Martin’s Index of Cocktails at Mac App Store analyse

This is absolutely the best cocktail app on the market. Whereas some apps just dump cocktail recipes into a clunky interface without background or context, Martins Index really digs deep for the true bar geek who appreciates the vintage classics and lost gems of the cocktail realm. The apps secret weapons are the ingredient descriptions: Tap an ingredient in a recipe and youll find out what it is, where it is from, how it is made, what its history is, and what the best brands are to buy. Further, the app is a living document that updates FREE to all buyers. When I bought the app, the database had about 1500 recipes. As of this writing, it now stands at about 2500. Add to this the quick bar inventory function and the advanced sorting abilities and you have the perfect vintage cocktail app. Get it. It is definitely worth the asking price.

Id written to the developer to request annotations, and here it is. Must have cocktail app; well worth any price.

My only complaint about this app is that so many of the recipes are just bad-to-bland. But thats not the creators fault, as its a superb historical collection. I stopped using the app much because of this — because there are SO MANY RECIPES, its hard to keep track of what youve tried and what was good and bad. But with this latest release, theyve added the ability to add you own notes, which is the only thing this app was missing. With that, Im definitely going to be digging in again!

Though I’m reviewing this as it is fairly new and only contains drinks from pre-Prohibition sources, this app is well worth its price. That it will continue to expand with new recipes, sources, ingredients, and historical notes makes it a bargain. Detailed, accurate recipes with proper source attribution. Multiple ways to explore drinks not only related by specific indexed information (e.g., source or ingredients) but related through curatorial observation (e.g., the Merry Widow Cocktail from 1909 is basically the same as the Diplomate Cocktail from 1922) or the Marguerite’s role as a proto-Martini. Excellent home inventory management tied clearly to “drinks you can make” with your current ingredients, or the addition of 1 or 2 more. Lists of relevant brands for ingredients, quite useful in mapping a modern ingredient to its differently named ancestor (e.g., “pimento dram” available as St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram). Links from ingredients back to all the recipes which use them; so handy for those moment like “Well, I bought this creme de violette for the Aviation, now what else can we make with it?” That’s not a complete list of features by any stretch, but ones which have especially delighted me so far. I will also note that the creator of the app is very responsive to issue reports and feedback. Updates are one easy click when launching the app and load fast; I’ve seen two updates come in at least and the app hasn’t been out two weeks yet. In short, this is a magical font of drink knowledge which will keep flowing for your happiness!

Please make more like this.

Ive been stubbornly holding on to my copy of Cocktails+, may be able to let it go now. Immediately upon download, there were updates, which is promising. UI is solid, works well on my aging iPhone 4S. I you blanch at the price tag, consider that to collect reference on all this number of recipes even as eBooks would cost an order of magnitude more.

Instant access to the greatest knowledge, with all the modern conveniences of "in my bar" filters and unit conversions. I still use Cocktails+ miraculously, and am happy to see its reincarnation with ongoing support!