Michael Crespin
Neo-historian in cocktails
Neo-historian in cocktails
Entrepreneur
Open to opportunities
About Me
Neo-historian in cocktails. Founder of Cocktail Mag.
My main mantra: respect for the authenticity of recipes, because every cocktail tells a story that must be respected.
My main mantra: respect for the authenticity of recipes, because every cocktail tells a story that must be respected.
Neo-historian in cocktails
Cocktail Mag
Since December 2012
- Founder of Cocktail Mag. A bar professional turned independent researcher in cocktail history, my career has been built at the crossroads of practice and analysis.
- My career began in 2007 at the Helder in Tours (France). The Helder was much more than a bar, much more than a brasserie; it was a magical place. People who walked through the door left with memories. Just like those who worked there.
The atmosphere was warm, friendly, and festive. It was lighthearted. Our days were filled with laughter and good cheer.
The managers were true connoisseurs and deeply humane men. Diplomatic, understanding, and attentive. Never any hatred, never any bad temper, never any contempt. That's how they taught me rigor and excellence, and how they passed on to me not only a profession but also a mindset: respect for others.
The Helder was a place that breathed humanity. But its closure, the result of a municipal decision, left a void. A void in the landscape. A void in our hearts. Including my own. I still feel a real sense of bitterness about it. Some places shouldn't disappear. Some places should be a model for so many others. The Helder was one of them. Absolutely.
And it was in this memory factory that I made my first cocktails. - In 2012, I founded Cocktail Mag, a platform for both knowledgeable amateurs and professionals. The site was structured around a directory of classic cocktails, presented in a clear and user-friendly format, along with a magazine section.
And without realizing it, Cocktail Mag would soon lead me to a rather complex discipline: the history of cocktails. - It was in 2023 that I began my personal research into the history of cocktails. It's a terribly long and tedious undertaking, but it has become my passion.
And beyond a passion, working on the history of cocktails is truly important, because the research allows us to rediscover the original recipes. My main mantra was born: respect for the authenticity of the recipes, because each cocktail tells a story that must be respected.
