7 Easy Pitcher Cocktails for Your Memorial Day BBQ (Buffalo Bartender Approved)

Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer in Buffalo — a long weekend of backyard grills, Lake Erie breezes, and easy drinks that keep the party moving. If you’re hosting in Tonawanda or elsewhere in the Buffalo area, these seven pitcher cocktails are built to serve 6–8 guests with minimal fuss. Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda has everything on the list and can even get bottles to you with same-day delivery.

Bottles for Your Pitcher Menu —

Don Fulano Reposado $59.99 Shop Now Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey $39.99 Shop Now Del Maguey Vida Puebla $37.99 Shop Now Ben Holladay 6Yrs Bottled-in-Bond $63.99 Shop Now Three Chord Bourbon Strange Collaboration $49.99 Shop Now Brother's Bond 6Yrs Bottled-In-Bond $59.99 Shop Now Breckenridge Distillery Imperial Stout Cask Finish $56.99 Shop Now One Foot Cock Straight Wheated $56.99 Shop Now

Stocking the right bottles simplifies batch cocktails. A few recommendations from Buffalo House Liquor & Wines that cover everything below:

• Don Fulano Reposado — great for a brighter spirit base with spice for Margaritas (don-fulano-reposado).
• Del Maguey Vida — smoky, friendly mezcal for Paloma riffs (del-maguey-vida).
• Breckenridge Bourbon — solid and approachable for a peach smash (breckenridge-rum-cask-finish-bourbon-copy).
• Ben Holladay 6Yrs Bottled-in-Bond or Three Chord Bourbon Strange Collaboration — both stand up well in stirred/fruit-forward batches (ben-holladay-6-year-old-bottled-in-bond-missouri-straight-bourbon-whiskey-100-proof; three-chord-bourbon-strange-collaboration).
• White wine: Sea Glass Pinot Grigio or Daou Sauvignon Blanc for sangria (sea-glass-pinot-grigio; daou-sauvignon-blanc).

Wine for the Sangria Pitcher —

Sea Glass Pinot Grigio $11.99 Shop Now Gabbiano Pinot Grigio $17.99 Shop Now le petit velo sauvignon blanc $14.99 Shop Now Daou Sauvignon Blanc $17.99 Shop Now

For a crowd-pleasing Red, White & Blue Sangria you don’t need an expensive bottle. Choose a crisp, fruit-forward white or a versatile pinot grigio if you’re making a lighter sangria.

• Sea Glass Pinot Grigio — bright and affordable, great with citrus and berries (sea-glass-pinot-grigio).
• Gabbiano Pinot Grigio — a touch richer if you prefer more structure (cavaliere-doro-pinot-grigio-delle-venezie).
• le petit velo sauvignon blanc — herbaceous lift for a summery sangria (le-petit-velo-sauvignon-blanc).
• Daou Sauvignon Blanc — a step up if you want crisper acidity (daou-sauvignon-blanc).

Pitcher Recipes — the 7 Easy Batch Cocktails

1. Red, White & Blue Sangria (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 1 bottle Sea Glass Pinot Grigio or Gabbiano Pinot Grigio
  • 6 oz vodka (optional, keeps it festive)
  • 8 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar + water)
  • 1 cup strawberries, halved
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 lemon, sliced; 1 lime, sliced
  • Sparkling water to top (about 12 oz)
• Method:
  1. Combine wine, vodka, simple syrup and fruit in a pitcher. Stir gently.
  2. Refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is fine) so flavors marry.
  3. Just before serving, add ice and top with sparkling water.
• Glassware & garnish: Large wine glass or highball with a berry skewer and lemon wheel.
• Pro tip: If you refrigerate overnight, hold off on the sparkling water until service time so it stays fizzy.

2. Classic Frozen Margarita Pitcher (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 12 oz Don Fulano Reposado
  • 8 oz fresh lime juice
  • 6 oz orange liqueur or 8 oz fresh orange juice + 2 oz triple sec
  • 8 oz simple syrup or agave
  • 4–6 cups ice (blend till slushy)
• Method:
  1. Combine all liquids in a blender with half the ice; pulse.
  2. Add remaining ice and blend to desired slushiness.
  3. Spooled into salt-rimmed glasses and serve immediately.
• Glassware & garnish: Margarita glass or rocks glass with lime wheel and coarse salt.
• Pro tip: Freeze lime juice in ice cube trays if you want a slower-melting slush for outdoor service.

3. Aperol Spritz Batch (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 12 oz Aperol
  • 24 oz prosecco or a dry sparkling
  • 12 oz club soda or chilled sparkling water
  • Orange slices
• Method:
  1. In a large pitcher, combine Aperol and chilled prosecco.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Top with club soda and ice just before serving; add orange slices.
• Glassware & garnish: Wine glass with big ice cube and orange wheel.
• Pro tip: Keep the prosecco and soda very cold and add them last to preserve bubbles.

