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

Memorial Day is the first long weekend that really tastes like summer — backyard grills, blue skies, and pitchers that keep the good times flowing. If you’re hosting in the Buffalo area, Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda, NY has everything you need for crowd-pleasing pitcher cocktails and same-day delivery to your porch.

Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey $69.99 Shop Now Weller Special Reserve $44.99 Shop Now New Amsterdam Coconut $22.99 Shop Now Old Forester 1870 Original Batch $48.99 Shop Now Mafia Vodka $21.99 Shop Now Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon $59.99 Shop Now 1792 Bottled In Bond Bourbon $45.99 Shop Now Teremana Reposado $40.99 Shop Now

Bottles for Your Pitcher Menu

Stocking smart is half the party. For the seven pitchers below I lean on a small, versatile shelf: Teremana Reposado for tequila-forward pitchers, Mafia Vodka and New Amsterdam Coconut for clear spirit punches, and a friendly bourbon like Old Forester 1870 Original Batch or Weller Special Reserve for the peach smash. If you want something bolder and a little barrel-forward, Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon or Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon are great centerpieces. Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda, NY carries these bottles and can bring them same-day.

• Teremana Reposado — the workhorse for margaritas and palomas.
• Mafia Vodka or New Amsterdam Coconut — clean vodka base; coconut gives a sweet tropical lift for watermelon punch.
• Old Forester 1870 Original Batch or Weller Special Reserve — for the Bourbon Peach Smash.
• 1792 Bottled In Bond Bourbon or Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon — for guests who want more edge.
• Teremana Reposado again for the Paloma; its light oak complements grapefruit soda.

Pitcher Cocktails for Your Memorial Day BBQ (7 easy recipes)

Each recipe below is scaled to serve 6–8 guests. Bottle recommendations pull from what’s in stock at Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda, NY so you can pick up everything in one stop.

1. Red, White & Blue Sangria (patriotic sangria recipe)

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 1 bottle Honoro Vera Rioja Tempranillo (red)
  • 1 bottle Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio or Gabbiano Pinot Grigio (white)
  • 6 oz triple sec or orange liqueur
  • 12 oz club soda or lemon-lime soda (for fizz)
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 orange thinly sliced, 1 lemon thinly sliced
  • Ice and mint for garnish
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. In a large pitcher combine sliced fruit, triple sec, and both wines.
  2. Chill at least 2 hours (better: overnight) to let flavors marry.
  3. Top with soda just before serving and add ice.
• Glassware/Garnish: Large wine glasses or tumbler, mint sprigs.
• Pro tip: For a bolder red swirl mix a smaller ratio of red to white (3:2) so the fruit color pops — and keep an extra bottle of Honoro Vera on hand from Buffalo House if you want more punch.

2. Classic Frozen Margarita Pitcher (frozen margarita pitcher)

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 18 oz Teremana Reposado
  • 9 oz fresh lime juice (about 12 limes)
  • 9 oz orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec)
  • 6–8 cups ice (for blending)
  • Salt and lime wheels for rims
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. Combine tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur in a blender with half the ice. Blend until slushy.
  2. Add ice as needed to reach desired texture; blend in batches if needed.
  3. Serve immediately in salt-rimmed glasses.
• Glassware/Garnish: Rocks glass or margarita coupe, lime wheel.
• Pro tip: Freeze small batches ahead in ice cube trays (lime juice + tequila) then blend with fresh ice the day-of for faster service and less dilution.

3. Aperol Spritz (batch cocktails for a party)

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 12 oz Aperol
  • 24 oz Prosecco
  • 8 oz soda water
  • 6–8 orange slices
  • Plenty of ice
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. In a large pitcher or dispenser add Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water.
  2. Stir gently and add ice and orange slices.
  3. Serve over ice in wine glasses.
• Glassware/Garnish: Wine glass or large stemmed glass, orange slice.
• Pro tip: Keep the Prosecco cold and add it at the last minute so your spritz keeps its bubbles.

4. Bourbon Peach Smash

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 12 oz Old Forester 1870 Original Batch or Weller Special Reserve
  • 8–10 ripe peaches, thinly sliced or 2 cups thawed frozen peaches
  • 6 oz simple syrup (adjust to taste)
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • Club soda to top
  • Fresh mint for garnish
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. Muddle peaches with simple syrup and lemon juice in a bowl until juicy.
  2. Add bourbon and stir; chill an hour to let flavors meld.
  3. Pour over ice, top with soda, and garnish with mint.
• Glassware/Garnish: Highball glass, peach slice and mint sprig.
• Pro tip: Use a mix of fresh and frozen peaches to extend fruit flavor without buying too many fresh peaches for a single event.

