Crafted Cocktails for the Home Bartender

Summary

Podcast Summary: ALL OF IT with Alison Stewart Episode: Crafted Cocktails for the Home Bartender
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Nicholas Hamilton, Actor, Musician, and Content Creator

---

Introduction to Nicholas Hamilton and Sipsy Doozy

Alison Stewart opens the episode by introducing Nicholas Hamilton and his newly released book, Sipsy Doozy: 100+ Respectfully Crafted Cocktails for the Home Bartender. Nicholas, who boasts a vibrant social media presence with over 1.7 million followers, initially gained fame by showcasing his passion for mixology on platforms like TikTok. His book is a culmination of his extensive experience, featuring a blend of classic cocktails and his original creations, such as the rum-based "Improved Fluff" and the gin-infused "Classy Boy" (00:29).

Nicholas’s Journey into Mixology

When asked about his foray into cocktail making, Nicholas shares his early aspirations of becoming a chef during his childhood in Australia and his dream of appearing on Junior MasterChef. However, relocating to the United States shifted his focus from cooking to mixology, a transition he began during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period became a catalyst for his creative exploration in cocktail crafting. Nicholas recounts a pivotal moment in late 2021 when he documented himself making a drink en route to the Broadway opening of Mrs. Doubtfire. The video unexpectedly garnered over a million views overnight, propelling his social media career forward (01:29).

Nicholas Hamilton (01:34): "I started making drinks during COVID and realized cooking was very difficult to do. Moving to New York in 2021, a spontaneous video of me making a drink went viral, and I've been creating ever since."

Home Bartending vs. Bar Experience

Discussing the differences between crafting cocktails at home and ordering them at a bar, Nicholas emphasizes the creative freedom that home bartending offers. With a well-stocked home bar, he enjoys experimenting with both classic and unconventional recipes. Conversely, when visiting bars, he appreciates the ingenuity of bartenders who often surprise him with unique combinations he hasn't encountered before (02:27).

Nicholas Hamilton (02:27): "At home, you have the freedom to make classic stalwarts or some wacky stuff, whereas at bars, bartenders create unique combinations that keep things exciting."

Rapid Growth on Social Media

Ira Flato interjects to highlight Nicholas's rapid ascension on TikTok. Nicholas admits to being surprised by the swift growth of his follower count, attributing his success to his background in entertainment and his authentic, unscripted video content. The organic blend of his personality and mixology skills resonated deeply with audiences, leading to his expansive reach (03:10).

Nicholas Hamilton (03:23): "Seeing my follower count explode was massive. It opened up a completely different avenue for me, allowing creative freedom without scripts—just me and my personality."

Insights into Successful Cocktail Content

When discussing what types of content perform well, Nicholas points out the importance of balancing trendiness with personal passion. While creating clickbait or trendy drinks like the "Negroni Spagliato" can attract views, his most successful content stems from making drinks he genuinely enjoys. Additionally, he believes that entertainment value is crucial; as long as the cocktail looks appealing and the process is engaging, viewers are likely to try it at home (04:04).

Nicholas Hamilton (04:04): "When people watch the videos, they watch for the drinks but stay for the entertainment. If it looks pretty and is fun to watch, it's a win."

Crafting Sipsy Doozy

Nicholas elaborates on the conception of his book, which began with a personal collection of recipes documented over months. Initially considering self-publishing, he eventually secured a publishing deal, enhancing the book’s design and content quality significantly over two years (05:07).

Nicholas Hamilton (05:07): "I started forming a book on my own and eventually took it to publishers. Now, it’s a lot better and prettier than I could have ever made it myself."

The Essence of the Title

Explaining the whimsical title Sipsy Doozy, Nicholas reveals it originated from his playful interactions during his videos. Originally titled "Hey, Cheers," the name was changed to something more unique and memorable. The term embodies the lighthearted and creative spirit that permeates his cocktail creations (06:09).

Nicholas Hamilton (06:18): "Sipsy Doozy is the right amount of whimsy, capturing the fun and creative essence of making cocktails."

Navigating Flavor Profiles in Cocktails

One of the standout features of Sipsy Doozy is its organization by flavor profiles such as bitter, chocolatey, coffee, creamy, and more. Nicholas designed the book to be user-friendly, allowing readers to easily find cocktails that match their flavor preferences. Each drink is tagged with three flavor descriptors, aiding in quick navigation and enhancing the user experience (07:23).

