The App Store has some very nice apps with instructions for making cocktails. Type "cocktails" in the search field and you'll see a nice selection. Now, developer Unowhy from France has put together a very nice app with video, social features, and even information on the history of cocktails. iVideoCocktails [App Store link] is $3.99US and has detailed instructions for creating 50 cocktails. The video has to be downloaded to the iPhone or iPod touch, so 3G or Wi-Fi is a must.

You can let the app know what you have on hand, and it will suggest what you can make with your ingredients. You can also get a random suggestion, or just explore the database for something that interests you. You tell the app how many people you are mixing the drink for, and it will adjust the ingredients list. It also contains a nice list of non-alcoholic drinks that should please those so inclined.

The videos are very well produced, and obviously not the work of amateurs. I did notice that sometimes the videos were a bit slow to load, and a couple of times they stopped in mid-play, but eventually they picked up. The videos are not required to make the drinks, but they are a nice instructional touch.

Although not the only iPhone app that helps you make cocktails, it is well organized and visually attractive. My only gripe was the 'send to friend' function. I thought it would allow you to email a recipe for a drink to someone, but instead sends a pre-formatted email suggesting they go to the App Store and buy this program. Boo. You can also get ten more cocktail recipes by filling out a brief form and providing your email address, and answering some marketing questions about other services the developer might provide. Double boo.

Otherwise, this is a solid app that does what it advertises, and does it with visual style. A handy thing to have in your pocket when you want to drink something different, or see what you could create with what you have on hand. I'll drink a toast to this clever app.

If you want to spend your money on drinks rather than iPhone apps, here is a link to Cocktails, and Cocktails + which are free. (Note: Although the icon on Cocktails+ notes that it is free, it is still apparently $2.99US. It was free for a limited time last week, and Apple apparently did not update the icon.)

Screen shots below:

If you frequent the bar, or just like to have the occasional drink, then a new iPhone application has Got Your Back. As a matter of fact, that is the name of the application; except it is spelled BAC (as in Blood-Alcohol Concentration). With this application you will know exactly when you should call a taxi.

When you first launch the application, you'll enter some personal information, like age, weight, and gender, so the application can calculate your BAC correctly. The main display shows four drinks on a table. You can change the type of beverage by double-tapping and selecting a different one -- the icon will also change. Each time you drink a beverage, you drag the icon off the table and onto the screen. The BAC, Carbs, Calories, and number of drinks will be updated in the top-left corner of the screen. As you add drinks, these numbers will increase. The red line across the screen indicates the legal limit -- when you're above this line, a new button will appear called "call a taxi." When tapped, this button will launch the Maps app and search for taxis.

I love subtle UI features, and this application definitely has some: from the icon sets for beverages, to the sloshing liquid when you tilt the iPhone. The application is really great, and I would love to see the developer create a caffeine calculator that does the same thing. I would like to see the ability to input a number for a designated driver, that way you don't have to fumble through your contacts or call a taxi. Got Your BAC is available from the App Store for $2.99 (US). And, remember, the best thing to do is to not drink and drive.