How to Elevate Batched Cocktails
Ready to transform ordinary ready-made cocktails into extraordinary? Learn how to harness specialised ingredients and bring theatre to your batched cocktails.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Welcome to the world of creative batching! Learn how to turn pre-made cocktails, into world class serves.
HOW TO INNOVATE WITH FLAVOURS & INGREDIENTS
With the right mix of specialised ingredients, your ready-made cocktails will captivate and provide guests with tantalising flavours. Here are 3 ways to innovate:
1. Introduce Acids
Whether it’s the sharp zest from citric acid or lactic acid for a subtle creaminess, acids can be an exciting addition to your batched cocktail ingredients.
Example serves: Daiquiris, Margaritas and Negronis tend to work well with acidic ingredients.
Quick Tip: Add any acid to your batched cocktail gradually. Taste and test to ensure you have the right balance.
Storage Tips: The shelf-life of cocktails using acids depends on the type of acid and how it’s stored. For example, cocktails with citric or latric acid can last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge provided they don’t contain any perishable ingredients.
Cocktails with acid are best contained in airtight glass bottles and in a fridge. Glass is unreactive so this and refrigeration will keep the quality, safety and flavour of the cocktail.
Follow our Pro’s Guide to Acidity in Cocktails for more tips on how to introduce acids.
Try this cocktail with an acidic twist:
*This recipe can be tailored to create a batch serve by multiplying ingredients and ensuring the right amount of water dilution.
2. Infusion
Infusion, a process that involves soaking ingredients in spirits or mixers to extract flavours, will bring great depth and complexity to your cocktails.
Infused cocktails work best where spirits play a prominent role, allowing the infusion flavours to shine without being overshadowed by other ingredients. For example, an Old-Fashioned can be infused with cinnamon or vanilla to bring out smoky and sweet flavours of a bourbon whisky. Or in a French 75, infuse gin with thyme to draw out the herbaceous flavours.
Quick Tip: the infused base can directly replace a spirit or mixer in your cocktail recipe.
Storage tips: Cocktails with infused spirits (with no perishable ingredients) can last up to 1-2 weeks if stored in a refrigerator. Use a sterilised airtight glass container to prevent contamination and preserve flavours.
Find out more about infused spirits with our guide to infusions, sharing techniques that can be easily replicated as part of batched cocktail preparation.
Ready to trial some infused spirits in your cocktails? Try this recipe:
3. Syrups & Cordials
Adding a syrup or cordial to ingredients will elevate any batched cocktail, bringing depth and flavour.
Cocktails that balance sweetness, acidity and bold flavour profiles often work well with cordials and syrups — from highballs to dessert serves, tropical to sour cocktails. For example, lime cordial or agave syrup will heighten the sweet and sour flavours in a batched margarita. Then orgeat syrup will draw out sweeter flavours in a tiki cocktail (see recipe below).
Quick tip: make sure to taste as you go so either the cordial or syrup aren’t overpowering. However, do take into account the dilution stage of batching as this will lessen the flavour.
Storage tips: Simple or flavoured syrups typically last up to 1-2 weeks in cocktails when refrigerated. Most cordials, helped by the combination of acid and sugar, act as preservatives, and can last up to 4-5 weeks if refrigerated. However, highly acidic cordials can affect the stability of other ingredients (specifically fruit juices) so either avoid highly acidic cordials or make sure to test before serving. Store cocktails with syrups or cordials in sterilised airtight containers to avoid microbial growth and oxidation.
For more tips on syrups and cordials check out our How to Make your Own Syrups and Cordials and use these to enhance your batched cocktails.
HOW TO BRING THEATRE TO READY-MADE COCKTAILS
The visual and sensory elements of your batched cocktails will transform them into an unforgettable experience for guests. Follow our key tips and techniques to wow guests with your take on batched cocktails.
1. Visual Appeal
Creating batched cocktails will save service time and free you up to spend more time on details that enhance the overall guest experience. This can include:
Colourful Cocktails
A vibrant and colourful cocktail can make your batched cocktail really stand out. Colours can also set the mood and vibe for your bar, whether its bright colours to give off a fresh and energetic feel with bright orange or yellow, or pastel colours for elegance and subtlety. Batching does give you more time to think about the drink’s colour so take the opportunity to be creative and choose more daring ingredients.
Cocktails typically known for their vibrancy and colourful appeal are often Tiki style, whether it’s a Blue Lagoon or Tequila Sunrise*. There are also some classic cocktails like a Cosmopolitan or Mojito* (with a fruity, colourful twist), that can be equally colourful and eye-catching. However, if you’re looking for something a bit different, this Aviation recipe* features a very trending colour: violet — a colour that is sure to grab your guest’s attention.