Nicholas Hamilton (07:23): "By tagging each cocktail with flavors like fruity, floral, or tart, readers can effortlessly find drinks that match their taste preferences."

Balancing Classics with Innovation

Nicholas underscores the importance of classic cocktails in his book, featuring staples like the Old Fashioned and Moscow Mule. He believes that understanding and mastering classic recipes provides a foundational knowledge essential for creating original concoctions. These classics serve as a "backboard of knowledge," enabling enthusiasts to experiment and innovate effectively (08:28).

Nicholas Hamilton (08:45): "The first 20 classics in the book are an encyclopedia of the best classics, providing a foundation for anyone looking to explore original cocktails."

Traditional Techniques vs. Modern Practices

In discussing cocktail preparation, Nicholas advocates for traditional methods over modern shortcuts. Using a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters for an Old Fashioned, instead of simple syrup, he maintains that traditional techniques enhance the cocktail's complexity without making it overly syrupy (09:48).

Nicholas Hamilton (09:49): "Using a sugar cube gives jolts of sugar intermittently, allowing the whiskey's flavor to shine without making the cocktail too syrupy."

The Role of Ice in Cocktails

Addressing the debate over ice quality, Nicholas acknowledges the appeal of clear ice commonly used in high-end bars for its slower melting properties. However, for home bartenders using simpler ice methods, he emphasizes that the most important aspect is the taste. If the ice serves its purpose without compromising the drink's flavor, any ice type is acceptable (10:23).

Nicholas Hamilton (10:23): "Whether you use fancy clear ice or simple bagged ice, as long as you enjoy the taste, it’s perfectly fine."

Highlights of Sipsy Doozy: Signature Cocktails

The Lonely Valentine

One of the standout creations in the book, the Lonely Valentine, is praised for its visual appeal and complex flavor profile. This cocktail is categorized under fruity, bitter, and tart, featuring tequila, Campari, grenadine, freshly squeezed lemon juice, egg white, and aromatic bitters. The egg white adds a velvety mouthfeel and a frothy top, enhancing both texture and presentation.

Nicholas Hamilton (11:17): "The Lonely Valentine looks pretty and is Instagrammable, but it’s also complex and layered, perfect for experienced drinkers."

Singing in the Rain

Described as herbal, fruity, and tart, Singing in the Rain combines tequila and absinthe—a pairing that Nicholas notes is often divisive due to absinthe's strong licorice flavor. He explains that absinthe, once misunderstood and associated with illegality, is now appreciated as a licorice liqueur. This drink is a riff on the classic Hole in the Cup, designed to be approachable despite its bold ingredients (14:16).

Nicholas Hamilton (14:16): "Absinthe has a very strong licorice flavor, which is divisive, but this cocktail is crafted to go down smoothly despite the bold taste."

Tequila Me Elmo

A playful and vibrant cocktail inspired by the beloved Tickle Me Elmo toy, Tequila Me Elmo is a Sazerac riff that blends tequila, Campari, and raspberry. Created during a TikTok Live session, the drink is noted for its striking red hue and balanced flavors. Nicholas enjoys naming cocktails based on viewer suggestions, adding an interactive and fun element to his creations (15:23).

Nicholas Hamilton (15:23): "Tequila Me Elmo is a loose interpretation of a pun, designed to be as red as possible with a hint of yellow, capturing Elmo's essence."

Cafe Rouge

Located about halfway through the book, the Cafe Rouge exemplifies Nicholas's love for simple yet sophisticated techniques. This cocktail marries rich coffee flavors with a float of red wine, creating a layered drinking experience that combines sweetness, bitterness, and dry notes. It’s designed to be easily executable for home bartenders, emphasizing both taste and visual appeal (16:34).

Nicholas Hamilton (16:39): "The Cafe Rouge combines red wine and coffee, allowing for layers of sweet, bitter, and dry flavors that make it a favorite."

Personal Inspirations and Dedications

Nicholas shares heartfelt anecdotes behind some of his creations. For instance, the Dirty Shirley (referred to as Fancy Pants) is a tribute to his late uncle, who favored Southern Comfort. This cocktail blends nostalgia with personal history, reflecting Nicholas's desire to honor his family's legacy through his craft (12:47).

