Kappeler, George J. (fl. 1895), is the author of Modern American Drinks, published in New York in 1895 and one of the best regarded of all classic bartenders’ guides for its sensible, balanced recipes. Unfortunately, nothing is known about Kappeler himself: although his publishers identified him as “head barkeeper at the Holland House,” one of New York’s most modern and elegant hotels, other than a single appearance in the New York city directory he remains a complete cipher. Any press mentions of him add no information beyond what appears in his book. Whatever his background, his publisher’s 1916 claim that Modern American Drinks was “a standard work because of its reliability” is as accurate in the present cocktail renaissance as it was then. See cocktail renaissance.
Kappeler, George J. Modern American Drinks. New York: Merriam, 1895.
By: David Wondrich