking to explore, scrolling through the whole database is a good idea. You can also find cocktails via the app's seasonal categories, such as those for Christmas or New Year's Eve.
Keep in mind that some of the cocktail recipes on the app can only be found using its premium version for $5 a month, or $20 a year.
Download: Cocktail Flow (Free, premium version available)
2. Mixological
Mixological also offers an extensive selection of cocktails, from daiquiris, to mojitos, to martinis. It operates similarly to the Cocktail Flow app, in that you can favorite your most used or loved drinks, and use a number of different search categories to find the right drinks for you, such as shots, floats, punch, or non-alcoholic drinks.
You can also keep a log of your most recently viewed drinks, so you can easily access them again if you forget to favorite. But make sure you tap that cherry icon to keep track of your preferred drinks.
Download: Mixological (Free)
3. My Cocktail Bar
My Cocktail Bar is a more simplified version of the other apps mentioned here, in that it only offers a limited set of features. While you can search for cocktails, find recipes, and favorite your top drinks, there aren't a wide range of categories you can use to search. There are some categories, such as strong alcohol, juices, and fruits, but these aren't as expansive.
You can, however, create a shopping list of all the things you need to get for your cocktails, and create your own 'bar shelf', which you can use to track the ingredients you've already got to hand.
Download: My Cocktail Bar (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. DIY Cocktail Bar
DIY Cocktail Bar is another useful cocktail app with a super pleasing interface. This app feels more like a Pinterest for cocktails, with a range of different drinks that you can simply scroll through, showing how many users have liked any given one.
You can also see the level of skill that you'll need to make each cocktail—there are options for everyone, from basic to advanced—as well as the overall flavor profile of each drink, such as sweet, fruity, or bitter.
Be aware that the search options aren't as extensive as those you'll find on the Mixological or Cocktail Flow apps, so finding new drinks suited to you might not be as easy. You can, however, use the app's search bar to find specific cocktails.
Download: DIY Cocktail Bar (Free)
5. Shake and Strain Cocktail Recipes
Shake and Strain is another useful app that offers a number of different features that you can use to personalize your bar.
Firstly, the app allows you to use a number of different factors to search for and find the right drinks for you, including searching by ingredients, flavors, strength, method, and type. There's also a search bar you can use if you're looking for a specific cocktail.
Like many of the other apps mentioned here, Shake and Strain also allows you to favorite drinks, and access a lot of different recipes. However, some recipes are reserved for the app's premium version, which costs $4.99 a month.
You can also use the Shake and Strain's shopping list and hashtags features with the premium version, as well as add your own notes to each recipe, and use the 'search for similar' feature too.
Download: Shake and Strain Cocktail Recipes (Free, premium version available)
6. Cocktail Hobbyist
The Cocktail Hobbyist app is similar to most of the other apps mentioned in this list, offering search categories, a large cocktail database, ingredient lists and recipes, but has an added features on top that may just put it a cut above the rest.
The app has a section where you can learn about a number of different aspects involved in mixology, including the basic bar tools required, and the glasses used for different types of cocktails. You can use this to educate yourself on cocktail making, and to ensure you have what you need to get started.
Another fun little feature the app offers is its 'random' search, which is sort of a lucky dip option that will show you a random cocktail that you can try. So, if you're not sure what you want to make, give this feature a go!
Download: Cocktail Hobbyist (Free)
Become a Cocktail Connoisseur in No Time
With the number of apps out there that can help you in becoming a mixology pro, you'll soon have no need for those overpriced drinks at the bar. You can also learn a new skill and expand your knowledge across the board of cocktails when you learn to mix at home.
You can even combine using an app with YouTube tutorials so that you can follow step-by-step videos that may help you in the learning process. Then you can put your new skills to the test while you're hosting a party—you can brush up on your grilling technique at the same time!