Nicholas Hamilton (12:55): "Dirty Shirley is an amalgamation of my uncle and grandmother, blending Southern Comfort with familial love."

Conclusion and Book Tour Highlights

As the conversation wraps up, Nicholas reflects on the extensive content of his book, likening the process of choosing his favorite drink to choosing children. Highlighting his book tour experiences in cities like Austin and Portland, he mentions the positive reception of cocktails like the Cafe Rouge and the scientific aspects of cocktail-making featured in Sipsy Doozy (16:25).

Nicholas Hamilton (17:50): "Thank you so much, Alison."

Final Thoughts

Alison Stewart concludes the episode by reiterating the essence of Sipsy Doozy as a comprehensive guide for home bartenders, blending tradition with innovation. The discussion provides listeners with valuable insights into the art of mixology, the importance of flavor profiles, and the personal stories that inspire creative cocktail crafting.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Nicholas Hamilton (01:34): "I started making drinks during COVID and realized cooking was very difficult to do."
• Nicholas Hamilton (02:27): "At home, you have the freedom to make classic stalwarts or some wacky stuff."
• Nicholas Hamilton (07:23): "By tagging each cocktail with flavors like fruity, floral, or tart, readers can effortlessly find drinks that match their taste preferences."
• Nicholas Hamilton (12:55): "Dirty Shirley is an amalgamation of my uncle and grandmother, blending Southern Comfort with familial love."

---

This episode of ALL OF IT offers a deep dive into the world of home bartending through the lens of Nicholas Hamilton’s experiences and his new book. Listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and personal aspects of mixology, making it an invaluable resource for anyone interested in elevating their cocktail game.

Transcript

[Ira Flato]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. For those of you who enjoy entertaining guests with a nice homemade cocktail, maybe experimenting with new ingredients, well, this new book is out and it is just for you. It's titled Sipsy Doozy 100 plus respectfully crafted cocktails for the Home Bartender. This book is the creation of Nicholas Hamilton who turned to social media to showcase his passion for mixology. Now he has over 1.7 million followers and a book full of recipes, including true classics like Cosmopolitans and daiquiris, as well as original inventions like a rum based drink called Improved Fluff. One called Classy Boy. Made with gin, elderflower, BlackBerry and egg white. Sipsy Doozy is on shelves now. Its author, Nicholas Hamilton has an upcoming event at the up and up in the west village on Tuesday, June 3. But before then, he joins us today. Hi Nick.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Hi Alison. How you doing?

[Alison Stewart]

I'm doing well. How did you start making cocktails?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

I started ages ago. I started kind of COVID I think everyone kind of got into it during COVID I used to want to be a chef when I was a kid and I wanted to be on Junior MasterChef. That was my big thing back in Australia. And then I moved to the States and then kind of got more into mixology as I realized cooking was very difficult to do. So I started making drinks. And when I moved to New York end of 2021, I, I was going out to a, I was going out to the opening of Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway end of 2021. It was a great show, by the way. Incredible. But I was wearing a suit and I was gonna make a drink anyway, so I decided to video myself and I edited it on the way to the show, hosted it and then the next morning I woke up and it had over a million views. And I've just been doing it since then.

[Alison Stewart]

So what is the difference, what is the difference for you when you make a cocktail at home versus when you order at a bar?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

I think the freedom, obviously, I think the, the creative freedom you have. I have the privilege of having a pretty stocked bar at home now that I've been doing this for so long. I love going out to bars and you get to see kind of inside bar managers and bartenders brains essentially they get to make whatever they want to make. So I love, whenever I go out, I don't really ever order something I've heard of before. I try to get something that I've really never even seen that combination of before. But at home. Yeah, you have. I think you have the freedom to make something classic and a, you know, stalwart cocktail that's going to be easy to drink and you know, you're going to like and you have the freedom to make some wacky stuff.

