4 Batched Cocktail Myths And Misconceptions, Busted By The Pros

Decades into the cocktail boom, and some of the world’s busiest and most prestigious bars show few signs of slowing down. Combine that demand with increasingly intricate cocktails and pickier-than-ever consumers, and efficiency becomes paramount to any world-class operation.

To that end, more and more cocktail programs are doubling down on pre-batched, pre-mixed, and pre-made, exploring which drinks can be prepared en masse without compromising on flavor. In fact, for certain sips, some mixologists point out that pre-batched drinks can result in more integrated flavors. That’s only accelerated the push to find that perfect pre-made drink.

But a myth persists that the large format trend is relegated to only high-end speakeasies and tough-to-book locations. In fact, making multi-serving drinks ahead of time can be done at home, often with basic ingredients, tools, containers, and a working fridge. Indeed, pre-batching cocktails at home can be a secret weapon in preparing for that next dinner party or celebration (with some intentional planning, of course).

We asked five of America’s most respected cocktail pros to help us bust some myths and misconceptions around large-format cocktails—so you can create the best experiences at home.

Misconception: Batched Cocktails Take Away The “Art” Of Mixology

Let’s start with one of the most egregious (and pervasive) myths in all of mixology: Batching cocktails is not the “easy” or “cheap” wayout.

“In reality, all the world’s best bars use batching as the foundation for their programs,” says Linden Pride, co-founder of New York Cocktail Club and owner of New York City’s Dante. At Dante’s two NYC locations, batched cocktails are a staple of the multi-time award winning menus.

“It ensures consistency of signature drinks, and speed. Batched cocktails are the secret of how the world’s best bars create and maintain world class programs.”

At the same time, batching isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and it pays to be picky about what’s pre-made on a menu. As a bar program head, choosing which cocktails can be most effectively pre-batched is a crucial decision that has ramifications for both quality and efficiency.

“Another misconception is that any cocktail can be batched, yet some cocktails (like those with dairy, egg whites, or muddled ingredients) don’t batch well because they rely on fresh preparation or specific textures,” says Jason Hedges, author and Director of Beverage at LT Hospitality.

Ultimately, for busy bars and restaurants, batching’s main advantage is the same as it is at home—namely, giving preparers and servers valuable time during the busiest stretches. That’s as true at the world’s top bars as it as at home.

“It’s critical in a busy space to be available and approachable to guests that are interested in what you are doing, trying to order or interact with you. By combining liquors and preparing more stable syrups in advance you can achieve this without sacrificing quality. This allows you the ability to accomplish so much more during service or an event, says Kip Moffitt, Head Bartender at New York City’s Superbueno.

Below, Moffitt shared one of his favorite batched creations: “Amber Waves,” named for Julianne Moore’s character in the movie Boogie Nights.

“This is a riff on a white negroni, and is great for batching because it’s equal parts and makes about 35-40 cocktails,” Moffitt told Forbes.

Amber Waves

Ingredients

• 750mL Bols Genever
• 750mL Salers Aperitif
• 750mL Cocchi Americano
• 750mL Nonino
• Amaro 900mL water

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients and pour into bottles.
• Serve over ice and finish with a twist of lemon.
• For a version slightly sweeter try a Blanc vermouth instead of the Cocchi Americano.

Myth: Batched Cocktails Don’t Spoil

Let’s bust this myth immediately: while some batched cocktails keep well refrigerated for months, this isn’t universal. And assuming so could lead to nasty spoilage situations.

Linden Pride’s rule of thumb is the most succinct we heard.

“Try to only batch the liquor/spirits. No fresh ingredients, please.”

Digging a little deeper, if you’re storing batched cocktails for more than a couple days, avoiding perishable ingredients is paramount. If perishables are a necessity, make sure they’re handled separately and added in only at serving time.

“If you are planning on making drinks cocktails with juices or other perishable ingredients, I would batch everything except for the perishable ingredients and then you can shake to order,” says Aidan Bowie, Beverage Director for The Dead Rabbit and The Irish Exit. “If doing a batched margarita for example, batch the tequila, triple sec and agave in advance and then add lime juice when you are shaking the drink for your guest.”

According to Jason Hedges, how you store a batched cocktail is also crucial to well-preserved flavors.

