Batch cocktails: the summer party lifesavers

The Guardian

22-07-2025

What batch cocktails are best for summer parties?Ella, by emailFirst things first: stand down that cocktail shaker. When you have more than a handful of people over, you need drinks that scale up easily. And a paloma never fails to hit the hot weather happy-hour spot, says Max Venning, director of Three Sheets bars in London and co-author of Batched and Bottled Cocktails. 'It's great for a garden party, because you just whack it all in a jug and into the fridge in the morning, then all you need are iced glasses and soda water.' Combine 350ml good-quality blanco tequila ('Ocho or Volcan are my go-tos'), 250ml fresh pink grapefruit juice, 10ml tomato vinegar ('or white balsamic') and two tablespoons of caster sugar, stir until the latter dissolves, then chill. 'While you're waiting for your guests, coat half the rim of your glasses with a mix of salt, a touch of ground black pepper and a sprinkle of ground cumin: wipe half the outside rim with grapefruit, put the salt mix on a small plate and gently press the wet part of the glass into the salt, so it sticks.' When you're good to go, fill each glass with ice, fill halfway with the paloma mix, top with soda and stir gently: 'Garnish with edible flowers or a grapefruit slice.'
Another party starter, says Alex Lyonness, bar manager at Luca in London, is a naked and famous, which, happily, is 'quick to batch because it's equal parts mezcal, Aperol and yellow chartreuse, and quick to build because it's 60ml of that mixed with 20ml lime juice'. Sandia Chang, meanwhile, would lean more towards a 'lighter' negroni: 'We often pre-batch a cocktail that's a cross between an americano and a white negroni, which is equal parts Lillet Blanc and Suze,' says the co-founder of Bubbleshop and Kitchen Table, who serves that mix of classic French aperitifs over ice and topped up with soda.
If you're looking to bung things together a little further in advance, try a cherry americano, Venning says: 'Mix 300ml Campari, 300ml sweet vermouth and 100ml cherry cordial, and store in a clean, sealed wine bottle in the fridge.' To serve, pour 50ml of the mix over ice, top with soda water and garnish with an orange slice. Or, if you're feeling fancy, pour 30ml into a flute, top with sparkling wine and garnish with an orange twist. If you're heading out, though, perhaps to the park or beach, Venning's batch drinking concept (to be consumed in moderation, naturally) would be a 'British coastal negroni': It's lighter than the classic, and a perfect sundowner. Mix 200ml Campari ('or, for a brilliant British take on it, Forgotten's ultrasonic bitter aperitivo'), 200ml red vermouth ('I use Vault Aperitivo's Forest', staying on the British theme), 200ml gin ('Hepple, for preference'), 20ml blackcurrant cordial, 100ml water and two drops of optional orange flower water, then tip that into a Thermos with a handful of ice cubes.
Of course, cocktails don't necessarily mean booze: 'When I was pregnant, Chang recalls, 'I often made delicious, flavoured iced teas to take to the park, and a particular favourite was hojicha tea infused with slices of lime, mint and a little brown sugar.' She also recommends iced green tea with honey and apple marigold. Now that's sure to keep everyone sweet.
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