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Scaling Cocktail Recipes for Large Groups Without Losing Quality (2026)

Scaling Cocktail Recipes for Large Groups Without Losing Quality (2026) To scale a cocktail recipe for a large group without losing quality, multiply every spirit, liqueur, and syrup by your serving count, then add 20-25% water to replace the dilution you lose by not shaking each drink over ice. That single adjustment — pre-dilution — is what separates a balanced batch from a harsh, over-strong pitcher. Run your recipe through our Cocktail Batch Calculator(/food/cocktail-batch-calculator) to get exact ounces, cups, and bottles in one click. The first time I batched margaritas for a 24-person birthday party, I scaled the recipe perfectly — 48 oz tequila, 18 oz triple sec, 24 oz lime — and every drink tasted like a punch in the face. I had multiplied the ingredients flawlessly and forgotten the one thing a shaker does for free: it melts ice into the drink. A single shaken margarita ends up...