Freezer Door Cocktails Make Sophisticated Party Drinks Super Simple

There's a special kind of buzz to a cocktail party. Stiff drinks keep flowing, impressing with flavors and combinations. There's a variety to the offerings — tart, boozy, and easy-drinking options are available. And all-the-while, the experience is seamless, with chatter and laughter in the air. Hosts of such nights will know; shaking and stirring drinks is demanding. So to offer equally high-quality drinks with less effort, turn to freezer door cocktails.

The technique involves pre-mixing your drinks the night before, sans shaker. Combine each cocktail's components in a large, freezer-ready bottle, getting those precise ratios right down to the ounce. Add some water to compensate for the lack of ice — dilution ties drinks together. Then stow away at frigid temperatures, while components meld together over time. In fact, many cocktails will be enhanced by the method, with the flavors better-melded, and the mouthfeel elevated in richness. And once the big night arrives, you'll simply need to pour and serve, eliminating mistakes, and freeing up your own time.

In the expansive world of mixed drinks, not every cocktail can be pre-frozen; you wouldn't want to craft the tastiest whiskey sour ahead of time. Instead, it's best to freeze spirit-heavy cocktails you'll usually stir. Such a manner of drink assembly doesn't need aeration, and instead favors a less-diluted rich consistency; exactly what will store well in a freezer. So think classics like negronis, martinis, old-fashioneds and the like.

Furthermore, your freezer door drink needs to have a higher ABV, or else it risks turning into slush or freezing completely. The rule of thumb is to cap non-alcoholic ingredients at 20%; this isn't the time to freeze away the expansive fruit-juice medley of a classic hurricane cocktail. Chill cocktails that are homogenous in consistency, to ensure that every glass is the same.

And if you're not a fan of boozy cocktails (or don't want guests drunk too quickly) then you can always dilute after the freezer, too. Drink your cocktail in a highball glass, crafting fun mashups like a Manhattan topped with carbonated water. Or pre-freeze the components of the French 75, adding the Champagne at conclusion. The beauty of the method is the efficiency; you'll have many options with the opening of your freezer door.

Pre-batching not only takes some stress off assembly, but can open doors to new creative combinations, too. Since you're crafting an entire bottle at once, you can add just a touch of an ingredient that can't be measured out in an individual serving. Perhaps it's an aromatic liqueur, like an inflection of fruit eau de vie brandy to modify a martini. Or maybe you give your negroni a kiss of spice with some Ancho Reyes chile liqueur. Additionally, consider mixing in concentrates and powders that'll infuse into the drink. Even a packet of instant coffee can impart transformative qualities rested overnight.

Remember, since freezer door cocktails rely entirely on liquors and liqueurs, ingredient selection is paramount. A bold gin choice makes the perfect negroni; apply such a philosophy to every pre-batched drink. With less of a chance to mess up a cocktail during assembly, freezer door drinks are the opportunity to experiment with extra-tasty ingredients. Pair high quality ingredients in innovative ways, and such a tasty sophistication will delight guests.