Ultimate Cocktail Recipe Guide

Your best resource for crafting classic and creative drinks for any occasion. We’ve also included a few staples like how to make Simple Syrup, and tips for using fresh lemon and lime juice to elevate your drinks.

Our guide makes party planning easier—no more standing in the middle of the grocery store trying to calculate ingredients for a 2-gallon batch of cocktails. We've added several bulk measurements to simplify your shopping, but we want to hear from you. If you're still unsure about any calculations or find areas where we could improve, we’d love your feedback.

Pro Tip: For upscaling these recipes for 5 gallon kegs, simply multiply the recipe volumes by 2.5

2-Gallon Recipes

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How to Use the Chart for
2-Gallon Keg Recipes

A 2-gallon keg holds 256 oz / ~7.57 L.
When scaling a recipe, you want your total ingredients to add up to about 7.5 liters (allowing for a bit of headspace).

Since most liquor is sold in 750 ml bottles (0.75 L) or 1 L bottles, converting your recipe into liters makes shopping and measuring simpler. Most recipes for kegged cocktails start with (2) fifths (750 ml each) or (1) half gallon of liquor, then fill the rest with mixers.

Measurement Conversion Chart

Quick reference for batching cocktails — optimized for 1–2 gallon kegs

Measurement Ounces (oz) Cups Liters (L) Units per Gallon Units for 2 Gallons Additional Info
2 Gallons 256 32 7.57 — 1 Full keg capacity
1 Gallon 128 16 3.8 1 2 —
2 L Bottle 67.6 8.5 2 1.9 3.8 Common soda bottle
Half Gallon 64 8 1.9 2 4 2 quarts
Liter 33.8 4.2 1 3.8 7.6 —
Quart 32 4 0.95 4 8 —
Fifth of Alcohol (750 ml) 25.4 3.2 0.75 5.1 10.1 Common liquor bottle
Pint 16 2 0.47 8 16 —
1 Cup 8 1 0.24 16 32 16 tablespoons
1 Tablespoon 0.5 — — 256 512 3 teaspoons

Download the PDF

Download our Ultimate Cocktail Recipe Guide PDF and get 75 large-batch recipes with easy-to-follow measurements, shopping-friendly ingredient lists, and garnish conversions. Perfect for parties, weddings, or any event, this guide makes mixing drinks simple and stress-free. Grab your copy today and start pouring like a pro!

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Why add water for dilution?

  • Mimics Ice Dilution: When making a single-serving Old Fashioned, stirring with ice naturally dilutes the cocktail, balancing the strong alcohol with subtle sweetness and bitters. For large-batch recipes, pre-diluting with water replicates this effect.
  • Ready-to-Serve Convenience: Including water means the cocktail is ready to pour over ice, avoiding overly strong first sips.
  • Flavor Balance: Pre-dilution ensures the flavors of whiskey, sugar, and bitters meld smoothly.

When should I skip water for dilution?

  • Serving Over Ice: If you’re serving the batch on ice, skip or reduce water in the mix since ice will naturally dilute the drink.
  • Preference for Stronger Drinks: If your audience prefers a stronger cocktail, skip water entirely.
  • Customizable Strength: Leaving out water gives guests the option to add ice or water to their taste.

Can I prepare large-batch cocktails in advance?

Yes, most large-batch cocktails can be made 1-2 days in advance. Store them in a clean, food-grade container, refrigerate, and add any carbonated ingredients (e.g., soda water) just before serving to preserve fizz.

How do I calculate alcohol content (ABV) for a large batch?

To estimate ABV, use this formula:

  • Multiply the volume of alcohol (in oz) by its ABV percentage (e.g., 40% for most spirits).
  • Divide the total alcohol content by the final volume of the batch. For example, a batch with 64 oz of 40% ABV liquor in a 2-gallon cocktail (256 oz) has an ABV of ~10%.

Should I add garnishes to the batch?

No, garnishes should be added individually to each serving. Pre-slice fruits, herbs, or rimming salts and set them up as a garnish station for easy access during service.

How do I adjust sweetness or bitterness in a large batch?

Always start with the base recipe and taste-test. Add additional syrup, bitters, or citrus in small increments (e.g., 1-2 oz at a time) until the flavor is balanced. Stir thoroughly after each adjustment.