Who Was George j. Kappeler?

There is not much known about George j. Kappeler beyond the one thing that he is famous for and that is the publication of the cocktail guidebook "Modern American Drinks: How to Mix and Serve All Kinds of Cups and Drinks" published in 1895. The majority of the recipes within the book are not his, they are ones he learned while working as a bartender. He was the head barman at the Holland House Hotel. It was during his time at the Holland House that he put together the book that he is most famous for.

The book contains 456 drink recipes with an estimated 36 to 75 being attributed to Kappler himself. "Modern American Drinks" Contains one of the earliest recorded recipes for the now famous Manhattan cocktail.