5. Watermelon Vodka Punch

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 16 oz Mafia Vodka or New Amsterdam Coconut (for coconut-watermelon riff)
  • 8 cups cubed watermelon (seedless)
  • 6 oz lime juice
  • 4 oz simple syrup (or to taste)
  • 1 liter ginger beer or soda to top
  • Fresh mint and lime wheels
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. Puree half the watermelon in a blender and strain to remove pulp if desired.
  2. Combine watermelon juice, vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup in a pitcher and chill.
  3. Top with ginger beer just before serving and add cubed watermelon and ice.
• Glassware/Garnish: Collins glass, mint sprig and lime wheel.
• Pro tip: If you want a lighter punch, swap half the vodka for sparkling water and keep additional vodka on hand for guests who like it stronger.

6. Paloma Pitcher

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 18 oz Teremana Reposado
  • 24 oz grapefruit soda (or 18 oz fresh grapefruit juice + 6 oz simple syrup + soda)
  • 6 oz lime juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Grapefruit slices and ice
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. Combine tequila, lime juice, and salt in a pitcher.
  2. Add grapefruit soda or juice mixture; stir gently.
  3. Serve over ice with grapefruit slices.
• Glassware/Garnish: Highball glass with grapefruit wheel.
• Pro tip: For a touch of complexity add a dash of saline or a smoked salt rim to amplify the tequila’s toasted notes.

7. Cucumber Mint Cooler — non-alcoholic

• Ingredients (serves 6–8)
  • 2 English cucumbers, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 8 oz lime juice
  • 8–10 oz simple syrup (adjust)
  • 1.5 liters club soda or ginger ale
  • Ice and cucumber ribbons for garnish
• Method — 1-2-3
  1. Muddle cucumber and mint with simple syrup and lime juice.
  2. Strain into a pitcher, add cold soda, and stir.
  3. Serve over ice with cucumber ribbons and a mint sprig.
• Glassware/Garnish: Collins or stemless wine glass, mint and cucumber.
• Pro tip: Make a concentrated cucumber-mint base to stash in the fridge; add soda the day-of so the cooler stays fizzy.

Gabbiano Pinot Grigio $17.99 Shop Now Honoro Vera Rioja Tempranillo $10.99 Shop Now Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio delle Venezie $11.99 Shop Now Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc $22.99 Shop Now

Wine for the Sangria Pitcher

For the red half of your Red, White & Blue sangria reach for an easy, fruity red like Honoro Vera Rioja Tempranillo. For white options grab Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio delle Venezie or Gabbiano Pinot Grigio — both are bright and crowd-friendly. If you prefer a crisper white sangria, Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough brings zesty citrus notes that play nicely with stone fruit and berries. Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda has these wines on the shelf and available for same-day pickup or delivery.

Quick math: how much liquor to buy for 12 people

A little planning takes the panic out of party shopping. Use this quick guide for 12 guests over a typical 3–4 hour Memorial Day cookout.

• Estimate consumption: Plan for roughly 2 drinks per person (conservative) → 24 drinks total. Standard pour ≈ 1.5 oz of spirit per drink.
• How much spirit that is: 24 drinks × 1.5 oz = 36 oz ≈ 1.06 liters (so one 750 ml bottle gives ~16–17 standard pours; you’ll need about 1.5 bottles, round up to 2 bottles of any spirit you want to feature).
• What to buy for variety:
  • 1 bottle Teremana Reposado (margarita/paloma)
  • 1 bottle Mafia Vodka or New Amsterdam Coconut (watermelon punch)
  • 1 bottle Old Forester 1870 or Weller Special Reserve (bourbon smash)
  • 2–3 bottles of wine for sangria depending on how many pitchers you want to make
• Buffer: Always grab one extra spirit bottle if you expect guests to drink heavily or if you’re serving multiple spirit types — it’s easier to return a sealed bottle than to run mid-party.

What to skip — and why

Not every cocktail survives a party. Here’s what I tell hosts to avoid when making batch cocktails for a party:

• Don’t pre-make Old Fashioneds in a giant pitcher. The spirit-forward nature and delicate balance of sugar and bitters can fall flat or oxidize quickly. If you want bourbon, go with a bourbon smash that benefits from fruit and soda.
• Don’t over-sweeten before chilling. Sweetness mellows as it chills; better to add simple syrup incrementally after tasting cold.
• Don’t pre-blend fizzy drinks long ahead. Spritzes and sodas lose fizz fast — add sparkling components right before serving.

Buffalo House Liquor & Wines in Tonawanda, NY is ready to stock your Memorial Day bar: everything above — from Teremana Reposado to Mafia Vodka and Honoro Vera Rioja Tempranillo — is available in store or online. Use code MEMORIAL10 for a party-time discount or STOCKUP15 for larger orders; same-day delivery in the Buffalo, NY area makes last-minute shopping painless. Stop by 1230 Colvin Blvd in Tonawanda, call (716) 770-1230, or order online and get ready to serve pitcher cocktails that keep the Memorial Day BBQ moving.