Popular Cocktails to Serve at Your Next Party

Deciding to host a party is one thing. Pulling it off is another. Crossing the gulf between decision and execution comes down to proper planning and attention to detail.

While not every party features alcoholic beverages, many of them do. While “bring your own booze” was an acceptable request in college, it’s a bit tacky to ask your guests to do so now. Generally speaking, the host is expected to provide refreshments, including alcohol.

With this in mind, the next step is deciding which types of alcoholic beverages to provide your guests. In addition to a case or two of beer and a variety of wines, you can’t go wrong with cocktails. But the list of cocktail varieties is practically endless. For those planning an epic party in the coming weeks, decisions will need to be made in regard to the cocktail selection.

There’s nothing wrong with trying fun and interesting cocktail recipes for your upcoming party. However, you can’t go wrong with including a few tried and true options as well. Let’s take a look at popular cocktails to serve at your next party:

Sangria

The cocktail known as sangria is pretty straightforward. It’s essentially red wine mixed with fruit juice. Sangria is popular for many reasons, including its easygoing flavor and punch profile. It’s also fairly easy to mix, making it an excellent cocktail choice for parties. While it may not have a noticeable impact on flavor, we suggest adding fruit slices to the mix in order to increase the visual appeal. However, the more fruit you add, the more likely it’ll infuse with the wine and enhance the flavor, so the more, the merrier!

Cocktail Popsicles

Also known as spirited ice, cocktail popsicles are a fun and interesting option for your upcoming party. As the name suggests, frozen cocktail popsicles are slushy cylinders of flavorful spirits combined with equally tasty mixers, providing guests with a memorable drink that goes down smooth. From blue agave frozen margaritas to white rum pina coladas, there’s something for just about everyone. What’s more, while they taste great and pack a punch, their limited size helps keep guests from going overboard.

Margaritas

From baby showers to happy hour, margaritas are a perennially popular cocktail choice for virtually any occasion. With this in mind, we suggest having the ingredients on hand to make margaritas for your guests. All you need is tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and kosher salt. Lime slices to throw into the final product for a pleasing visual won’t hurt, either. At that point, you might as well go all the way and buy a pack of plastic cocktail drinkware.

Mimosas

Few cocktails rank as simple yet delicious as the classic mimosa. It’s a mixture of champagne and orange juice. While mimosas are traditionally associated with weekend brunches rather than evening cocktail parties, their popularity makes them a recommended addition to your party’s cocktail menu.

Madras

We’ve gotten this far without a vodka cocktail recommendation. So here it goes: the madras, a mix of cranberry juice, orange juice, vodka, and lime. Think of it as an enhanced version of the classic Cape Codder, otherwise known as the vodka cranberry.

Jack and Coke

There’s a good chance many of your male guests will turn their noses up at the thought of drinking cocktails. That is unless Jack and Coke is on the menu. Otherwise known as whiskey and cola, Jack and Coke is a vintage cocktail that seems to go over well with those who typically shy away from mixed drinks. With this in mind, we suggest including it in your list of offerings. That way, even those “macho” types have something to enjoy.

Rum Punch

If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with a classic combination of fruit punch and rum. It’s like spiking the punch at prom, only this time, it’s consensual and legal. With that said, it’s important to monitor consumption to avoid having a dozen or so people spending the night; rum punch goes down exceptionally smoothly, meaning your guests may not be aware of how much they’re drinking. While you’re not a babysitter, you should still do your best to detect inebriation and act accordingly, even if it means requesting several rideshares to come to take your guests home safely.

So you’ve decided to host a party. You’ve gone so far as to send out invitations. Now it’s time to plan and prepare. If your guests expect to be served alcohol, that means making choices about which cocktails to serve. Fortunately, there are several winning options to choose from.

Alex Farina is a freelance writer from Ohio. He enjoys writing about design, fashion, nature, and technology.

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