When the weather starts to get nice, the first thing I get excited about is opening up my deck and hosting friends for a Summer dinner alfresco or lazy weekend BBQ. These types of events, I like to make as simple as possible so that I can relax on the outdoor couch with friends rather than spend the evening cooking, cleaning, or tending bar. Pitcher cocktails are my go-to for an outdoor summer party drink. They are easy to make ahead, and guests can help themselves without much fuss from the host! This Bee’s Knees Beer Pitcher Cocktail is perfect for a get together with friends on the porch or to bring in a batch (add alcohol once you arrive!) to your next Summer BBQ potluck.

Tips for Pitcher Cocktail Success

Pitcher cocktails are a fantastic way to serve drinks to a crowd. The things to remember when making these types of cocktails are proportion sizes and what I call the “water down effect.”

1. Proportion Sizes: It is easy to throw a bunch of liquor and fixings into a pitcher and call it good. But, it can be a recipe for an unsafe evening or… just a bad cocktail! Consider the size of the cups you are serving the drinks in and the amount of alcohol you want in one cup. In general, a single-pour cocktail would have 1.5 ounces of liquor in them while a mixed drink may have 3 to (not recommended) 4 ounces. You don’t want guests accidently over-imbibing because they assumed a glass to be proportionate to a single-pour or normal mixed drink. Bonus: Watching the proportion sizes will also give you a more balanced cocktail in the end.
2. Watered Down Effect: There are two sides to this coin when it comes to pitcher cocktails.
   • • • First, I rarely serve my mixed cocktails in a pitcher with ice, as the ice will often melt and water down the cocktail to such a degree that it is no longer the balanced drink I created.
       • Second, when making cocktails, I often shake or stir my cocktails with ice to chill them. That does add SOME water to my mixture, diluting them just enough to bring out flavors and aromas! That minimal water and chill is actually important to the balance of many cocktails. So, when I do create a pitcher cocktail, I plan a small amount of water into my recipe and chill the cocktail ahead of time by putting it in the fridge. Tip: Just don’t add any bubbles to your pitcher cocktail until right before serving.

How to Make Honey Syrup:

Have you ever tried adding honey to a cocktail? It’ll immediately seize up! But, the flavors of honey are perfect for oh-so-many drinks! Enter Honey Syrup. Honey Syrup is similar to a simple syrup in structure, and it prevents the honey from seizing up when adding it to your pitcher cocktail.

Simply add Honey and Water (2 parts honey to 1 part water) to a saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir until incorporated. Let cool and then decant into a airtight container and store in fridge. It should be good for 7 days in the fridge—though, mine never lasts around that long!

Bee’s Knees Beer Pitcher Cocktail

The Bee’s Knees cocktail is one of my favorites for a hot day. Gin, lemon, and honey syrup combine for a fantastically sweet and sour cocktail. But, it isn’t really made for a crowd! Enter in a beer-cocktail twist on the classic, for a crowd pleasing cocktail.

This take on the Bee’s Knees cocktail transforms it from a knockout cocktail to a great summer sipper for a crowd. It’s easy drinking and perfect for an outdoor bbq with friends or packed in jars for a picnic.

Makes approximately 8, 8.5 ounce drinks. I serve on ice with a lemon wheel!

Ingredients:

• 32 oz lemonade
• 16 oz beer (lager or pilsner)
• 8 oz honey syrup
• 8 oz gin
• 4 oz water
• 1 pitcher
• Ice & Lemon Wheels for Garnish

Directions: 

1. Combine the lemonade, honey syrup, gin, and water in a pitcher. Stir until mixed. Chill for approximately 3 hours to overnight.
2. Right before serving, add in 1 can of 16 oz beer.
3. Pour over a glass of ice and serve with a lemon wheel!

You can increase the proportions of this cocktail to make even larger serving sizes if you are hosting a larger party. Or, if you want to simply make a cocktail for one, decrease all of the ingredients! If you do enjoy this gin summer sipper at your next party, please let me know what you think!