It’s a great time of year for punches and batched cocktails! Punches are an easy option for entertaining, and the recipes are generally written to be mixed in bulk. Many other cocktails can also be easily multiplied for a crowd as long as you remember a few key points while you are batching things up:
- Balance – citrus is a big variable, so when you multiplying a recipe, go easy on the citrus at first, and add more to taste as you mix to achieve the perfect balance. The same rule holds true for bitters!
- Dilution – shaking/stirring is important to both chill and dilute a cocktail. When batching, you’ll want to achieve this as well, either by serving the cocktail over ice or by adding water to the batch before you chill it. When adding water, we generally suggest 1 oz per serving, and chill the batch thoroughly before serving.
- Play it cool – prep and cool your punch for several hours before serving, either by batching everything together and chilling, or by chilling all ingredients before you batch. Also consider your serving vessel, and plan accordingly. If you have a punch bowl, a large block of ice will keep drinks cold without melting and diluting too fast. If you are presenting cocktials in a pitcher, a tray of glasses and ice on the side will make self-serving easy for your guests.
- Keep it bubbly – If you are doing a fizzy punch, add the chilled sparkling elements right before serving, and don’t over mix. One quick, gentle stir is enough – too much stirring, or too much time in the punchbowl, will mean a flat punch.
- Warming it up – Hot drinks are great options in the winter, and a crock pot is an easy way to offer a warm tipple while keeping the stove top free. Add the spirits just before serving, and keep the heat setting low.
- Garnish – A nice garnish really elevates a home party, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we prep our garnishes ahead of time in a nice little bowl so they are ready to go. Adding fruit slices, herbs, and flowers to a punch bowl is also a nice touch, and you can even freeze them into your ice block!
- Avoid egg white drinks – Cocktails that require egg whites generally don’t batch up well (unless you are making a pitcher of eggnog to be served immediately). They also take a good amount of shaking to incorporate, and there is a risk that they won’t emulsify in a batched cocktail, and they’ll separate in the bowl. Save those drinks for a smaller gathering.
These tips should help make your entertaining easier. The key is to plan ahead, and prep as much as possible. Having a signature drink is an elegant touch, and certainly will free you up for other hosting duties.
Great Punch Recipes
Here are a few recent cocktails we’ve shared that make great punches, too:
- Fuji Sparkler – with either North Shore Vodka or Aquavit – Private Reserve, fresh lemon, spiced apple syrup and sparkling cider – for punch version, simply multiply ingredients by # of servings desired and double the apple cider. Garnish with lemon or apple slices, cinnamon sticks, or several garnishes.
- Sweet Sol Sour – with Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka, cranberry, brown sugar syrup, fresh lemon and cinnamon. For the punchbowl version, simply multiply by # of servings desired and either serve over a lot of ice, or add 1 oz water per serving. Garnish with lemon & orange slices.
- Eden’s Prayer – with either Tahitian Vanilla Vodka or Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur and fresh lime – for the punch version, multiply by # of servings desired and add 1 oz water or club soda (if you like bubbles) per serving. Garnish with orange and lime slices. This one is a bit boozier and a bit sweeter than the others, which might be just right depending on how much you like your relatives!
Now, go forth and celebrate… Cheers and Happy Holidays!
