How to use the cocktail batch calculator
- Choose whether amounts are in US fluid ounces or milliliters.
- List each liquid ingredient and its amount per drink. The starting recipe is an example; replace it with yours.
- Enter how many drinks you need and the water to add as a percent of the ingredient volume.
- Read the scaled amounts for each ingredient, the water, the total batch and the number of bottles. Open More options to change the bottle size. Copy, Print or export the CSV.
Formula
batch ingredients = amount per drink x number of drinks
water = batch ingredients x dilution % / 100
total = ingredients + water
bottles = total in mL / bottle size in mL
A US fluid ounce is 29.5735295625 mL. The volume of one served drink is the ingredient volume per drink times (1 + dilution). The default dilution of 20% and bottle size of 750 mL are examples you can change.
12 drinks of a 3.5 ounce recipe
The example recipe is 2 oz, 0.75 oz and 0.75 oz, which adds up to 3.5 oz per drink. For 12 drinks the ingredients total 42 oz, and 20% water adds 8.4 oz, for a batch of 50.4 oz.
In milliliters that batch is 50.4 x 29.5735 = 1,490.5 mL, which fills one 750 mL bottle and leaves 741 mL for a second. One drink served from the batch is 4.2 oz.
Why a batch needs water
A cocktail that is stirred or shaken with ice picks up some water as the ice melts, and that water is part of the balance of the drink. When you make a batch ahead and serve it chilled without that step, adding a measured amount of water recreates it. The right amount depends on the recipe, how long you stir and your taste, so the percent is a number to adjust.
Citrus juice loses its freshness within hours, so many people batch the spirits and sweeteners and add juice close to serving. Check your recipe for what keeps best.
Planning the party
For how much to buy, the party food and drink calculator plans drinks per guest, and the bartender staffing calculator helps with larger events. The alcohol units calculator totals what a drink contains, and the recipe scaler scales any other recipe.
Scaling is simple multiplication, but taste may not scale in a straight line, so make a small test batch first. Serve responsibly and keep batches away from children.
Assumptions and limits
- Amounts are the liquid volumes you enter per drink. Ice is not an ingredient; water to add stands in for its melt.
- Dilution is a percent from 0 to 200. The starting 20% and the 750 mL bottle are examples.
- The drink count is a whole number from 1 to 5,000.
- Nothing is stored or uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I scale a cocktail recipe for a party?
Multiply each ingredient by the number of drinks, then add water to replace the melt from ice. The calculator does both and also shows the total and the number of bottles it fills.
How much water should I add to a batched cocktail?
It depends on the recipe and how the drink is served. The page starts at 20% of the ingredient volume as an example. Taste a small test batch and adjust the percent to match the drink you want.
Can I use milliliters instead of ounces?
Yes. Choose milliliters and enter your amounts in milliliters. The page shows the batch in both units either way.
Should I add citrus juice to a batch ahead of time?
Fresh juice tastes best within a few hours of squeezing. Many people batch the other ingredients ahead and add juice shortly before serving. Follow your recipe and your own taste.