How Does One Bring Mixed Drinks (Or the Fixings for Them) to a Party?

Updated on December 31, 2012
J.B. asks from Boston, MA
10 answers

Please bear with the stupidity of this question. I am going to a party tomorrow night and would like to bring along the stuff to make a mixed drink that I and a few of the other guests like. It's a white cosmo and requires juice, a frozen juice concentrate, two types of alcohol, ice and a shaker. I brought all of the stuff to a recent potluck holiday party and it was a bit cumbersome to have to measure and mix the drinks two at a time. Is there a refined way to bring mixed drinks to a party? I could mix some up before hand and just shake with ice to serve, but what would I bring the mixed drink in? I have a plastic pitcher with a top that seals but that's a little tacky looking. Is there another vessel that one would use for this? Would a wine bottle where I've removed the label and re-corked the top work?

I realize that I'm over thinking this but I just imagine that someone out there knows the "right" way to do this and it's just something that I haven't learned yet, coming from a household of teetotalers. Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! I ended up pre-mixing and bringing in a plastic juice pitcher, then shaking in a cocktail shaker over ice to serve as needed. I'll look for something more decorative for the future. I didn't think about the open container law so thanks for that head's up - I ended up carrying it in the trunk of my minivan. I didn't realize until I got home that using a juice pitcher isn't a great idea because there was some left over and if I just threw it in the fridge, it looks like lemonade. Once home, I transferred the rest (enough for a cocktail or two tomorrow) into an empty wine bottle.

The recipe is 1/2 c white cranberry juice, 1 Tbsp Vodka, 2 tsp lime ade concentrate, 1 tsp orange liqueor (Cointreau). Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice and serve in a martini glass garnised with a few whole cranberries. You can also sugar the rim of the glass but I never plan that far in advance to have sanding sugar ready. i remember the Vodka-lime-Cointreau ratios because a tablespoon is three teaspoons, so it goes 3-2-1 and the ingredients go in reverse alphabetical order.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

You can't! Open container law. It is the holiday's and there will be so many cops on the road. Even though you aren't actually drinking, you can't have the open container in the car. Huge ticket!

1 mom found this helpful

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

- bring it all with you sealed
- combine in a pitcher at the party
- shake w/ice (or use blender) as needed

There are pretty plastic & glass pitchers. They don't need to seal because you won't be driving with them unsealed/open.

Just remember ratios.

1oz : 2oz : 4oz ALSO EQUALS

1cup + 2cups + 4 cups

Or gallons, random glass (as long as you use the same glass), pints, whatever unit of measure... You just follow the ratio. So feel free to make gallons "ahead" of time.

3 moms found this helpful
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A.T.

answers from New York on

you bring everything you need with you in a box or crate and make the drinks at the party. Never mix your stuff at home and bring it, transfer turns out to be a pain in the butt!

2 moms found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Sacramento on

Just take evewrything you need with you and make them there!

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M.K.

answers from Columbus on

I like the idea of having it all pre-mixed...what about a very well-washed out milk jug? Or the type of thermos thingy you take on picnics?

And then a small cooler with ice and you're good to go!

If you were coming to my party, I wouldn't care what you brought it in just so you brought it!! lol!!!

I'm curious...what's the recipe???

Good luck!!!

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M.P.

answers from San Francisco on

I'm with Purple Mom, I would pre mix it and bring it in the juice container. Stick it in the trunk and you'll be good to go. Nobody cares how it gets there or what it looks like before you serve it.

I have a monthly poker party and often one of my guests brings her new favorite martini or cocktail to share and she usually pre mixes them for ease. I'm happy that she shares her drinks with us. I'm just not that adventurous when it comes to cocktails, so it's really fun to try something new.

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B.S.

answers from Boston on

It would be fun to put it in the wine bottle and make your own special label. :)
You can mix it in advance, you just have to put it in the right place! Here is the MA open container law:

The open container law applies to everyone riding in the vehicle, not just the driver. Specifically, the law says you can’t have any open alcohol containers in the “passenger area,’’ which includes the driver’s seat.
Open containers are supposed to be carried in the trunk or in a locked glove compartment.

If you drive an SUV that doesn’t have a separate trunk, open bottles must go in “the area behind the last upright seat or an area not normally occupied by the driver or passenger.’’

Happy New Year!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

GEt one of those large glass pitchers/containers that have the spout-COSTCO always has them. Make up the drink without ice and put ice in when you get there. This way everyone will get to try your drink and it will be decoratively displayed. This is what I do when I want to take a fun drink to a party and everyone loves it.

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A.P.

answers from Washington DC on

Open container laws vary WIDELY by state - and are NOT uniform. Just FYI.

What about a tupperware drink container? We have several that make terrible "drinking" vessels (like at a soccer game), but make excellent "travel" vessels (to pour into a cup).

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

You can get Cosmo mixer at most liquor stores or departments. Pick up a bottle or two of that and the alcohol to mix in and the shaker. Hopefully the host will have ice.
Or just pick up something else like Sprite and Whiskey with olives.

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