Cocktail Underground is the website and CMS for my personal hobby project and YouTube channel, built to showcase craft cocktails while also serving as a technical demonstration of my frontend development expertise including design, deployment, and SEO optimization.
☑️ www.cocktailunderground.com
☑️ Github Repo - Frontend
☑️ Github Repo - CMS
Tech Stack & Hosting
The site is built with React, Next.js, and styled-components, with Strapi as the headless CMS. I host the Next.js frontend on Vercel and deploy the Strapi CMS on Heroku.
SEO Performance
Every page is designed to score in the green on Google Lighthouse, ensuring top-tier performance, accessibility, and SEO. The recipe page includes structured JSON-LD data.
Video Editing and Design
I originally started Cocktail Underground to improve my presentation and video production skills, beginning with just my phone. Over time, I upgraded to a dedicated camera, proper lighting, and professional microphones, significantly improving video quality. Through this process, I’ve also developed stronger public speaking and on-camera presentation skills. I personally handle all video editing and branding design, ensuring a cohesive and high-quality viewer experience.
Affiliate Linking
Cocktail Underground also includes Amazon affiliate linking for monetization. I have built a system within Strapi that allows each recipe to include related tools and ingredients with direct purchase links. This helps users easily find what they need while generating passive income.
