And get it right every time.

We all know that one host who makes entertaining look effortless – colour-themed tablescapes, Insta-worthy snacks and not a bead of sweat in sight. The rest of us? We batch. Knowing how to make a round of drinks in one go, ahead of time, is a life hack your future self will thank you for. No more frazzled stints in the kitchen mixing cocktails all night – this way, you get to join the fun.

Most cocktail recipes can be scaled up if you follow a few basic rules, but it’s not always as straightforward as simply multiplying the ingredients. So, here are five tips to consider when converting a cocktail for one into a party-sized pour.

1. Choose the right cocktail

Some cocktails are more batch-friendly than others, so if you want to smugly announce to your guests “Here’s one I prepared earlier” as you pour it into their glass, then stirred, all-spirit recipes are the way forward. Cocktails like the Negroni, Manhattan, Martini and Old Fashioned are prime picks because their ingredients integrate beautifully once mixed, and they can chill in the freezer until serving – for years, in some cases. Cocktails that need shaking or incorporate sodas, juice, dairy, eggs or other perishables, however, will lose their fizz, turn bitter, curdle or just won’t taste right, so they’ll require additional steps on the night. This is a time when the easiest cocktails can deliver the biggest rewards.

2. A quick guide to conversion

Okay, a little maths is needed, but stay with us. Start by deciding how many drinks you need and multiply each core ingredient by that number. Eight people coming over? Multiply by eight. Easy. The exceptions here are ingredients like bitters (or anything super potent). These can be far too strong if increased by the same amount so use a light hand – try half the usual increase (in our example, that would be four) in the first instance, and adjust to taste. Finally, don’t forget dilution. Stirring or shaking over ice adds water that balances a drink (and it’s just as critical as your other ingredients). Since we’re skipping the ice, you’ll want to add about 20% of your total batch volume as water.

Let’s put this all into practice by batching our Manhattan recipe for eight: 50mL of whiskey becomes 400mL, 25mL of vermouth becomes 200mL, and two dashes of bitters becomes eight. Add 120mL of water and whack it all in the freezer to chill. Voila! The best tip? Use a calculator, measure carefully and taste along the way to tweak the balance, including just before serving.

3. Batch in bits

Sodas risk losing their fizz if pre-batched, and fresh juice can become bitter and skew the overall flavour. Juice can, however, be squeezed a couple of hours ahead and, even better, if your recipe calls for both juice and sugar syrup, combining them can stabilise the mix (for a few hours). So, you could batch a cocktail by its elements, rather than as a complete drink. This can work with the likes of a Mojito: set out glasses, add a few mint leaves and 45mL of white rum to each one with the juice and sugar syrup combo, and then, when ready to serve, add ice, a splash of soda and a dash of bitters. When everything is laid out and easy, guests can play bartender, too.

4. The cooler the better

No one loves a room-temperature cocktail. No one we trust, anyway. Batching up a cocktail that’s balanced is critical, but chilling it in the fridge or freezer will elevate it to greatness. Your typical spirits-forward cocktail does especially well here as it won’t freeze and will pour icy cold whenever you’re ready to serve it. Having plenty of ice is essential – load up silicon trays for large cubes, pre-crush ice if needed, build up your stash of cubes or get creative by freezing berries, olives or juice in the ice. And if your cocktails are in a large jug or punch bowl, pre-freeze a takeaway container of water for a large block that won’t melt quickly and over-dilute the drink.

5. Prep your garnishes

After being so organised and batching cocktails in advance, you don’t want to then spend your night looking for toothpicks or slicing fruit to garnish them. Herb sprigs and citrus twists, wedges and wheels are brilliant garnishes and easy to prep in advance as they keep in the fridge. Skewering things like olives, maraschino cherries and pickles on the day is a pro move, and, if you have time, dehydrating citrus slices in the oven is a fancy touch. Lay them all out for guests to pick and choose their own garnish adventure.