“Glass bottles or jars with airtight lids are ideal for storing batched cocktails. Avoid plastic, because it can absorb flavors and odors, and steer clear of metal containers that might react with acidic ingredients,” says Hedges, who also reminds at-home mixologist to keep all batched cocktails refrigerated.

Hedges also highlights some cocktail types that do last well (refrigerated) for weeks at a time.

“Spirit-only cocktails (like Negronis or Old Fashioneds) can last weeks or even months if stored properly,” he says. “However, cocktails with fresh ingredients like citrus or dairy should be consumed within 1-2 days to avoid spoilage.”

Bowie shared one of his favorite pre-batched cocktails, which is particularly suited for fans of Irish whiskey.

Usquaebach

Ingredients

• Spice Mix – (1 tbs coriander seeds, 2 nutmeg – grated, 10 cloves, pinch black pepper, 4 star anise pods and 1 tbs caraway seeds)
• Zest of 8 Lemons
• 750ml Lost Irish Whiskey
• 750ml Water
• 250ml Lemon Juice
• 75ml Apricot Liqueur
• 250g Cane Sugar

Preparation

• Add lemon zest, spice mix and cane sugar to sit overnight to infuse and start to dissolve sugar.
• Add ingredients above to a pot with the water and stir on a low heat until sugar has dissolved, around 30 minutes.
• Once dissolved, strain mixture through a sieve, add lemon juice, apricot liqueur and whiskey.
• Store in the fridge.

Likewise, Hedges shared his take on a large-format gin punch that serves between 30 and 35.

Jason Hedges’ Gin Punch

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (1 L) Gin
• 2 cups Lemon Juice
• 1¾ cups Simple Syrup
• 1 cup Raspberry Liqueur
• 3 cups Water
• ½ cup Orgeat
• 1 bottle Sparkling Wine
• 5 Navel Oranges, cut into crescents
• 4 Limes, cut into wheels
• 4 Lemons, cut into wheels
• 2 cups Fresh Raspberries
• 1 Pineapple, cut into cubes

Preparation

• Add all ingredients except sparkling wine and fruit to a large container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When chilled, pour into a punch bowl or beverage dispenser, then add sparkling wine and fresh fruit. Serve in a punch glass over ice.

Misconception: Batched Cocktails Don’t Need Precise Measurements

Batched cocktails are a great way to explore creativity with flavors—but it’s best not to experiment with full-scale preparation, lest the entire batch go awry.

“When making batched cocktails, it’s essential to maintain the right balance of ingredients,” says Hedges. “It’s important to be accurate here, any miscalculation can throw the whole batch out of balance.”

For Evan Hawkins, Owner of Romeo’s in NYC, batched cocktail prep is all about math.

“Math, Math, and more math. Take a single cocktail spec and figure out how many you would like to make and then do the math. If it’s 100 cocktails then you just times 100 by each one of the ingredients for the amounts.”

Myth: Batched Cocktails Don’t Need Dilution

Some of the sneakiest myths in all mixology deal with dilution. But it has the same importance when serving 100 as it does when serving one.

“Fully diluting allows you to keep cocktails ice cold and simply have to pour and garnish,” says Moffitt. “You can be more involved and actually have a chance to enjoy the party you’re hosting. You can even place them around in bottles on ice and let folks pour for themselves.”

And while different preferences abound, every expert we interviewed stresses the importance of factoring in dilution ahead of time. (Though suggested ranges varied among individuals and cocktail categories, from 15% to 30%.)

“In single-serve cocktails, shaking or stirring with ice not only chills the drink but also dilutes it, which softens it and makes it more balanced. For batched cocktails, simulate this by adding water in advance. As a rule of thumb, add about 20% of the total cocktail volume as water to mimic the dilution from shaking or stirring. This ensures your drinks taste balanced when served over ice or chilled,” says Hedges.

For Hawkins, dilution and agitation go hand-in-hand when pre-batching drinks.

“If it’s a stirred drink then just add dilution, which by I mean, to add water to the cocktail…If the drink is shaken don’t be afraid to add dilution and then use a hand blender to add the agitation that you would get from shaking. [This helps] add that nice froth you get from citrus shaken drinks. For dilution I like to add 15% water to my batch. So take the batch total and X it by 15% to figure the dilution ratio.”