About
Welcome to Cocktail Magic
My name is Josie and I am an experienced Mixologist and Bartender. Cocktail Magic is my passion project where I get to share with you my favorite cocktail recipes, write cocktail reviews and compare cocktails that may be similar at first glance but have lots of interesting differences.
In short, my mission is to immerse you in a world where every drink tells a story, every spirit has a history, and every cocktail is a masterpiece waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re an experienced mixologist and bartender like me, or just love to play around with cocktails at home, we have something for everyone.
Join me on the journey! Sign up for my newsletter and I will personally keep you up to date with creative cocktail recipes, cocktail reviews, tips and tricks.
Read on below to find out a bit more about me!
About Me
I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio
The kind of place where everyone knows each other’s business, and it’s all about who brings the best casserole to the neighborhood potluck. My family wasn’t into the whole cocktail scene—Mom worked as a nurse, and Dad was a plumber. They were both about practicality, so when I showed an interest in chemistry, they were all for it. I got my degree in chemistry from Ohio State, thinking I’d end up in a lab, maybe creating the next big pharmaceutical breakthrough. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen.
I did end up working in a pharmacy for a few years after college, though. It was fine. Steady job, decent paycheck, and it let me geek out over formulas. But after a while, I started to feel trapped, like I was just going through the motions. It’s funny because people assume chemistry is all about being precise, but there’s creativity there too. I guess I missed the creative side of things, the part where you get to experiment.
The Night I Discovered Cocktails
One night, I was hanging out with some friends at a speakeasy in New York while visiting, and I couldn’t stop watching the bartender behind the bar. She wasn’t just mixing drinks—she was crafting something. That’s when it clicked for me. Mixology was just chemistry with a twist. So I took a leap, packed my things, and moved to New York. I enrolled in a bartending school, picked up the basics, and then dove straight into the deep end at one of the busiest bars in Manhattan.
Now, I live in Brooklyn, in a little apartment that’s just big enough for me and my cat, Luna. She’s a rescue—scrappy, independent, and way too picky with her food. When I’m not behind the bar, I’m usually trying out new cocktail recipes or tinkering with old ones in my tiny kitchen. I also love hitting up flea markets on the weekends, hunting for vintage barware. There’s something about mixing a cocktail in a glass that has a little history to it.
What’s important to me?
Balance. Not just in cocktails, but in life. I’ve learned that you need a little sweetness to offset the bitterness, a little fire to wake up the senses. The person who inspires me most is probably my old chemistry professor, Dr. Greene. She always used to say, “The greatest discoveries happen when you stop following the recipe.” I think that applies to cocktails—and to life.