Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 11:39     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
This is non-alcoholic, but I bet you could easily add rum to it:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/holiday-punch-i/

Always gets rave reviews when I've made it.

We usually pick two cocktails that we're making that are "holiday themed" each year, so we aren't mixing up tons of stuff.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 11:21     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Put a bit of POM Wonderful in a champagne flute, fill the rest with cava, top with a few cranberries. Easy, yummy, and festive.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 11:07     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Anonymous wrote:My advice: Don't actually make a cocktail - by which I mean a drink that is mostly spirits. No matter how good it is, most people aren't used to it and will complain that it's "too strong."

Some suggestions:

Mai tai: 1 part light rum, 2 parts spiced rum, 4 parts pineapple juice, 3 parts orange juice, grenadine for color

Sangria or white sangria: Rum, wine, fruit, to taste

Simple punch: Freeze lemonade or orange juice (or a mix of both) in a bundt pan (optional: add maraschino cherries, orange/lime/lemon slices before freezing); add 1/2 gallon of chilled orange juice or lemonade (or a mix of both) to punch bowl, 1-2 cups spiced rum, two bottles sparkling wine. Place frozen circle in bowl, float orange slices & put a maraschino cherry in the middle of each one.

I'm making a cranberry cooler, which is vanilla vodka, cranberry juice, and seltzer, with cranberry skewers in the pitcher for decoration


Not OP but I find this very useful. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:50     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Cranberry, pineapple, raspberry, sprite, vodka--with rosemary garnish. My go to!
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:49     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can understand the appeal of having it premade and in a pitcher but nothing beats a freshly made drink.

I am also fortunate that my husband spent his youth tending bar so he enjoys making anything our guests want.


For crying out loud, shut up if you're not going to be helpful.


Merry Christmas to you too, snob
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:46     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Another wintertime favorite is drinks that incorporate bourbon & ginger. So in a punch bowl you can have bourbon, gingerale (even better; ginger beer), and lemonade. Use the bundt pan trick for this one too.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:44     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Oh yeah: one variation on the cranberry cooler is to use Pom Wonderful instead of cranberry juice.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:40     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
My advice: Don't actually make a cocktail - by which I mean a drink that is mostly spirits. No matter how good it is, most people aren't used to it and will complain that it's "too strong."

Some suggestions:

Mai tai: 1 part light rum, 2 parts spiced rum, 4 parts pineapple juice, 3 parts orange juice, grenadine for color

Sangria or white sangria: Rum, wine, fruit, to taste

Simple punch: Freeze lemonade or orange juice (or a mix of both) in a bundt pan (optional: add maraschino cherries, orange/lime/lemon slices before freezing); add 1/2 gallon of chilled orange juice or lemonade (or a mix of both) to punch bowl, 1-2 cups spiced rum, two bottles sparkling wine. Place frozen circle in bowl, float orange slices & put a maraschino cherry in the middle of each one.

I'm making a cranberry cooler, which is vanilla vodka, cranberry juice, and seltzer, with cranberry skewers in the pitcher for decoration
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:38     Subject: Re:Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Martha Stewart has some good recipes. We just made one for our holiday party that was a big hit and pretty lethal. It had dark rum, amaretto, cointreau (we used triple sec) apple juice and club soda. I couldn't find the link or I would have posted it for you. Bonus was that this one wasn't red so potential staining is a minimum.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:37     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Anonymous wrote:I can understand the appeal of having it premade and in a pitcher but nothing beats a freshly made drink.

I am also fortunate that my husband spent his youth tending bar so he enjoys making anything our guests want.


That may be but we have an upen house for 75 people and custom drinks aren't an option. We hire serving help but not a bartender so guests are stuck with wine, champagne and whatever is in the cocktail pitcher. If they must have a custom cocktail they can stop on the way home.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:33     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
Anonymous wrote:I can understand the appeal of having it premade and in a pitcher but nothing beats a freshly made drink.

I am also fortunate that my husband spent his youth tending bar so he enjoys making anything our guests want.


For crying out loud, shut up if you're not going to be helpful.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:28     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
I can understand the appeal of having it premade and in a pitcher but nothing beats a freshly made drink.

I am also fortunate that my husband spent his youth tending bar so he enjoys making anything our guests want.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2014 10:22     Subject: Favorite cocktail recipe for a crowd
What are your favorite cocktail or punch recipes for the holidays? I want something that I can make in batches of at least a pitcher at a time. Thanks!