If you are hosting an event at home and you’re looking for ways to make life easier, chances are you’ll be prepping ahead to spend more time with your guests and less in the kitchen once the bell starts ringing. And while there’s plenty of time and effort to be saved by planning out the dishes, drinks are often left for the last minute (think along the lines of running to the convenience shop to get some ice and limes five minutes before closing time).
But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, just as there are some dishes that taste better when made in advance (lasagna anyone?), there are several cocktails which you can make in batch and serve on the day. The flavours will integrate and you won’t have to worry about impromptu displays of “messology”.
Below, you’ll find five delicious batched cocktails to try at home. But first, let us introduce you to your secret weapon when making batch cocktails: homemade simple syrup.
As its names suggests, it’s very easy to make. All you do is heat equal parts of sugar and water in a pan until the sugar dissolves. You can get creative and add flavours or use brown sugar, but the basic form will work for the recipes below.
Another point is that some cocktails require a bit of water to make up for the dilution in their individual version. You can still add some ice, but they won’t need as much and you can chill them in advance.
Below, you’ll find five delicious batch cocktails to surprise your guests. If you want to include something very seasonal, you can always make a festive batch of homemade mulled wine, or keep it fresh and simple with a classic fruity punch bowl.
A favourite in the bar (check out our selection of the best Old Fashioneds in Ireland), this cocktail is very easy to make at home, but just think of the sugar spilling and the disorderly orange peeling…nope. Instead, keep calm and mix all you’ll need in one bottle.
Serves 10 – 12
Ingredients:
– 24 ounces of Bourbon
– 30 dashes of Angostura bitters
– 2 ounces of simple syrup
– 4 ounces of water
– 12 Orange peel twists (garnish)
Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir until combined.
2. Pour on a 1 lt bottle.
3. Cut the orange twists for garnishing in advance and wrap them on cling film to keep them fresh. Guests can help themselves when serving.
Tip: You can infuse the simple syrup with orange peel to give it more flavour and skip the garnishing.
One of the most popular drinks this year is the Negroni. It combines two ultra trendy ingredients, gin and Italian bitter liqueur (Campari on this case), into a tipple that awakens bartenders imaginations everywhere. But worry not, we won’t ask you to craft your own amaro or source it from a remote Italian village (although that’d be pretty cool too), we will give you a delectable, no-nonsense guide to make it for your guests.
Serves 10 – 12
Ingredients:
– 8 ounces of dry gin
– 8 ounces of sweet vermouth
– 8 ounces of Campari
– 8 ounces of water
– 12 Orange slices (garnish)
Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir until combined.
2. Pour on a 1 lt bottle.
3. Slice the orange for garnishing and wrap the slices on cling film to keep them fresh. Guests can help themselves when serving.
Tip: While a classic dry gin is ideal, depending on your preference, you can change the type of gin to something more floral.
This classic three-ingredient cocktail is already incredibly easy to make but you can always optimise by batching it. Since it has fresh juice, it’s better to prepare it closer to the serving time. Earlier on the day or the night before should be enough (otherwise it won’t be as fresh).
Serves 10 – 12
Ingredients:
– 15 ounces of Cognac
– 5.5 ounces of triple sec
– 5.5 ounces of fresh lemon juice
– 4 ounces of water
Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir until combined.
2. Pour on a 1 lt bottle.
Tip: You can add simple syrup to taste to make a sweeter version of this drink, between two to four ounces should do.
This is a bartender’s cocktail (The Blind Pig’s Paul Lambert is known to be fond of it). The fact that it doesn’t require fruit juice or fresh ingredients makes it a fantastic option for people that want maximum taste with minimum mess (surely that’s a big reason why bartenders like it so much…and so will you!).
Serves 10 – 12
Ingredients:
– 16 ounces of white rum
– 5 ounces of Grand Marnier
– 8 ounces of dry vermouth
– 1 ounce of grenadine
– 4 ounces of water
– Maraschino cherries (garnish)
– Orange peel (garnish)
Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir until combined.
2. Pour on a 1 lt bottle.
3. Slice the orange for garnishing and wrap the slices on cling film to keep them fresh. Guests can help themselves when serving.
Tip: You can shake it with an ice in a mixing glass and reduce the water, or you can simplify things by using a big rock of ice. If you’re going to present it as a punch, you can have an even larger block of ice keeping it chilled (a medium sized Tupperware can double as mould).
Few cocktails say party (or should we say, fiesta) like the Margarita. This mouth-watering tequila superstar is fun, festive and very easily transformed into a pitcher-friendly tipple. You can prepare salt rimmed glasses ahead of time to make the occasion extra special.
Ingredients:
– 15 ounces of white tequila
– 8 ounces of Cointreau
– 7 ounces of lime juice
– 4 ounces of water
Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir until combined.
2. Pour on a 1 lt bottle.
3. Serve well chilled.
Tip: Instead of bottling it, you can serve it in a pitcher with ice and slices of lime.
Gabriela’s passion for writing is only matched by her love for food and wine. Journalist, confectioner and sommelier, she fell in love with Ireland years ago and moved from Venezuela to Dublin in 2014.
Since then, she has written about and worked in the local food scene, and she’s determined to discover and share the different traditions, flavours and places that have led Irish food and drink to fascinate her.
Gabriela Guédez Gabriela Guédez