[Ira Flato]

As you said, people picked up on you via TikTok. First of all, how surprised were you when you turned turned on when you were logged onto TikTok and you saw these many people are following me making drinks?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, it was massive. I was a very quick run up. I think I've been acting since I was a kid, so we kind of. I had like a base of a certain amount of followers, but I think, you know, within a few months we were at a million and it just, it had, you know, exploded. It just, it opened up a completely different avenue for me. Obviously I've been in the entertainment industry for so long, but I think this being I was able to have such creative freedom and was able, you know, I edited my own videos and there's no scripts and it's just me and it's my personality, if not heightened on screen. And to see people, you know, respond to that was really, I guess, gratifying.

[Ira Flato]

What did you learn? Does well on cocktail talk.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

I think there's obviously there's a balance. You can go the very clickbaity, you know, trendy stuff. I remember when, when that interview came out about that Game of Thrones show and the Negroni Spagliato was a drink of choice. I made that. It's one of my most viewed videos now. Obviously you kind of have to lean into that every now and again. I try to just make what I want to drink that night I like. You know, as I said, I have an extensive bar at home and if I want to make an espresso martini with a twist, I'll do that and I'll try and just make it funny along the way. I think what I've noticed is that when people watch the videos, yes, there are certain people watching it for the drinks and they'll make the drink at home. I think a lot of it is if you make it entertaining enough, whatever's in the glass, as long as it looks pretty, should be fine.

[Ira Flato]

My guest is actor, musician, Turned content creator Nick Hamilton. He joins us to discuss his new book, Sipsy Doozy 100 plus respectfully crafted cocktails for the Home Bartender. When did you realize that you had enough recipes to put into an entire book?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, I started pretty early on, I think when I first started making videos. And of 2021, I, you know, I had a notes app from months prior of drinks I've been creating and things I like making. So eventually I just kind of started forming a book on my own, designing it myself just to see what it would look like. And that was over about a year and a half and I eventually had something that I probably could have self published. Ended up taking that to a few, a few publishers and we got a deal. And now, yeah, two years later, it's arguably a lot better, a lot prettier than I could have ever made it.

[Ira Flato]

Where is the title from? Sipsy Doozy?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, it was originally a different title so that I have so many bits on the videos, I think a lot of it.

[Ira Flato]

My guest is Nick Hamilton. His book is called Sipsy Doozy 100 plus respectfully crafted cocktail for the Home Bartender. Nick, can you hear me?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

I'm back. Am I back?

[Ira Flato]

You are back.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Incredible. Sorry, we're on Hotel WI fi in Portland, Oregon.

[Ira Flato]

Understood. All right. You were explaining Sipsy Doozy, where the title came from.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yes. No, we have a lot of bits and that's why people come back to the videos, I think. I think the, the. For example, we have an ice bucket that looks like an urn. So it has, it has grandma across the front of it. I've just got said grandma's chili bones from the, from the, from the first get. So stuff like. But yeah, I mean, for years I've said, whenever I take a drink, I say, we'll take a Sipsy Doozy. And it was originally called hey, Cheers. And that's also something I say at the end of the video, but that was deemed too generic. I think Sipsy Doozy is the, the right amount of whimsy.

[Ira Flato]

I think it's interesting across the top of the book, you have all of these different flavors that make an appearance in the book. I'm going to read them out. Bitter, chocolatey, coffee, creamy, fizzy, floral, fruity, funky, herbal, hot, nutty, rich, smoky, spicy, tart. And they're all in the books and they're all sort of mixed in depending on the sort of the flavor or the profile of the drink. So for the listener, what makes a drink fruity versus floral.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

That's a good Question. I think one of the, one of the main issues I have with cocktail books in the past is the difficulty in navigating them. I think if you're not, you know, extremely well versed in what Campari tastes like and every, you know, all the above, it's, it's really tricky to know what you're going to like drinking in the book, but everyone knows what flavors they like. So if you know that you like a fruity, fruity flavors, more kind of more sweet cocktails, you know that if you flip to a cocktail that has fruity in one of the, one of the tags, then you know you're probably going to like that. So each, each of the drinks have, has three of those tags associated with it. So you can have, you know, a fruity floral tarts drink and it's more likely to be kind of a sweet sour cocktail with some floral elements. I think that's, it's what I've gotten the most compliments on, which is really exciting. I think when I wanted to make a cocktail book, I just didn't want to make a drinks book because I had a TikTok following and that would be enough to sell the book. I wanted to make something that was, you know, actually readable and, and change the game a little bit.

