5 Simple Ways to Fancy Up a Pitcher Cocktail

Pitcher cocktails are pretty great for everything from small dinner parties to big celebrations. As host, you only have to do the work of mixing cocktails up one time, and then guests can help themselves. Plus pitcher cocktails can keep your beverage budget in check while pleasing a variety of tastes.

Truly the only downside to pitcher cocktails is that they can lack the charming flare of a custom cocktail and look like boring punch in a pitcher on your home bar. Instead, put a few of these tactics into place and your pitcher of cocktails can actually be more exciting than a simple glass of wine or a basic cocktail. Here are five ways to dress up your next pitcher cocktail.

Many pitcher cocktails have fruit juice as their base, pushing them into the distinctly sweet category. A few drops of bitters take your pitcher cocktail from tasting like a juice box to a more grown-up cocktail. You can use any bitters you have on hand —  Angostura, orange, or Peychaud’s — to upgrade any pitcher cocktail.

Read more: The Secret Ingredient Your Pitcher Cocktail Is Missing

Not only do whole rosemary stems or star anise pods look beautiful, but they can also add warming or astringent flavors to dial down the sweetness of pitcher cocktails. Before adding these as a garnish, mash or bruise fresh herbs and gently toast whole spices in a pan to release their potent oils and add more flavor to your big-batch drinks.

Try it here: Spiced Rye and Honey Cocktail

You want your guest to feel like your pitcher cocktail wasn’t tossed together at the last minute (even if it was), and glass garnishes are one of the easiest ways to make your pitcher cocktail feel special. Set up a tray of glasses next to your pitcher and then adorn each glass with a garnish of some kind. Toothpicks or cocktail picks layered with fresh or dried fruit take no time to assemble and can be propped on top of glasses. Or take things to the next garnish level by rimming the glass with a little bit of fruit juice and dipping the glass in salt, sugar, or a combination, including spices.

Have you ever been to a cocktail bar where they smoke cocktails right before your eyes to give your finished drink a smoky aroma? You can use liquid smoke or smoked salt in pitcher cocktails to achieve a similar effect. Just a few drops of liquid smoke in the pitcher will add tons of flavor and aroma. Not a fan of liquid smoke? Consider adding a smoked salt as a rim garnish on your cocktail glass.

Try this with smoked salt: Red Wine, Spiced Apple & Bourbon Cocktail

Festive and fancy, a little bubbly wine — such as Champagne, cava, or prosecco — can be added to the pitcher just before serving. It makes your cocktail feel very special indeed. Plus sparkling wines bring acidity and dry, bubbly brightness to sweet pitcher cocktails.

Try it: Sparkling Raspberry Ginger Beer