Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails

Margaritas by the Pitcher

Margaritas by the Pitcher

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The classic Margarita is always a good choice. Its proven combination of tequila, fresh lime juice and orange liqueur has been sating thirsts since the middle of the 20th century. So, it’s only natural that one may wish to perform the noble task of making a bunch of Margaritas at once. Because as common wisdom dictates, Margaritas by the Pitcher are a surefire way to please a crowd.

Making a pitcher of Margaritas is not more difficult than making a single Margarita. The chief difference is that you will use a larger quantity of each ingredient. Once your pitcher is full, you can dole out glasses to your guests, which saves you time and keeps them happy.

This recipe comes from bartending legend Dale DeGroff. He adds agave syrup to the holy trinity of tequila, lime juice and Cointreau for a dash of sweetness and scales up the ratios into a large batch that fits snugly into a 52-ounce pitcher. This recipe serves 12 people, but you can tweak the portions as needed and employ a larger pitcher to accommodate more drinks. (Hey, the people like refills.)

Once the batch is complete, shake portions of the liquid with ice, strain into glasses and garnish each with a lime wheel to give the drinks a personal touch.

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces Cointreau

  • 10 ounces lime juice, freshly squeezed

  • 3 1/2 ounces agave syrup or simple syrup

  • 22 ounces tequila

  • Garnish: 12 lime wheels

Steps

  1. To a 52-ounce pitcher, add the Cointreau and lime juice and stir to combine.

  2. Add the agave or simple syrup followed by the tequila. Stir to combine, then taste. (The flavor should be intense, since the drink hasn’t yet been diluted with ice.)

  3. To serve, pour 4 ounces of the mixture at a time into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. (If you have a large shaker or a gallon jar with a screw-top, you can shake several drinks at the same time.)

  4. Strain into a stemmed Margarita glass with a half-salted rim or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

  5. Garnish with a thin lime wheel.