Quick tip: You can tweak proportions of your colour components like grenadine, blue curaçao or fruit juices to create the perfect hue. Alternative ingredients like butterfly pea flower tea (with acids) or blue spirulina (with syrups) are also great ways to transform a batched cocktail.
Layered Cocktails
A layered ready-made cocktail can bring a sense of wonder and novelty to guests’ drinking experience, . It can also enhance the drinking experience as different ingredients will gradually change the flavour and appearance of the drink as it’s enjoyed, bringing an element of surprise and intrigue. Pre-batching will give you the opportunity to bring precision to your layers, experimenting with different colours and flavour combinations as you go.
To achieve clean and striking layers you will need to take account of density differences in the liquids used. For instance, if it’s a Tequila Sunrise punch, your heavier base layer would be orange juice, followed by Tequila, then topped off with the grenadine and any garnish. You can store different layers separately before serving if you want to keep the quality and freshness for longer.
Quick Tip: As you would for a single serve, pour the heaviest liquid first, allowing it to settle at the bottom of the vessel before adding other layers.
Discover key tips for layering with our Art of Layering article.
*Multiply recipe ingredients accordingly to make a batched serve.
2. Presentation
Glassware
The great thing about batching is that you can pour your ready-made cocktails from all types of weird and wonderful vessels, whether it’s adding a sophisticated touch with a decanter or using a crystal pitcher to show off any colour or layers. When pouring into single serve glasses, make sure the glassware is just as impressive and makes the most out of the serve.
Smoking cocktails
Smoking is a great way to bring dramatic effect to your batched cocktails, the aroma and visual impact transforming a simple cocktail into a multi-sensory experience.
Smoked cocktails typically work well with dark spirits, earthy liqueurs or bold flavour profiles. Ideal options for smoking include the Negroni, Old Fashioned, Margarita, Whisky Sour or Rum Punch.
Quick Tip: Smoking is more effective in smaller batches (1-2 litres) for a balanced infusion. Infuse for 2-5 minutes max to retain flavours and serve as quickly as possible to preserve the aroma and dramatic effect.
Read our smoking cocktails article for a step by step guide on how to smoke your own cocktails (easily replicated for batched cocktails).
Garnishes
Garnish is a great way to elevate your batched cocktail, especially if it’s being displayed it in pitchers or dispensers. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing but it can also enhance the drink’s flavour and engage the sensory appeal. A garnish could also tie the batched cocktail to an event theme or colour palette.
Whether it’s adding simple, skewered fruits to your tiki-style drinks, dehydrated raspberries on top of a fruity punch or a dried citrus wheel added to a Pimm’s No.1 Jug, garnishes can really draw attention, add flavour and make your batched cocktails next level.
3. Temperature and Texture
Carbonation
Adding fizz to your batched cocktails can enhance the overall drink experience and make it memorable. Bubbles can bring an air of celebration for special occasions or events, or heighten the drink’s aromas by drawing out more pronounced flavours,
Different carbonated ingredient options include tonic water, soda water, sparkling wine or prosecco, ginger ale or club soda. Cocktails that work well with carbonation include a French 75, a fizzy Mojito or Spritz*.
Quick Tip: Always add your carbonated ingredient last and before serving to retain its fizz and avoid the drink going flat. Adding ice to your batching vessel can maintain fizz for longer.
Serving Tip: A handy way to add fizz without worrying about it going flat is to hand guests a bottle of the carbonated drink to top off their drink. A nice way to make the overall experience more interactive.
Download our guide to Carbonation in Cocktails for lots more tips and tricks on using this great technique to elevate the guest experience.
Foams
Similarly to making a single serve, foaming agents such as egg white, lecithin or aquafaba can be added to cocktail ingredients to give a unique and attractive look, not to mention the wonderful mouthfeel that comes with foam’s airy texture.
To keep your foam simple yet impressive, it’s probably best to stick to the classic egg foam or aquafaba alternative if you’re trying out this technique for the first time.
Quick tip: It’s recommended to add foam just before serving to avoid it getting lost in the batched process.
Alternatively, foam can, of course, be added to each drink as it’s served. If that is the case, you may decide to be more adventurous with your choice of foam. Check out our guide to foams for a how-to and fuller list of different types of foams for your cocktails.
Foam can be added to batched cocktails such as sours or fizz-based drinks.
Try this delicious foam-based recipe:*
*Multiply recipe ingredients accordingly to make a batched serve.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Using specialised ingredients like acids, infusion and syrups can upgrade the flavour and improve guest experience of ready-made cocktails.
- Consider the visual appeal of your batched cocktail by adding colour, layers, smoke or garnish.
- When bringing theatre to your batched cocktail, it’s worth thinking about presentation details such as glassware and/or garnish.
- Temperature and texture are other ways to make your batched cocktail stand out, whether it’s the dramatic effect of dry ice or foam.