4. Bourbon Peach Smash (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 24 oz Breckenridge Bourbon (or Breckenridge Distillery Imperial Stout Cask Finish for a deeper edge)
  • 1½ cups peach purée or muddled fresh peaches
  • ¾ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup simple syrup
  • Fresh mint for muddling and garnish
• Method:
  1. Muddle mint and peach in a bowl or pitcher base, then add bourbon, lemon juice, and syrup.
  2. Stir and chill for 30–60 minutes.
  3. Serve over crushed ice with mint sprigs.
• Glassware & garnish: Rocks glass with crushed ice and a mint sprig.
• Pro tip: Use Ben Holladay 6Yrs Bottled-in-Bond or Three Chord Bourbon for a flavorful, high-proof backbone that stands up to fruit (ben-holladay-6-year-old-bottled-in-bond-missouri-straight-bourbon-whiskey-100-proof; three-chord-bourbon-strange-collaboration).

5. Watermelon Vodka Punch (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 20 oz vodka
  • 6 cups seeded watermelon, blended and strained (~4 cups juice)
  • 6 oz lime juice
  • 6 oz simple syrup (adjust to taste)
  • Sparkling water to taste
• Method:
  1. Blend watermelon and strain to a pitcher; add vodka, lime, and syrup.
  2. Chill at least 1 hour.
  3. Top with sparkling water and serve over ice.
• Glassware & garnish: Collins glass, lime wedge, and a small watermelon wedge.
• Pro tip: Toss cubed watermelon into the freezer on trays and use frozen cubes in place of ice so drinks don’t dilute.

6. Paloma Pitcher (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 20 oz blanco tequila or smokier mezcal like Del Maguey Vida for a twist (del-maguey-vida)
  • 2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
  • ¾ cup lime juice
  • ½–¾ cup agave or simple syrup
  • Club soda to top
• Method:
  1. Combine tequila, juices and sweetener in a pitcher and stir.
  2. Chill for 30–60 minutes.
  3. Top with club soda and serve over ice with a salted rim if you like.
• Glassware & garnish: Highball with grapefruit slice.
• Pro tip: For a smoky Paloma, swap in Del Maguey Vida — it adds character without overpowering the citrus.

7. Non-Alcoholic Cucumber Mint Cooler (serves 6–8)

• Ingredients:
  • 2 large cucumbers, peeled and blended (about 3 cups juice)
  • ½ cup lime juice
  • ½ cup simple syrup
  • Handful of mint leaves
  • Sparkling water to top
• Method:
  1. Blend cucumber, strain, and combine with lime, syrup and muddled mint.
  2. Chill and top with sparkling water before serving.
  3. Serve over ice for a refreshing non-alcoholic option.
• Glassware & garnish: Collins glass with a long cucumber ribbon and mint sprig.
• Pro tip: Keep a pitcher of this in the shade — it’s a great palate cleanser between grilled bites.

How much liquor to buy for 12 people — quick math

Planning for a larger crowd? Here’s a simple approach for 12 guests over a 3–4 hour BBQ when you’re offering a few different pitchers:

• Estimate 2–3 drinks per person per hour early on, tapering to 1–2 later. For a 3-hour party assume ~6 drinks per person — 72 drinks total.
• A 750 ml bottle = ~25 standard pours. If pitchers are roughly 6–8 drinks each, you’ll need about 3 bottles of the primary spirit split across types. Practical picks:
  • 1 bottle tequila (for Margaritas/Paloma)
  • 1 bottle bourbon (for peach smash)
  • 1 bottle vodka or mezcal (for watermelon or smoky Paloma variations)
  • 2–3 bottles wine for sangria depending on how popular it is
• Example shopping list for 12 with some variety:
  • Don Fulano Reposado — 1 bottle
  • Breckenridge Bourbon — 1 bottle
  • Vodka — 1 bottle
  • Sea Glass Pinot Grigio — 2 bottles

What to skip — no, don’t pre-make a pitcher of Old Fashioneds

Some drinks just don’t batch well. Skip making these in large pitchers:

• Old Fashioneds — the aromatic bitterness and stirred chill don’t survive well in a pre-mixed pitcher.
• Sours that rely on egg whites — egg whites lose structure and are better shaken to order.
• Highly carbonated cocktails — pre-mixing kills fizz; add soda or sparkling at service.

Instead, choose high-volume-friendly formats: fruit-forward punches, wine-based sangrias, spritzes and frozen blends that keep well for short periods.

Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda, NY has all the bottles listed — from Don Fulano Reposado to Breckenridge Bourbon and Sea Glass Pinot Grigio — and we offer free same-day delivery across the Buffalo area. Use code MEMORIAL10 for 10% off a Memorial Day pick-up or STOCKUP15 for 15% when you order online for delivery. Swing by our Tonawanda store at 1230 Colvin Blvd, call (716) 770-1230, or place your order online and we’ll help you stock the perfect Memorial Day pitcher lineup.