12 Make-Ahead Pitcher Cocktail Recipes for Your Tailgate (2025)

There are two essential tailgate items for any party: Food and drinks. What was once an easy grab of 24 packs of beer has evolved into providing a variety of drinks. If you love to bartend, this is great because it’s the perfect time to show off your skills. However, if you’d rather spend your time watching the game, then these make-ahead pitcher cocktail recipes are perfect for you.

Making large batches of drinks keeps you enjoying time with your friends without the hassle of making drinks one by one. Keep reading for a dozen batch drink recipes that you can make ahead of your next event.

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How To Batch Your Favorite Cocktail

Before we get started, we just wanted to go over how you can turn any of your favorite cocktails into a pitcher cocktail. This guide from Cup of Zest goes into detail on how you can scale any cocktail with a few essential tailgate items. Just make sure that carbonation and fresh herbs are added last.

12 Pitcher Cocktail Recipes to Impress Your Tailgating Party Guests

1. Breakfast Sangria

Kicking off your homegate with an early party? Consider throwing a brunch theme homegate with this citrus-driven sangria. This boozy batch is easy to make the night before with prosecco and grapefruit sparkling water for a fruity, refreshing drink. The best part is that the longer it sits the better it tastes!

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insidetailgating.com

Breakfast Sangria

This refreshing, fruity breakfast sangria is made effortlessly the night before with prosecco and sparkling water, and the longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets!…

Breakfast Sangria

2. Hawaiian Mai Tai

Mai Tais are probably one of the more popular pitcher drinks you can serve at a party. This tropical twist on a classic gives a refreshing blend of pineapple and lime juice and orange liqueur that is ideal for summer tailgating. Be careful though, they taste more harmless than they are!

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chewoutloud.com

Hawaiian Mai Tai

This recipe can be made ahead of time in your favorite pitcher until party time. People adore this refreshing cocktail…

Hawaiian Mai Tai

3. Mojito Pitcher

Let’s be honest, no one is going to expect you to muddle mint and make a classic mojito at a party. It’s too much work. However, including this essential tailgate item as a batch cocktail will be the talk of the party. Using the mint to create your simple syrup gives the perfect mint balance without the hassle of muddling each cocktail individually. It also won’t overwhelm the flavor.

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Mojito Pitcher

By using mint to make your simple syrup, this mojito pitcher recipe has the ideal mint essence without the hassle of individually muddling each cocktail, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor that won’t overpower…

Mojito Pitcher

4. Big Batch Cajun Lemonade

A common, and rather boring party “essential” is lemonade. This recipe will ensure your lemonade is a hit by adding some Southern Cajun spices! Surprise your guests with a mix of vodka and rum with lemonade and a splash of spice redefines homegate lemonade. These are perfect to serve with shrimp, gumbo, and cheesy grits.

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insidetailgating.com

Big Batch Cajun Lemonade

Mixing vodka, rum, and lemonade with a hint of spice gives this big batch cajun lemonade a fresh twist for your party!…

Big Batch Cajun Lemonade

5. Red White And Blue Big Batch Cocktail

Everyone loves a pina colada. This play on the classic pina colada adds some patriotic flare with festive colors from grenadine and citrusy blue curaçao. Just pour over ice in layers to create the red, white, and blue effect, then and enjoy. It’s a perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day. Plus, there are even suggestions for a non-alcoholic mocktail version for those guests (or kiddos) who want it. Just double the recipe to make it a big batch!

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peelwithzeal.com

Red White and Blue Layered Cocktail

Citrusy vodka patriotic cocktail perfect for July 4th, Memorial Day or Labor Day. Layered with grenadine and blue curacao…

Red White and Blue Layered Cocktail

6. Cucumber Tequila Cocktail

Does your homegating team love refreshing, cool cucumber water? Surprise them at your next homegate with this delicious batched cocktail. The blend of tequila, cucumber, basil, and lime is a perfect summer cocktail for any event. Add a few cubes of ice and serve. Everyone will feel cool and relaxed.

