About the project
About & Editorial Standards
TonicDB is an independently maintained drink recipe reference created by alfg. Its purpose is to make recipes easy to find, compare, and prepare while preserving the contributor history behind the collection.
Last reviewed:
- Published recipes
- 1,149
- Credited usernames
- 432
- Community roots
- Since 2019
Where the recipes came from
TonicDB began as a compact, searchable recipe database. Its collection now also includes recipes from OpenDrinks, an open-source project started for Hacktoberfest in September 2019. OpenDrinks accepted recipes as GitHub pull requests, which is why the collection represents many cultures, drink styles, and levels of detail.
The projects were combined so the community collection could live in one actively maintained site. Imported records retain the contributor username and source field supplied to OpenDrinks. Existing TonicDB recipes take precedence when both projects use the same slug, preventing an import from replacing a maintained record without review.
OpenDrinks remains an open-source project, and its source code, contribution history, and MIT license are publicly available on GitHub. TonicDB itself is privately maintained and is not an open-source project.
How recipes are handled
Step 1
Structure and usability
A database recipe needs a name, description, contributor, ingredient measurements, directions, and useful keywords. Import tooling validates those fields before data is written.
Step 2
Attribution
Contributor usernames and source references are retained when they are available. A contributor credit identifies the person who submitted the record; it does not necessarily identify the original creator of a drink.
Step 3
Duplicate handling
Recipes are matched by URL slug during imports. Existing TonicDB records remain canonical when a collision occurs, and collision reports are reviewed rather than silently overwriting a recipe.
Step 4
Editorial curation and guidance
An Editor's Pick receives an additional manual read and an original selection note. Selected high-interest recipes may also receive a TonicDB guide covering technique, serving, common mistakes, and clearly identified variations. These notes explain the published recipe; they do not claim independent test-kitchen validation.
What the site’s labels mean
- Database recipe
- A structured recipe that passed data validation. Publication does not mean it was independently taste-tested or historically verified by TonicDB.
- Editor's Pick
- A manually selected recipe that received the additional editorial review described above and includes an original selection note.
- Editorial guide
- Original TonicDB notes written around the recipe displayed on that page. A guide offers execution and adaptation advice but does not mean every version was independently prepared or historically authenticated by TonicDB.
- Popular or trending
- A maintained discovery list, not a live or statistically audited ranking of TonicDB visitor traffic.
Sources, corrections, and limitations
Recipe pages display a source link when one was included with the record. Some older community submissions have no source because OpenDrinks treated that field as optional. A missing link should not be interpreted as a claim that TonicDB or the listed contributor invented the drink.
Cocktail recipes naturally vary by bar, region, and era. Measurements and techniques on TonicDB document one version, not the only correct version. Check product labels for allergens and make responsible choices around alcohol; the site does not provide medical or health advice.
If a recipe has an error, incomplete attribution, a broken source, or another problem, please contact alfg. Include the recipe URL and, when relevant, a reliable supporting source. Please do not include sensitive personal information.
Advertising and editorial independence
Advertising helps support hosting and ongoing maintenance. Advertisers do not choose which recipes enter the database, influence Editor's Picks, or review TonicDB's editorial notes. Display ad units are limited to individual recipe pages rather than search, ingredient, or policy pages.
Details about analytics, advertising technology, and visitor choices are available in the Privacy Policy.