Hosting Drinks: Setup Guides and Cocktail Kits for Every Occasion
Hosting and Cocktail Kits
Hosting drinks is different from making drinks. When you are making a single cocktail, precision matters. When you are hosting twelve people for brunch, logistics matter.
The questions change from "what is the best vodka?" to "how do I serve mixed groups without running a full bar?" and "what can I prep ahead?" and "how do I make sure nobody is standing around with an empty glass?"
This guide covers drink setups for common hosting scenarios, plus kits that solve the whole problem in one box.
The Hosting Mindset
A home bar is not a commercial bar. You do not have a bartender. You do not have a speed rail with 15 bottles. You probably do not want to spend the party making drinks instead of talking to your guests.
The goal is a setup that runs itself. Guests can make their own drinks or you can batch them ahead. Either way, you are not stuck behind a counter.
This means fewer options executed well, batching what you can, setting up for self service, and accommodating different preferences without separate drink menus.
Cocktail concentrates exist for exactly this situation. One bottle, one juice, one spirit (optional), many drinks. No measuring Worcestershire sauce for each pour.
Occasion Playbooks
Brunch (8 to 15 people)
Brunch is Bloody Mary territory. It is also the meal where alcohol optional matters most. Some guests want vodka at 11am. Some do not.
The setup:
Bloody Mary concentrate in a pitcher or dispenser. Tomato juice (and optionally Clamato or vegetable juice). Vodka on ice. Prosecco for mimosas at a separate station. Orange juice. Garnishes like celery, pickles, olives, bacon, and lemon wedges.
How it works:
Mark the concentrate pitcher with a pour line (1 to 2 oz). Guests add concentrate to a glass, top with juice, add vodka if they want, grab garnishes. Nobody needs instructions beyond "pour to the line."
The mimosa station is even simpler: prosecco and juice, guests pour their own ratio.
Prep the night before:
Cut garnishes and store in water. Chill juices. Set out glassware.
Full guide: Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar
Related: Brunch Menu Ideas | Gluten Free Brunch
Tailgate or Game Day (10 to 20 people)
Volume matters here. You need drinks that can be batched in advance, transported, and served without ceremony.
The setup:
Large drink dispenser or cooler with pre mixed Bloody Marys. Beer in a separate cooler. Red Beer option (tomato juice for mixing with beer). Simple garnishes like celery sticks and pickle spears.
Batch ratio for dispensers:
1 part concentrate to 6 parts tomato juice. Pre mix without spirits so guests can add their own.
This approach lets you make 2 to 3 gallons of base that stays cold and ready all day. Beer drinkers can make Red Beers by adding a splash of the tomato mixture to their cup.
Transport tips:
Freeze some tomato juice in advance and use as ice that does not dilute. Bring concentrate separately if you are worried about temperature. Paper cups work better than glass for outdoor settings.
Full guide: Tailgate Food Ideas
Dinner Party (6 to 10 people)
Dinner parties need a pre dinner drink and something to offer during the meal. The aperitivo tradition (a light, appetite stimulating drink before food) works perfectly.
The setup:
Spritz station with prosecco, botanical concentrate, soda water, and orange slices. Wine for dinner. Optional: single spirit neat or on ice for digestif.
How it works:
As guests arrive, offer spritzes from the station or make them yourself (it takes 30 seconds). The bitterness of a spritz stimulates appetite without filling anyone up before dinner.
For non drinkers, the botanical concentrate with soda water and an orange slice is a complete mocktail, not a consolation prize.
Full guide: Dinner Party Themes
Book Club or Small Gathering (4 to 8 people)
Smaller groups can be more personal. This is where you can show off slightly more elaborate drinks without becoming a full time bartender.
The setup:
One signature drink, pre batched. One non alcoholic version of the same drink. Wine as backup.
Example: Bloody Mary flight
Pre pour three small glasses per person with different flavor profiles: Classic, Smoked Jalapeño, and Jamaican Jerk. Let people taste and pick their favorite, then make full size versions to order.
This turns the drinks into a conversation piece rather than just beverage service.
Full guide: Book Club Food Ideas
Holiday Entertaining
Holidays have specific drink traditions, but they also have stress, extended family with different preferences, and too much else going on.
Thanksgiving and Christmas:
Batch cocktails are your friend. Have one festive option (cranberry based, spiced, etc.). Have one reliable option (Bloody Mary for morning, wine for dinner). Always have a non alcoholic option that is not an afterthought.
