Here's a multiple choice question -- if you're reading this it means you:

(a) met me and/or my supersmart and lovely wife
(b) saw a Society of Unrepentant Drinkers shirt
(c) found a business card for the Wulf Cocktail Den

while you were

(d) at the Tales of the Cocktail conference
(e) on the streets of, or in a bar in, the great city of New Orleans
(f) in a holding cell (just kidding ...... right?)

I'm honored that you decided to come into the Wulf Cocktail Den.  The Den evolves along with my  interest in the wonderful world of cocktails.  I post about various cocktails, cocktail related topics, and even some of my original creations.  You can click on the categories or archives on the right if you don't know where to start.  You might see some recurring themes that do not appear as a category, e.g. my passion for the James Bond franchise and my visceral hatred of Maraschino cherries.

So raise a glass of your favorite cocktail, and welcome to the Wulf Cocktail Den!

There are few rules in the Wulf Cocktail Den.  The recipes here are more general guidelines.  Feel free to experiment with proportions of the ingredients, or substitute different liquors, bitters, etc.   That being said, you should be aware of some of my personal  preferences and guidelines:

1.  I prefer cocktails that are mostly, if not entirely, composed of liquor.  I do use citrus juices in some of my cocktails, and I don’t care for soda or carbonated beverages.  From what I understand, if you’re looking to maintain or lose weight, it is the non-alcoholic ingredients in a cocktail that are a disaster.

2.  The fewer ingredients the better.  I’m a big fan of the KISS principle – keep it simple, stupid.

3.  When using juices, if possible go with fresh over processed.  Even someone with an unsophisticated palate like me can tell the difference.  There’s almost always an assortment of lemons, limes, oranges, and the occasional grapefruit in my kitchen …… purely so I can use them as ingredients and/or garnish.

4.  Just because you put a cocktail in a martini glass doesn’t mean it is a martini.  Technically a martini must have vermouth and vodka and/or gin.  Of course, I will call something a martini if it is in a martini glass and you should, too.  I simply ask that you recognize what makes something a classic martini.

5.  Have fun.

6.  See #5.

It is a wonderfully simple and profound statement.

So why did I start this blog?  I enjoy making and creating cocktails.  My tastes have evolved, and they will continue to evolve. Over the years I’ve made cocktails for my lovely wife (who also is my social media expert) and friends. I’ve shared my creations and recipes with a relatively narrow group of people.  I have considered expanding my passion for cocktails to a wider audience but never took that first step. The tipping point came when I attended the Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans in 2014. I was among “my people” (someone who appreciates a good cocktail) and decided it was time to do what I can to expand and enhance the cocktail experience for others.

In the parlance of the conference, I am a proud cocktail enthusiast.  What I am not is a bartender. I recognize that I cannot do what they do.  If you can’t do what they do (or even if you can), remember to tip generously.  Watching a great bartender do his or her thing is like watching poetry in motion.

I hope to inspire you as others have inspired me.

Legal stuff, part one – Wulf Cocktail Den reserves all rights.

Legal stuff, part two – Drink responsibly.  If you do not, please do not get behind the wheel (in high school a friend of mine died in a drunk driving incident).  Also, don’t be a bad drunk.  You don’t want to be “that guy” or “that lady.”