Batch Cocktails

Starred review from February 18, 2019
Hoffman (The One-Bottle Cocktail), founder of the Serious Eats: Drinks website, delivers a useful collection of big-batch libations from bartenders around the country. “There’s nothing worse than scrambling at the last minute, trying to make drinks as your guests walk in the door,” Hoffman writes, and solves that problem by offering 65 creative cocktails (along with alcohol-free options) that can be made in large quantities­—most offer 8–12 servings per recipe—before the party starts, enabling hosts to quickly serve their guests. Once readers have selected their preferred genre (herbal and floral, boozy, bitter, etc.), they can choose from a handful of drinks that fit that flavor profile. Some cocktails, like the boozy Bone Machine, call for a number of brand-specific ingredients (Oloroso sherry, Benedictine, and Amaro Nonino), but they’re outnumbered by simple, more forgiving concoctions like a bitter Perfect Circle (sherry, Campari, and sparkling wine), or the floral Poolside (Grand Marnier, lemon juice, mint, and tonic). Tips on balancing flavors on a large scale and storage of mixes and leftovers make the book as practical as it is thirst-quenching. Weekend entertainers and professional bartenders alike will benefit from this book; it’s an outstanding collection for all tastes and occasions.