Cookies
This page lists what CocktailHQ actually stores in your browser today, split into cookies and local storage, and explains the analytics choice you're given. See our Privacy page for how any of this data is used.
Strictly necessary cookies
Reading CocktailHQ sets no cookie at all — the whole site is public, with no account, password or access cookie required. The single exception is our own internal tooling, which is not reachable from the public site and sets one cookie (cocktailhq_internal_access) so an operator isn't asked to sign in on every page. It carries no personal data and isn't used for tracking.
Analytics — your choice
CocktailHQ's analytics don't use a cookie at all — they're anonymous usage events (page views, searches, calculator use) with no identifier attached. Even so, we ask before sending any of these events: the banner shown on your first visit lets you allow or decline analytics, and that choice is remembered in your browser's local storage rather than a cookie. Nothing is sent until you choose “Allow analytics,” and declining (or not deciding) means nothing is sent at all. You can change your mind at any time using the “Cookie preferences” link in the footer.
Advertising cookies
No advertising cookies are set anywhere on CocktailHQ today — Google Ads is not yet enabled (see our Affiliate Disclosure for the current state of any commercial links). If and when ads go live, this page will be updated first, alongside a consent control for advertising cookies specifically — the current analytics choice covers analytics only.
Local storage (not cookies)
Separately from cookies, your browser's local storage is used to remember things like your age-gate acknowledgement, favourites, home-bar ingredients, and your analytics choice — all on your own device, never sent to us as a cookie. Full detail is on the Privacy page.