Can I batch cocktails in advance?

Most spirit-forward cocktails can be pre-batched and stored in the fridge. Combine all ingredients except carbonated mixers (add these when serving). Citrus juice should be added no more than 4-6 hours before serving for best flavour. Dairy-based cocktails should be made fresh.

How much ice do I need for batch cocktails?

Budget about 150g of ice per drink for serving, plus extra for chilling. For a party of 50 with 3 drinks each, you need about 22.5kg of ice just for cocktails. Buy bags of ice cubes — most supermarkets sell 2kg bags. Store in a cool box or freezer until needed.

What is the dilution factor and how much water does it add?

When you shake or stir a cocktail over ice it picks up water as the ice melts — roughly 18% extra for spirit-forward drinks and 25% for shaken drinks with citrus. A pre-batched cocktail skips that step, so it tastes harsh unless you add the same water yourself. This calculator adds water as a percentage of the drink’s still-liquid volume (the spirits, juice and syrup, but NOT the soda or fizz you top up at serving). For example a 20-serving Mojito at 20% adds about 380 ml of water in total. Add it to the batch, chill, then top with soda when you pour.

How do I adjust strength and sweetness?

Use the advanced options. Increasing strength by 10% adds 10% to every alcoholic component (spirits, liqueurs, prosecco and Aperol included). Increasing sweetness by 10% adds 10% to every sweetening component (sugar syrup, coffee liqueur and triple sec). Start conservative — you can always add more. Taste-test a single portion before committing to the full batch.

PartyCalcs

Cocktail Batch Calculator

Scale cocktail recipes for batches with ingredient quantities, ice, and cost estimates.

CocktailPick a preset recipe to scale

Servings

Number of servings to prepare

Glass SizeServing glass capacity — used to check the drink fits with ice

How We Calculate This

This calculator scales single-serving cocktail recipes to your desired batch size.

How it works

Ingredients = Per-serving amount × number of servings
Bottles = Total ml ÷ bottle size (700ml spirits, 1000ml mixers)
Dilution water = Still-liquid volume (spirits + juice + syrup, excluding fizz) × dilution %
Ice = 150g per serving for serving over ice (add ~1kg per guest if also chilling bottles)
Garnish = Servings + 10% spare
Cost = Sum of (ingredient volume × cost per ml)

The dilution factor adds water to replace the ice-melt a pre-batched cocktail misses — it is a percentage of the drink’s still-liquid volume, not the empty glass. Carbonated mixers like soda water and prosecco are excluded and topped up fresh when you serve. Adjust to taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.