Garden party season is upon us, so you know we’re on hand with a cocktail hack to keep the drinks flowing. Each cocktail pitcher recipe has a classic Joe Browns twist and tells you how best to serve them, so you can party with the rest of the attendees while ensuring no one goes thirsty.  

 

First; some top tips... 

  1. Place your jug on the table next to glasses already filled with garnish and some straws to make sure everyone has the best drinking experience.  
  2. Keep all cocktails in the fridge for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavours to meld together 
  3. Have some ice in a cooler box to let the guest choose how much – if any – ice to put in their drink.  

 

Now the formalities are over, let’s get our jugs out and make some cocktails! And don’t worry, if you don’t have sand and sea, we’ve added a few variations of sangria recipes for that holiday taste! 

 

Watermelon Sangria 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 bottle white wine (we like Sauvignon Blanc!) 
  • 3 cups fresh watermelon chunks, plus extra small slices for garnish 
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries, plus extra for garnish 
  • 1 cup diced pineapple, plus extra thin slices for garnish 
  • ½ cup triple sec 
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice 
  • ¼ cup of simple syrup or agave nectar 

 

Recipe: 

  1. Combine all ingredients into a large jug and stir to mix 
  2. Chill in the fridge for an hour to let the flavours blend 
  3. Set out glasses (we recommend tumblers) with more strawberries, watermelon and pineapple slices for garnish. 
  4. Serve over ice and enjoy. 

 

 

Classic Margarita Pitcher 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups tequila 
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice 
  • ½ cup triple sec 
  • ¼ cup simple syrup or agave nectar 
  • Lime wedges and mint for garnish 
  • Salt 

 

Recipe: 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large jug and stir well to mix. 
  2. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour. 
  3. When ready to serve, ice the rims of your glasses (we recommend tumblers or martini glasses) garnish with lime wedges. 
  4. Serve with or without ice and enjoy 

 

 

Classic Pimm’s 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups Pimm’s No. 1 
  • 2 cups lemonade 
  • 2 cups limeade  
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice 
  • ½ cup orange juice 
  • 1 cucumber, sliced 
  • 1 lemon, sliced 
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries 
  • 1 orange, sliced 
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves 

 

Recipe: 

  1. Combine all liquid in a jug and half of the fruit, cucumber and garnish. Stir well to mix.  
  2. Refrigerate to let the flavours mingle together.  
  3. Set up the remaining garnish on a plate and sit out with tongs so guests can garnish their own drinks 
  4. When ready to serve, add the desired garnishes and pour over ice to enjoy. We like highball glasses for this one! 

 

 

Fizzy Sangria Roja 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 bottle red wine 
  • 2 cans SanPellegrino fizzy orange 
  • ½ cup brandy 
  • ¼ cup triple sec 
  • ¼ cup sugar syrup or agave syrup 
  • 1 orange, sliced 
  • 1 lemon, sliced 
  • 1 lime, sliced 
  • 1 apple, cubed 
  • 1 cup mixed berries (we love raspberries, strawberries and blueberries) 

 

Recipe: 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large jug and stir well to mix. 
  2. Chill in the fridge for an hour to let all the flavours combine. 
  3. When ready to serve, add some fruit from the jug to large glasses, add a few ice cubes and pour the mixture over. We prefer a classic wine glass for this one! 
  4. Garnish the edge of the glass with a slice of orange or lemon (or both – get creative!) 

 

 

Sangria Blanco (A.K.A Joe’s personal favourite!) 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 bottle white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) 
  • ½ cup white rum 
  • ¼ cup Cointreau or Triple Sec 
  • 2 cups sliced mixed citrus fruits (we like oranges, lemon and limes, but any combination will do!) 
  • 1 cup sliced peaches or nectarines 
  • 1 cup fresh berries (a frozen berry mix will do!) 
  • ¼ cup simply sugar syrup or agave nectar.  

 

Recipe: 

  1. In a large jug, combine the white wine, white rum and triple sec.  
  2. Add the citrus fruits, peaches or nectarines and berries to the jug. 
  3. Stir in the syrup or agave nectar to sweeten the cocktail to your liking (remember to taste it... but not too much!) 
  4. Cover the jug and refrigerate for at least an hour, but we prefer leaving it overnight so the peach taste really comes through – just make sure you can resist the temptation! 
  5. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with fruit from the jug. 

 

 

Tropical Rum Punch 

 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of white rum 
  • 2 cups pineapple juice 
  • 1 cup orange juice 
  • ½ cup lime juice 
  • ½ cup grenadine syrup 
  • Pineapple slices for garnish 
  • Maraschino cherries for garnish 

 

Recipe: 

  1. In a jug, combine the rum, juices and grenadine syrup and stir well to mix.  
  2. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour (you know the drill by now!) 
  3. When ready to serve, fill your glasses with ice, pour your tropical rum punch over the ice and garnish with a pineapple slice and maraschino cherry. We prefer a classic tumbler for the rum punch, but also margarita glasses work well! 

 

Bubbly Berry Rosé Punch 

 

 

  • 1 bottle rosé wine
  • 2 cups sparkling water or soda water
  • 1 cup mixed berries (frozen mixed berries will do!) 
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 
  • ¼ cup sugar syrup or agave nectar. 
  • Fresh mint leaves for garnish 

 

Recipe: 

  1. In a large jug, combine the rosé wine, your choice of sparkling or soda water, lemon juice and syrup or agave nectar. Stir gently to mix to combine the flavours while not disrupting the carbonated water. This will ensure your punch stays lovely and sparkling. 
  2. Gently add the mixed berries and stir carefully again.  
  3. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour 
  4. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves and some extra berries if desired. 

 

If you’ve enjoyed our pitcher cocktail recipe blog, why not head over to our Garden Party guide to find the best advice for creating a thriving party? Summer is the best time to show off your garden and host skills, and this blog ensures an unforgettable party from sunshine to starlight!