Making one good drink is a skill. Making twenty for friends, without running out of ice, overpouring, or leaving out the folks who don’t drink, is hosting. This lesson covers the practical side.
Planning quantities
| Item | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Spirits | A 750 ml bottle gives about sixteen 1 1/2 oz pours |
| Ice | 1 to 2 pounds per guest, more if it’s hot or you are shaking a lot |
| Lemons | About 1 to 1 1/2 oz of juice each |
| Limes | About 3/4 to 1 oz of juice each |
| Tasting portions | Dividing one full cocktail among four people gives each a 1 to 1 1/2 oz taste |
| Water | Have a pitcher and cups on every table |
Batching ahead
For a crowd, mix drinks ahead in a pitcher or bottle. Multiply the recipe by the number of servings. Because a batched drink skips the shaking or stirring, add about 1/4 cup of water for every cup of mix to stand in for melted ice, then chill it well in the refrigerator.
- Add soda or sparkling ingredients at serving time, never ahead. They go flat.
- Fresh citrus fades after several hours. Batch citrus drinks the same day.
- Cream drinks should stay cold and be used promptly.
Lower-alcohol and zero-proof choices
Always offer at least one good drink with no alcohol. Lots of people skip alcohol for health, medication, or simple preference, and they deserve something better than a can of soda.
- Make a zero-proof version of the night’s theme. Most sours work beautifully with the spirit replaced by sparkling water or chilled tea.
- Make lighter versions. Use half the spirit and top with soda, or build drinks around lower-alcohol ingredients like vermouth.
- Serve it in the same nice glass with the same garnish. Nobody should feel singled out.
Taking care of your guests
- Serve food. Something with a little protein and fat slows alcohol down.
- Tell guests roughly how much they will be drinking in total. See the standard drink math in Lesson 1.
- List ingredients or post them. Dairy, nuts, coconut, citrus, eggs, and caffeine all turn up in cocktails.
- Make it easy to say no. “Skip any you don’t want” should be part of every welcome.
- Plan how everyone gets home. No driving, and yes, that includes the golf cart.
Congratulations, you finished the course! Ready to put it to work for a group? Our Host Your Own Tasting guide walks through planning a tasting from start to finish.