[Alison Stewart]

It's interesting because the book does contain true classics like Moscow Mules and whiskey sours. Why do you, did you feel it was important for people to understand those drinks and what goes into those kind of drinks before you went off on your own inventions?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, definitely. I think the. I started making classic cocktails. That was what I started with. And I think, you know, all if not most riffs on or like original cocktails are riffs on classics. I think those 20 classics that are at the start of the book are just there as a backboard of knowledge. You know, if you're just getting into the drink space and you haven't had an Old Fashioned, you haven't had a Moscow Mule or a Negroni, you can make those. And then it says at the top of the bios of each of those drinks, you know what the riffs in the book of those. I think it's very hard to make an original drink that isn't a riff on a classic because the classics are classics for a reason. So having those 20 there, it's essentially just an encyclopedia of the best classics.

[Alison Stewart]

For example, you have the Old fashioned on page 54 and it says perhaps almost definitely the oldest drink in the book. The Old Fashioned is a good way to Drink whatever whiskey you have that isn't good enough to be drunk neat. But you mentioned that you need a sugar cube.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

That's right. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Explain that to me.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

So the. Yeah, I mean everyone in the past few years has gone on to when they make old fashions, they'll use a simple syrup. The traditional way, the kind of classic way is to douse a sugar cube in Angostura bitters and then put the whiskey over top and stir it all together. I prefer that it gives you a little bit of jolts of sugar every now and again. It still allows you to taste the flavor of the, the whiskey and it doesn't make the whole cocktail too syrupy.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. Where do you stand on ice in cocktails? Just in general, do you. I.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Look, there's, there's different kinds of ice, isn't it? I think the, the, the clear ice world that is. That I think more content creators are getting into is. And obviously very, very fancy bars is awesome and incredible to look at. And I think they, they melt slower. Which is, which is a nice take. I think my thing has always been if you only have a bucket to drink out of and some like bag to ice and you just kind of want to shake a drink up and pour it into the bucket and drink it out of that, I think you should be fully within your rights to do that as long as you, as long as you like what you're tasting.

[Ira Flato]

We're talking to Nicholas Hamilton.

[Alison Stewart]

His book is Sipsy Doozy 100 plus.

[Ira Flato]

Respectfully crafted cocktails for the Home Bartender. All right, about halfway through the book, there's the section that's called mine. Hey, I invented these. And the first one up is the Lonely Valentine. Tell us what inspired this recipe.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

The Lonely Valentine is one of my favorites in the book. I think it's probably the prettiest one. That's why we put it first. But it's. Yeah, it's in that fruity category. It's one of my favorites because it's pink and fluffy and sugar coated. We've got a sugar rim on there. But it's actually when you sip it, it's quite bitter and complex and layered and has a nice evolution. I think that's my favorite type of cocktail is that is something that looks pretty and is Instagrammable but is complex and is going to challenge even the most kind of experienced drinker.

[Ira Flato]

Yeah. If you're looking at this recipe, it's got. It's labeled fruity, bitter and tart. And the ingredients include tequila, Campari, grenadine freshly squeezed lemon juice, an egg white, and some aromatic bitters. So, first of all, what does the egg white do to this drink?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, good question. I get that question a lot. I think the. Especially in recent times with eggs being so expensive. I. What I've turned to is actually, it's in the book, there is a. They call it fee. Foam. It's a foaming bitters, essentially. So you just put a few dashes of this. I can imagine it's only chemicals into this, into the drink, and it'll. It'll foam up in the same way that egg whites get you. So the egg whites are there to give you that kind of velvety mouthfeel, but also that. That froth on top that you see there as well.

[Ira Flato]

I wanted to ask you about a dirty Shirley, or you call it a fancy pants.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Yeah, that's. I love one of my favorite backstories of that one. You're picking great cocktails. This is a. My nan, her name is Shirley. So obviously whenever I. I try to dedicate some cocktails to family members, and when I was going to do one for her, dirty Shirley was kind of obvious. I think a lot of people, when they make, you know, dirty Shirley Temples, the spirit that they choose is usually whiskey or rum or cognac. Something fairly simple. But my. My godfather slash uncle her, my nan's only son, his favorite spirit was Southern Comfort. And that was. I know people have some. Some different feelings. Feelings about Southern cover, but he loved it. He loved shooting it. That was his kind of party, cocktail party, party spirit. And he unfortunately passed away when I was very young to brain cancer. So he's been a massive inspiration to my kind of my coming up and my. My life and my career in general. He was like one of the only entertainers in our family. So he not only has he inspired me in my career in general, but this, yeah, this cocktail specifically, it's an amalgamation of him and my nan.

