Cocktail & Coffee Apps
Bartending, espresso, homebrewing — at home.
Mixel / Cocktail Flow
Free; $3-7 PremiumRecipe library. Filter by what bottles you have.
Best home bartender.
Pirate's Grog Diary
FreeTrack your home bar inventory.
For collectors.
Endless cocktail and coffee recipes. Visual inspiration.
Always free.
James Hoffmann YouTube
FREEWorld's best coffee channel. Honest, funny, deep.
Best free coffee learning.
Beanmark / Sprudge
FREE/webFind specialty coffee shops + roasters.
Coffee aficionados.
Trade Coffee
SubscriptionSpecialty coffee delivered. Match to your taste.
Best discovery.
Brewer's Friend
FreeFor homebrewing beer.
Beer hobby.
CO Boil / Brewfather
$30-100/yrSerious homebrew tracking.
For dedicated brewers.
Home bartending starter kit
- Boston shaker set ($20-30).
- Jigger ($5-15).
- Bar spoon ($5).
- 5-6 bottles to start: gin, vodka, bourbon, vermouth, bitters, simple syrup.
- Citrus juicer.
- Ice mold for big cubes.
- Total: ~$200 to make 50+ classic cocktails.
Specialty coffee starter
- Burr grinder ($150-300) — biggest single quality difference.
- Kettle with temperature control ($60-100).
- Pour-over (Hario V60 or Chemex) — $20-40.
- Scale ($25).
- Fresh whole-bean coffee from Trade or local roaster.
Sourdough hobbyist?
"The Perfect Loaf" website has the best free sourdough guide. Pair with King Arthur Flour\'s recipe library. Get a kitchen scale ($25), a Dutch oven ($40), and a sourdough starter (or buy one online for $10). Bread for life.