Hi folks,
I've just released a cocktail & mixology app on iOS, and I'm wondering if any one of you esteemed ladies or gentlemen would like to review it? The app normally costs $1.99 but I will obviously give you a promo code to get it for free! Cocktail Masterclasshttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mixology-masterclass/id549733417?ls=1&mt=8 I'm a bartender-turned-programmer, and I created the app because I couldn't find a drinks app which didn't list hundreds of user-submitted recipes, most of which sound like they were created mid-way through a keg-stand!
The idea is that users can feel safe in the knowledge that whatever recipe they want to try, they know they won't be wasting their time (and alcohol!). And there's also a little bit of a learning guide for those that want to learn more about cocktails & bartending.Happy Shaking!Oisin
I would be glad to help you out and review your app.
Salud y pesetas,
Luke
I'm happy to review it. There might be some synergy with Kindred Cocktails, too.
kindredcocktails.com | Cocktail recipe database for professionals and enthusiasts | Craft + Collect + Concoct + Categorize + Community
From the pics presented on the link I see that it is easy to use and sounds very approaching for the begginers and also as a database of recipes.Do you have an explanation of the spirits like you have for the garnishes? It would be good!You can also create a "Note" section so people could make their on notes for each cocktail, like "tried", "tart", "maybe more lemon juice"...
Hope it helps
I'd give anything for a good, quality, non-Spring Breaker cocktail app. I have two on my iPhone4 and they all lean to heavily toward that or are just a mix-match of duplicated recipes with slightly different names.
If you need another tester I'd be happy to help but I'll be brutally honest from a home-enthusiast point of view.
[Stranded on an island essential cocktails: Sidecar, 3:1 Dry Martini with 2 olives, my own Neo Old Fashioned.]
Hey guys! Thanks for the interest ! I've got promo codes for you all, don't hold back on the criticism, I can handle it :P@LukeWMD: FYERFKFJL3Y3. Cheers!@Dan Chadwick: 4WTPEH6X3XWN. Can't believe I've never stumbled across KC in my travels, looks nice. Must try out some of the recipes!@Thiago Cecotti: 6RMYHL7F7LK9. Thanks for the feedback, I'm going for an easy-to-use no-frills style. And yes there is a spirits list, a quick flavour guide. But I like the notes idea, I might have to put that in!
@DanielIDSM: JFWW6EH4X43T. Hopefully this should satisfy your needs. The recipes are all for standard cocktails, no custom ones, but they're the recipes I've been taught (and improved on) from my experience in cocktail bars. Pretty soon I'll add a section for non-standard cocktails which I've picked up along the way.
A small note - The recipes for the classics were created with 'ordinary folk' in mind, and so are just a tiny bit sweeter than you might be used to if you're a cocktail guru. I find that the more classic cocktails a person has drank, the less sweet they tend to like them.
Enjoy!
P.S. If any of you like the app and want to be kept updated on the latest news, feel free to like it on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/MixologyMasterclass
Thanks for the code. I installed it and took a look. Most of my thoughts relate to content, rather than the app itself. I hope you find these helpful / constructive:
The app itself seems nicely written and graphically polished. If you might be interested in collaborating with me, please contact me (click my name above, then "Send an Email").
Whew, okay, it took me a few days to download this - either my net connection was giving me trouble or iTunes was having an off-day. Either way, I have it, thank you for the code!
First impressions:
* I was also first taken by wondering who the target market was. I wasn't confident in my questioning as I'm not a professional - I'm a home cocktail enthusiast with a decent bar that slants heavily toward classics with a mid-shelf budget. However, although I can't comment on a professional's needs I admit I looked at it from my own perspective entertaining guests in my home. To that end I thought the selection was a little thin, but know full-well that can be improved upon easily.
* I was puzzled by some entries, though. Again, since I'm not a pro I qualify any criticism I might offer with "I could be entirely wrong."
