Tristan Potter

2020-02: DIY Cocktail Party

My friends know that I enjoy a good cocktail, but since most people don’t know how to mix them, hosting cocktail parties is either very expensive (hiring a bartender), or very time-consuming (being a bartender).

In an attempt to make a cocktail party work without breaking the bank or tie-ing up my night, I pre-made ingredients and tried to simplify cocktail making so everyone could get involved. My friends love a good DIY and hopefully they learned a bit about mixology in the process!¹

Overview

• I hosted a DIY cocktail party for my 25th birthday.
• People brought their own liquor. I posted good choices and potential cocktails before the party.
• Provided pre-mixed syrups, cocktail mixes, juices, and garnishes for a variety of cocktails.
• Made cocktail menus that were organized by liquor.

What went well

• People liked the flexibility, and everyone was involved in an experience.
• I didn’t break the bank buying a lot of different liquor.
• Mixing drinks was fun for everyone! Many people began the night with a recipe and freestyled more as the night went on. Some people iterated on a single recipe.

The Problems

• Problem 1: The ice bucket was small considering the speed it was being used (basically all cocktails include a considerable amount of ice). Luckily people’s desire to add ice went down as the night progressed.

  Improvement: Use a cooler in the future to store larger quantities of ice. Additionally look into ways to eliminate the ice from the cocktail making process (maybe including water in the mix and then keeping the mix near freezing?).

• Problem 2: People were often waiting behind each other to make drinks, use a particular mix, or get ice.

  Improvement: Setup mulitple drink stations, maybe one in each room. That might half the number of people trying to use any one station.

  Additionally, not everyone cared to make their own cocktails and would do something simple. If there was a pitcher option, that would remove some load from the cocktail-mixing stations.

• Problem 3: The stations and surrounding area got pretty messy (sticky). We had plastic down on the tables, but it was still a huge pain to cleanup the next day.

  Improvement: Not sure! Maybe pre-portioning the mixes would prevent errant pouring. Finding a good solution for keeping things cold that doesn’t involve ice-water would also help.

Appendix: The cocktails

Many of the recipes were adjusted to make them easier to make. For example, in drinks that required Campari and vermouth in a configuration other than 1:1, I still used Campari mix² to simplify. This works at a home party with mostly-undiscerning friends.

Since people brought their own liquor, any adjustments made for the flavour profile of specific brands would have been pointless. Some people ended up iterating on a single cocktail recipe, which was a fun experiment!

Syrup and juice list:

• ginger syrup
• cardamom syrup
• heavy simple syrup
• simple syrup
• Campari mix²
• lime syrup³
• lemon juice

Whiskey

Old Fashioned

• 2 shots bourbon
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• 3 dashes bitters
• Garnish: lemon twist

Stir all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass with one large ice cube. Express a lemon twist over the glass.

Boulevardier

• 1 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce Campari mix²
• Garnish: none

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a glass.

Whiskey highball

• 2 ounce whisky
• 4 ounce club soda
• Garnish: None

Add to a glass with ice, stir once.

Julep

• 1 mint bouquet
• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• Garnish: mint

Rub the mint in the glass, don’t muddle. Add the bourbon and simple syrup. Pack with small chunks of ice and churn for 10 seconds.

Whiskey sour

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• Garnish: lemon wedge

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass with one large ice cube.

Vodka

Moscow mule

• 2 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces club soda
• 1/4 ounce lime syrup³
• 2 lime wedges
• 1/2 ounce ginger syrup
• Garnish: lime

Squeeze the lime wedges into a shaker tin with ice. Add the vodka, lime syrup, and ginger syrup. Short shake and strain into glass with ice cube, top with club soda.

Screwdriver

• 2 ounces vodka
• 4 ounces orange juice
• Garnish: None

Combine orange juice and vodka in a glass with ice. Stir for 3 seconds.

Gin

Negroni

• 1 ounce gin
• 2 ounce Campari mix²
• Garnish: orange wedge

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a glass with one large ice cube.

Gimlet

• 2 ounces gin
• 2 ounce lime syrup³
• Garnish: lime wedge

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass.

Southside

• 5 Mint leaves
• 2 ounce gin
• 1½ ounce lime syrup³
• 1 dash bitters
• Garnish: mint leaf

Gently muddle the mint in a shaker, add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a glass.

Gin and Tonic

• 2 ounces gin
• 4 ounces tonic
• Garnish: lime wedge

Pour the gin into a glass with ice and stir for three seconds. Add tonic, stir once.

Tom Collins

• 2 ounces gin
• 2 ounces club soda
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• Garnish: Orange slice

Pour club soda into glass with ice. Shake everything else with ice, strain into a glass.

Rum

Daiquiri

• 2 ounces rum
• 1½ ounces lime syrup³
• Garnish: lime wedge

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass.

Mojito

• Mint
• 2 ounces lime syrup³
• 2 ounces rum
• Garnish: mint

In a shaker, muddle mint. Add lime syrup and shake with ice. Pour into a glass with fresh ice. Top with club soda if desired.

Cuba Libre

• 2 ounces white rum
• 2 lime wedge
• 4 ounces cola
• Garnish: Lime wedge

Pour the rum into a glass with ice, stir for 3 seconds. Squeeze the lime into the glass, and top with cola.

Misc

Americano

• 2 ounce Campari mix²
• 4 ounces club soda
• Garnish: Orange wheel

Pour Campari mix into a glass with ice. Stir for 3 seconds, then top with seltzer. Top with club soda as you drink.

Improved Wine Spritz

• 4 ounces cold white or rose wine
• ¼ ounce lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• 2 ounces club soda
• Garnish: Lemon wedge

Combine the wine, lemon, and syrup in a glass. Fill with ice, then add club soda. Stir gently.

Champagne Cocktail

• Dry champagne
• 4 dashes bitters
• 1 teaspoon heavy simple syrup
• Garnish: Lemon twist.

Put the syrup and bitters in the glass. Slowly top with champagne. Express a lemon twist over the glass and drop it in.

Negroni Sbugliato

• 2 ounces Campari mix²
• 1 ounce prosecco
• Garnish: orange wedge

Pour the Campari mix into a glass with ice. Then pour in the Prosecco.

Advanced

I left a special section for recipes that required things from my bar (which was off-limits).

Manhattan

• 2 ounces rye
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes bitters
• Garnish: none

Stir all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass.

Vodka Martini

• 2½ ounces vodka
• ½ ounces dry vermouth
• Garnish: Anything!

Stir the ingredients over ice, then strain into a glass.

Gin Martini

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce dry vermouth
• Garnish: lemon twist

Stir the ingredients over ice and strain into a glass. Express a lemon twist over the drink.

Sweet Margarita

• Lime wedge
• Salt for rimming
• 2 ounces tequila
• ½ ounce Cointreau
• 1½ ounce lime syrup³
• Garnish: none

Rub the lime around the edge of the glass, and roll in salt. Put one large ice cube in the glass. Shake the remaining ingredients with ice, then strain into the glass.

Bastardized Caipirinha

• 2 ounces rum
• 6 pieces lime
• ½ ounce heavy simple syrup
• Garnish: none

Muddle the lime in a shaker with syrup. Add the rum and shake with ice, then dump into a glass.