New Year's Eve:
Champagne is expected. Have a signature cocktail for countdown. Have lower alcohol options for the hours before midnight.
Full guide: Holiday Drink Recipes
The Kit Approach
Here is the truth about drink ingredients: most of them sit unused between occasions. You buy horseradish for one Bloody Mary, and six months later it is a science experiment in your fridge door.
Kits solve this. Everything in the box is designed to be used together and used up. No orphan ingredients.
What a good cocktail kit includes:
Concentrate (the flavor foundation). Complementary elements (rim salts, hot serums, specialty ingredients). Instructions that assume you are not a bartender. Quantities matched to each other so you run out of everything at the same time.
What a good cocktail kit does not include:
Perishables with short shelf life. Cheap filler products. Things you already have (like vodka).
Stu's Cocktail Kits
Our kits are designed for hosts, not bartenders. Each one handles a complete occasion.
Bloody Mary Mixology Kit
Everything for elevated Bloody Marys at home.
Includes:
Two bottles of Bloody Mary concentrate (your choice of flavors). Ghost Pepper Hot Serum (for guests who want heat). Two handcrafted rim salts (Sweet Corn Rimmer and Key Lime Rimmer). Recipe cards.
Serves: 30+ drinks
Works for: Brunch hosting, game day, housewarming gift, holiday gift
The kit handles mixed groups naturally. Mild drinker? Classic concentrate, light on the pour. Spice lover? Smoked Jalapeño concentrate plus a dash of Ghost Pepper Serum. Key Lime rim for summer. Sweet Corn for fall.
Shop: Bloody Mary Mixology Kit →
Corporate Gifting
The same kits work for corporate gifts with a few adjustments.
Why cocktail kits work for corporate:
Memorable (not another fruit basket). Shareable (recipients can host with it). Shelf stable (no rush to use before it spoils). Universal (works for drinkers and non drinkers).
Custom options:
Private label with company logo. Custom flavor selection. Bulk pricing for orders of 25+.
Contact us for corporate orders →
Gifting Beyond Corporate
Cocktail kits hit the sweet spot for personal gifts: thoughtful, useful, and not something people buy for themselves.
Works especially well for:
Housewarming (the recipient is going to host). Host or hostess gifts (bring it to the party, offer to help set up). Birthday gifts for "the person who has everything." Holiday gifts for food and drink people. Engagement gifts (they are about to host a lot).
Why this beats a bottle of wine:
A bottle of wine is consumed in one sitting. A cocktail kit provides multiple occasions and a reason to invite people over.
Stocking Your Home Bar
If you host regularly, keeping these staples on hand means you are always ready.
Always have:
One savory concentrate (Bloody Mary). One botanical concentrate (tonic or spritz). Tomato juice. Soda water (or a SodaStream). One clear spirit (vodka or gin). Lemons and limes. Ice.
Add for versatility:
Second concentrate flavor for variety. Rim salts. Prosecco or cava for spritzes. Tequila as a second spirit option.
Add for special occasions:
Hot serum for spice customization. Clamato for Bloody Caesars. Beer for Micheladas and Red Beers. Garnish variety (pickles, olives, celery, bacon).
This setup covers brunch, dinner parties, casual hangs, and impromptu visitors. Total investment: under $100 for the shelf stable items, which last 6+ months.
FAQ
What is in a cocktail kit versus buying ingredients separately?
A kit bundles concentrate, rim salts, serums, and other specialty items that are designed to work together. The quantities are matched so you use everything at the same rate. Buying separately often leaves you with half empty bottles of specialty ingredients you will not use again for months.
How many drinks does a kit serve?
Our Bloody Mary Mixology Kit serves 30+ drinks. That is enough for multiple hosting occasions or one large party.
Can I request specific flavors in a kit?
Yes. Standard kits come with our most popular combinations, but we can customize flavor selections for larger orders.
Are kits good for people who do not drink?
Yes. Everything in the kit works without alcohol. The concentrates, rim salts, and serums create complete tasting mocktails. This makes kits good gifts even when you are not sure about the recipient's drinking habits.
How long do kit components last?
Concentrates last 6 months refrigerated after opening, 1+ year unopened. Rim salts last 1+ year. Serums last 1+ year. Everything in the kit is shelf stable until opened.
Shop Kits: Cocktail Kits →
Shop Individual Items: Bloody Mary Concentrates → | Rim Salts →
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