Having said that I saw, for example, the Sidecar:
Rocks Glass (I'll admit I've only ever seen cocktail or coupe style glasses, never rocks). The photo itself is not a rocks glass, either.Build & Stir (Again, I've only ever seen a Sidecar prepared by shaking it like there's no tomorrow).Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon Juice (all normal and good proportions) but ALSO Grand Marnier? That seems "off" to me to include that. I think GM as a variant in lieu of other ingredients but not in addition to.Lastly, sugared rim... we've had a conversation here about that and consensus seems to be it's not quite a "classic" preparation of this beloved cocktail (yes, I'm dreadfully biased toward it).
The notes say it's a "French Style" proportion but these other points are beyond proportions.
The point being is it left me wondering what database was used to create the selection? On one hand there are some nice "classics" to be found but, from my entirely amateur experience, they were unusual recipes in themselves.
* If it's hoping to cater to a classic crowd then I wouldn't need to point out why I wouldn't look for the Orgasm recipe. It appears to be a hybrid database. If that's the case perhaps some organization to distinguish classics from contemporaries would be useful?
* Measurements - need conversions.
* It's basic - not that there's not room for growth but a database of simply recipes is already out there from so many other sources. So, I guess I'd suggest differentiating your attractive app with something "more" ...history, charming quotes relevant to the drink/bartender/time period/origin, etc. No need for another giant database of publicly available cocktail recipes.
* Suggest recipe first - photo second OR both presented up front. It felt odd to see the photo only to have to THEN tap for recipe. I'll admit, that's a strange reaction on my part - so I'm not beating up on you.
* Grammar and spell check, in general. Some odd directions for preparation but maybe it's just me - perhaps some people really need guidance in prep. Perhaps that could be a tab/feature in itself? A "how to" section for glassware and prep apart from the cocktail entry itself?
I see Dan touched on some of these and just noticed something I agree with, too - a search feature would be critical. Scrolling is easy, yes, but a good search and maybe a way to create our own "bar" of ingredients of favorites, with personally edited notes/variations would be nice. Again, not to belabor the point but I'm looking for something beyond the public-domain giant database of cocktails out there. I'm looking for something made BY an enthusiast FOR enthusiasts. If I'm wrong about your intended demographic then that's fine - but since you offered it up to Chanticleerians I thought you might want to tap into that more dedicated group.
I'm impressed by the clean and inviting app. Visually, I'd prefer some more style but hey - it's a recipe app at it's core and I'm a graphic designer by profession so I'm never satisfied. ;)
A nice app with potential and thank you so much for the invitation to take it for a spin and give you feedback! I hope it becomes something grand for you. Happy to help more if you need.
Hey guys,sorry I haven't gotten back sooner....been swamped (and my internet being cut off didn't help!)
First off, thanks for taking the time to review the app!To address some of the issues:
--Target Market: The actual market I was aiming for was people who want to start bartending. I was actually looking for something similar when I first started bartending, and couldn't find an app where I knew I could trust the drinks to be good.--The reason there aren't too many recipes is that generally you'll only need to know the core drinks to be proficient behind a bar (~100 drinks). As you gain experience you create/pick-up your own recipes. Although I will be adding a "Craft-Cocktail" section soon....just gotta get permission from some people I've picked up recipes from to use them.
--Measurements: I'm a firm believer in the metric system (sorry guys :P). It allows you to be much more precise, and the imperial system is as outdated as cocktail umbrellas! I believe Cheryl Charming prints her books in the same manner.
--Sidecar: Yup, you're 100% right about the glass and preparation, thanks for pointing out the typos. I got the Grand Marnier tip from a sommelier I met; turns out people like it better in blind tests. But I will add that to the notes section as an extra, as it isn't in line with the "French Style".
--Database: The database I used is all a personal collection; picked up from bars I've worked in and books I've read. Most of them are pretty close to the recipes are pretty close to what I had to make working in 5* environments.
--Layout: Guess I'll have to switch the photo and recipe tabs around, as you're both in agreement about that! The style was supposed to be clean & minimalist, but then again, I'm not a graphic designer so I did my best :P I'm gonna try and get a search feature working, I'm just not to familiar with Objective C yet...
--Spirits List: Yeah I know the terminology is a little off, but I wanted something other than ingredients (because that implies fruit/mixers etc...).Again, thanks for all your feedback guys....I'm gonna try and get a search feature working, add more tips, create a "craft cocktail section" and fix some terminology issues. And hopefully it turns out to be some use to you both!