Batch that thang up

Mixing cocktails for a crowd

By PINK LADY

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Ever wonder how the ladies of LUPEC feature complex signature drinks at our parties with seemingly little effort? The key is pre-batching.

Mixing one big vat of whatever signature cocktail you'd like to serve at your next gathering is an absolute must if you'd like to spend the afternoon enjoying your guests and the big game you've ceremoniously gathered to watch ... rather than in the kitchen, mixing up drinks. This is especially true if you're offering libations in LUPEC Boston-approved vintage glassware: at approximately half the size of modern martini glasses, they may encourage your guests to imbibe twice as fast as usual.

The basic premise of pre-batching cocktails is similar to doubling, tripling or sextupling a recipe when baking. As with baking, you'll need to make adjustments when mixing en masse:

Rule #1: Always pre-batch drinks as close as possible to when you actually plan to serve them, especially if the cocktails feature fresh juices.

Rule #2: Citrus amplifies as you multiply, so start with 75 percent of the amount of citrus required and adjust to taste. Or, in math-y terms, multiply X amount of citrus required for one drink by Y amount of total drinks by 0.75 to equal totally delicious drinks.

Rule #3: If your recipe includes a carbonated ingredient (champagne, ginger beer or soda water), leave it out till it's time to stir, or shake and serve, lest it go flat and ruin an otherwise perfect vat of alcohol.

Follow these golden rules and your pre-batched drinks will taste as good as if individually mixed. Next time you're watching the game, break up the beer monotony with a heady pitcher.

Cin-cin!

LARCHMONT | from David Embury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

1 serving (10 servings)

1.5 ounces (15 ounces) white rum

0.5 ounce (3.75 ounces) fresh lime juice

0.5 ounce (5 ounces) Grand Marnier

1 tsp (10 tsp) simple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

FOR MORE CROWD-PLEASING COCKTAILS AND TIPS ON PRE-BATCHING THEM, VISIT LUPECBOSTON.COM.