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insidetailgating.com

Cucumber Tequila Cocktail

Featuring a mix of tequila, cucumber, basil, and lime, this cucumber tequila cocktail is the ideal summer beverage for any occasion…

Cucumber Tequila Cocktail

7. Strawberry Wine Punch

Have you excluded strawberry daiquiris from your homegates? You should seriously rethink this decision because This boozy strawberry wine punch recipe has the daiquiri taste without the hassle of having to blend the ingredients! With white wine, strawberry daiquiri mix, Fresca, and lemon juice, it’s bright, sweet, and perfect for any spring or summer get-together. We recommend making a double batch this delicious spritzer and making some strawberry-sliced ice cubes to dazzle your guests.

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Strawberry Wine Punch

This boozy strawberry wine punch has the daiquiri taste without the hassle of having to blend the ingredients! It’s bright, sweet, and great for summer!…

Strawberry Wine Punch

8. Vodka Mint Lemonade

Don’t let the basic title trick you, this easy recipe has a couple of surprises to keep your guests drinking. The base is limes or lemons, fresh mint leaves, honey or sugar, water, ice, and vodka, which you can add to the whole batch or let your guests add as they pour. This basic drink is perfect for any guest looking to watch their waistline but not be excluded from any of the fun!

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Vodka Mint Lemonade

In this vodka mint lemonade recipe whole lemons are blended with fresh mint, honey or sugar, and water. Your guests have the option to add vodka themselves!…

Vodka Mint Lemonade

9. Bourbon Rosemary Punch

Bourbon is commonly overlooked as a cocktail ingredient but this boozy batch will become an essential for your whiskey-loving buddies. Enjoy a fresh drink with seasonal flavors and bright, beautiful garnishes, plus a whole lot of bubbles—thanks to the sparkling wine and seltzer—to make the whole thing feel more festive. The smokey herbal combination of bourbon and rosemary-infused aperol is perfect to serve as a complement to steak or prime rib.Garnish with rosemary sprigs for the perfect finishing touch.

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insidetailgating.com

Bourbon Rosemary Punch

This bourbon rosemary punch is full of seasonal flavors and bright, beautiful garnishes, plus a whole lot of bubbles to make the whole thing feel more festive…

Bourbon Rosemary Punch

10. Pineapple Party Punch

Get ready to hear cheers of “Aloha!” with this tropical punch. White rum and prosecco meet pineapple in this bold batch guaranteed to be a hit at your next homegate. You can even elevate this summery drink with a few frozen pineapple cubes to replace the ice. Just make sure to keep extra ingredients on hand as these essential tailgate items go fast!

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Pineapple Party Punch

For pineapple party punch, mix rum and prosecco with pineapple juice for a delicious batch that’ll be a crowd-pleaser at your next homegate…

Pineapple Party Punch

11. Sparkling Spiked Peach Lemonade

What is your favorite part of summer? If you said peach season, you are not alone. Fresh peaches are divine all on their own, but when mixed with club soda, lemon juice, sugar, and vodka, they become superstars in this refreshing pitcher cocktail recipe. They are perfect for cooling down after being out in the heat all day. This batch of lemons and peaches is the refreshing item to spotlight any homegate event.

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thekitchn.com

Keep This Sparkling Spiked Peach Lemonade in Your Fridge at All Times

It’s the ultimate summer pitcher cocktail…

Keep This Sparkling Spiked Peach Lemonade in Your Fridge at All Times

12. Coconut Lemon Sour Party Punch

Of all the lemonades on the list, this vodka-spiked drink adds tropical notes with coconut water perfect for those hot summer homegate parties. The coconut water adds a refreshing lightness to keep the party going. It’s also a great option for people looking to avoid drinking their daily calories.

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Coconut Lemon Punch

Out of all of the different lemonade recipes that you can make, this coconut lemon punch stands out with a tropical twist – coconut water!…

Coconut Lemon Punch

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The best part about all of these batch cocktails is they can be made a day or two before your party. That is one essential tailgate item you can stop worrying about. Many of them even get better the longer they steep. You can make a couple of different ones so that your guests can have a choice. That being said, it’s still never a bad idea to grab that 24-pack of beer for those who like a more classic beverage at their homegates.

Need ideas for breakfast or brunch cocktails? Check out these 16+ Breakfast Cocktail Ideas Perfect For Kicking Off Your Tailgate Party including crowd-pleasing Pomegranate Mimosa, Habanero-Hibiscus Sour, and Coffee Margarita recipes, plus how to build a Bloody Mary bar!

12 Make-Ahead Pitcher Cocktail Recipes for Your Tailgate (2025)
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