BarNotes - An App For Social Drinkers

We've made a rule of staying far away from social media when drinking.

But we're breaking it for BarNotes, a new (free) app that harnesses the functionality of tools like Instagram and Twitter with the purpose of showcasing inspired cocktails.

The premise is fairly simple: Users post cocktail recipes that they have created (the form includes the option of posting a photo and notes). Then others can "like" the creation, or follow its creator.

But what sets BarNotes apart is its audience. Early adopters of the app are the bartenders from some of the country's best drinking dens, including Cure in New Orleans, The NoMad in NYC, The Alembic in San Francisco, and The Broken Shaker in Miami.

The app does an impressive job of curating its content, creating lists of recipes under headers like "Staff Favorites" and "Spring Spirits." You can also make lists of your own by saving cocktails that you like.

On a recent evening, we were craving rye: A quick search brought up the Winterfell Manhattan, a drink created by The Alembic's Dan Stone that, according to its note, was named for Game of Thrones.

Long live the drunk dial.