Make Big-Batch Drinks in Advance for the Easiest Holiday Cocktail Hour

No matter how carefully you compose your grocery lists, curate your recipes, or tailor your run of show, there inevitably will be an “oh, hell” moment during the holidays at some point before guests arrive. But with a bit of advance planning, and, crucially, by making a big batch of cocktails a few days ahead, you can throw a great, chaos-free happy hour — and enjoy it, too.

Choosing the right kinds of cocktails to batch and storing them properly is key. Not all cocktails can be premade equally. “Alcohol doesn’t freeze, but mixers do,” says Vancouver-based bartender Kaitlyn Stewart. “Any batched drink that is primarily spirit-forward, like a Martini, Negroni, or Manhattan, can easily be stored in the freezer.” 

The lower the alcohol content of a given ingredient, the higher the water content, making it more likely to freeze. That can adversely affect a cocktail’s flavors and textures: “Any drink that is mixer-heavy, like a margarita or punch, should be stored in the fridge, not the freezer,” says Stewart.

And while cocktail ingredients often have more longevity than, say, the dairy you’re mixing into mashed potatoes, some last longer than others. “Fresh citrus juice is ideal for making drinks, but it does have a shelf life,” says Stewart. As citrus juices oxidize, they lose their fresh, punchy flavors; if you make batched cocktails with them, enjoy them within a week. 

Here are 9 recipes for batched cocktails that make holiday happy hours a breeze.