3 Large-Batch Cocktails to Get Lit This NYE

You’ve got the venue. You’ve got the tunes. You’ve got the company. You’ve even got your outfit picked out. This is going to be the New Year’s party of the century.

But you haven’t left any room in the budget for cocktails.

That’s important.

Never fear! We’ve got the ultimate list of quick, budget-friendly, delicious drinks to ring the New Year in right.

Before: Iced Irish Coffee Bar

Midnight is late. Coffee is the solution. Keep out a pitcher of iced coffee and serve with chilled bottles of Tia Maria, Whiskey, Bailey’s, Frangelico, and whatever else you can cook up and let guests go nuts creating their own concoctions. Providing jiggers for measurements is probably a good idea. Also: ice cream for topping. Essential.

Midnight: Bubbly Sangria

Make Midnight the climax of the night by leaving out a serving container filled with thinly sliced lemons and limes, sliced strawberries, fresh mint leaves, and crushed ice. Keep a pitcher of orange juice and mint simple syrup (boil together 1 cup mint leaves, 2 cups sugar, and 2 cups water) on hand. Uncork your champagne (or sparkling wine) with flair at midnight and dump 1 cup orange juice and 2 cups of simple syrup to every 2 bottles of bubbly into the bowl. Serve freely.

After: Bloody Mary Bucket

Whether you plan on taking a little nap between the party and brunch or are prepping to party on right through sunrise, at some point, your guests will appreciate a Bloody Mary. And Bloody’s are super easy to make en masse. Fill a serving container with 6 parts tomato juice, 1 part worcestershire, 1 part horesradish, tabasco, pepper, and celery salt to taste, and 4 parts vodka. Have guests pour over crushed ice and garnish with lemons, limes, green olives, celery. And if you’re feeling really fancy leave out strips of jerky, cocktail shrimp, pearl onions, and whatever else is going to go great with tomato juice.

Drink responsibly and creatively and party on!