[Ira Flato]

All right, so this cocktail is labeled as herbal, fruity and tart. It's called Singing in the Rain, and it calls for both tequila and absinthe. Now, you call absinthe, a quote, a divisive flavor.

[Alison Stewart]

Explain why.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

I think absinthe obviously has a very strong licorice flavor, and I think licorice in general is a very divisive flavor. I think a lot of people still believe that absinthe is illegal. It hasn't been for. For a while. I think the. It's all, you know, purely marketing now. But the. The world in which absinthe was illegal. Was a. It was a long time ago. It was made in a different way. Now it's all marketing. Absinthe is essentially just a licorice liqueur slash strong spirit now. But, yeah, licorice in general is very. Is very divisive. The drink that this is a riff off is a. It's called the Hole in the Cup. It's a very classic absinthe cocktail, but it's designed so even though it's a divisive flavor, it should go down pretty quickly.

[Alison Stewart]

And then you go down to the second paragraph, and it says, if you want to explore absinthe further, do try the Sazerac, a classic. And the Tequila Tequil Me Elmo.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Tequila Me Elmo.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, Tequila Me Elmo. All right, explain a Tequila Me Elmo.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

It's one of my favorites, honestly. That was. We. We came up with that one on a. I think it was a TikTok Live. I used to do a lot of TikTok lives, and we would create cocktails and kind of come up with names. So I think what would usually happen is I'd bring out a notebook and put down a bunch of the names that people were saying in the comments in the notebook. Pick one, and then to make a drink that's based off the name. Because coming up with cocktail names is one of my favorite parts of my job. So Tequila Me Elmo is obviously. It's a. It's a play on Tickle Me Elmo. So I wanted to make it as red as possible with a hint of yellow for. For Elmo's nose. So I think if. If I'm correct, I don't have a copy in front of me. It's a Sazerac riff. So there's no. There's no ice in the cocktail. Not served with any ice, served neat, which I attributed to Elmo's hate for Rocco. So there's no rocks in the drink. It's a very loose interpretation of a pun. But, yeah, it's a Tequila Campari Raspberry Sazerac. It's actually very, very, very good.

[Alison Stewart]

What is your favorite drink in this book? Not the one that you said reminded you of your family members, but one that you really, really are like, I hit it. I got a good drink.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Alison, there's a hundred drinks in the book. I think it's like picking children today.

[Alison Stewart]

Who do you like today?

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Right. So we're obviously on the book tour right now. I'm in Portland as of yesterday, but we were in Austin a few days ago. And on the menu at the event in Austin was a drink called the Cafe Rouge. And that's just a really, I think obviously this drink is designed for home bartenders and there's very simple techniques. One of my favorite simple techniques is to float one liquid on top of another liquid. I think it's very scientific and there's a lot of that in this book because it's very easy to do. But so this one, the Cafe Rouge, is essentially a coffee. It's a stirred coffee, Manhattany kind of very rich cocktail with a float of red wine on top. So it's essentially, you know, all the good things in life, red wine and coffee in a cocktail. But you get, because you sip through the red wine as you get to the coffee cocktail. So there's layers of the kind of sweet, bitter, dry red wine and the very sweet kind of rich coffee drink underneath. That's one of my favorites.

[Alison Stewart]

The book is titled Sipsy 100+ respectfully crafted cocktails for the Home Bartender. My guest has been Nick Hamilton. Thanks, Nick.

[Nicholas Hamilton]

Thank you so much, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday team has been reporting high quality science and technology news, making science fun for curious people by covering everything from the outer reaches of space to the rapidly changing world of AI to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Audiences trust our show because they know we're driven by a mission to inform and serve listeners first and foremost with important news they won't get anywhere else. And our sponsors benefit from that halo effect. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.