How to Batch a Cocktail for a Party

Batching a cocktail is straightforward math with one step people forget: dilution. Skip that step and your batch tastes too strong and unbalanced compared to the same drink made fresh.

Step 1: Pick a recipe that batches well

Spirit-forward cocktails with citrus, like a Margarita or Daiquiri, batch cleanly. Anything with egg white, cream, or fresh herbs that wilt should be made closer to serving time, not batched days ahead.

Step 2: Multiply by your guest count

Take your single-serving recipe and multiply every ingredient by the number of drinks you need. If your recipe makes one drink with 2oz spirit, 1oz lime, 0.75oz syrup, and you need 40 drinks, multiply every number by 40.

Step 3: Add the missing dilution

A shaken cocktail gets roughly 20 to 25 percent of its final volume from ice melt during the shake. A batch skips the shake, so you need to add that water back manually. A standard rule: add 3/4 to 1oz of water per single-serving equivalent in your batch.

Step 4: Combine, chill, hold

Mix everything except carbonated components like soda water or tonic. Refrigerate in a sealed container. Add carbonation and ice only at serving time so the batch doesn't go flat before the party starts.

Step 5: Taste before the party starts

Always taste a small poured glass over ice before your guests arrive. Batches can need small adjustments even with correct math, since fresh ingredients vary batch to batch.

Skip the math entirely

Colorway's numbered bases already have the dilution and ratios built in and tested. If you'd rather not run the math yourself, that's the whole reason the product exists.