Queensland’s holiday rush can make or break a venue’s bottom line. When crowds swell and expectations climb, building a high‑velocity spritz and highball section that delivers drinks in seconds—not minutes—becomes foundational to a thriving service. At Bouchon, we’ve partnered with hundreds of hospitality venues to solve exactly this challenge. Here’s our team’s complete, actionable system to stand up a profitable, streamlined spritz and highball program in just 15 minutes—with product recommendations, service templates, and the organisational tricks that keep your bar humming even at full tilt.
Understanding the Power of Spritz and Highball Service
Holiday drinkers crave crisp, refreshing, and approachable serves. Spritzes and highballs answer that demand while also ticking all the operational boxes: minimal ingredients, quick assembly, and high perceived value. With a properly planned section, you’ll manage bigger waves of orders, maintain ticket speed, and increase throughput on your hero SKUs—all in a footprint that any bar team can replicate.
Step 1: Define Your Six-Drink Framework—The Golden Ratio
- Six drinks total: 3 spritzes, 3 highballs. Any more and you lose speed; any less and you miss upsell opportunities.
- Cover all segments: 2 low ABV, 2 mid-ABV, 2 full strength. This invites both light and bold drinkers.
- Cross-utilise ingredients: Choose spirits, modifiers, and garnishes that repeat across the range.
Recommended Core Product Anchors from Bouchon
Choose spirits and sparkles that deliver on versatility, margin, and trend appeal. Here are just a few of the options our portfolio offers to Queensland venues for designing your six‑serve program:
- Vedrenne Aperitivo Spritz 15% 700ml is a game changer for fast, consistent spritz service, offering a balanced bitter-sweet backbone for holiday menus.
- Antipodes Watermelon Gin brings an Instagram-worthy colour and a summery profile to both spritzes and highballs.
- Giselle Pavlova Gin unlocks a distinctive Australian twist, serving as both your gin spritz base and a playful G&T highball.
- Our sparkling wines and rosés anchor low-ABV and celebratory serves.
Sample 6-Drink Blueprint
- Spritz 1 (Low ABV): Sparkling Rosé Spritz (sparkling rosé & grapefruit soda)
- Spritz 2 (Mid ABV): Pavlova Garden Spritz (Giselle Pavlova Gin, bitter aperitif, soda)
- Spritz 3 (Mid ABV): Watermelon Veranda Spritz (Antipodes Watermelon Gin, lemon cordial, soda)
- Highball 1 (Low ABV): Vermouth & Soda (vermouth, soda, citrus wheel)
- Highball 2 (Full Strength): Gin & Tonic Highball (gin, premium tonic, lemon twist)
- Highball 3 (Full Strength): Vodka Citrus Highball (vodka, soda, fresh lime)
Step 2: Prepare Two 2L Pre-Batched Bases (5 Minutes Total)
Batching saves the most time for the least effort. Combine non-carbonated spine ingredients into labelled bottles and refrigerate on the speed rail. (Pro tip: never batch with carbonation—add bubbles at service for fizz and consistency.)
Example: Pavlova Garden Spritz Batch (30 serves)
- 900 ml Giselle Pavlova Gin
- 600 ml Vedrenne Aperitivo Spritz 15% 700ml
- 300 ml citrus cordial
Label, date, and shift-mark your batch. Keep it cold and near your sparkling/soda setup.
Example: Watermelon Veranda Spritz Batch (30 serves)
- 900 ml Antipodes Watermelon Gin
- 600 ml lemon cordial
- 300 ml Vedrenne Aperitivo Spritz 15% 700ml
Step 3: Standardise Glassware, Ice, and Specs (2 Minutes)
- One 400–450 ml wine glass for all spritzes, one 300–350 ml tall glass for all highballs.
- Always fill glasses to the brim with standard cubed ice. If you see glass, it needs more ice!
- Standard spec per drink: 60 ml batch (or 30+30 ml built), 60–90 ml sparkling mixer, finished with garnish.
Step 4: Organise the Spritz & Highball Station (5 Minutes)
- In front: Ice well, glassware, jiggers
- Right: Batched bases (Pavlova, Watermelon), backup gin, vermouth, vodka
- Left: Sodas, tonics, sparkling, garnish tray
Any drink should be completed with no more than two bottle grabs and one garnish pickup per build.
Step 5: Teach the 3-Step Build Technique
- Ice all your glasses first. Batch prepping four to six drinks at once saves motion.
- Pour bases (either from batch or jiggered per recipe) for all lined-up glasses.
- Top with bubbles in order, garnish each, then hand off for service.
Step 6: Run a 15-Minute Team Speed Drill Pre-Shift
- 5 minutes: Walk through every item’s location at the station.
- 5 minutes: Timed mock round for all 6 serves. Set a standard—aim for under 3 minutes for 6 drinks.
- 5 minutes: Optional free-pour practice with water for accuracy and muscle memory.
This habit builds not just speed but confidence—and helps new staff keep pace on the busiest nights.
Key Numbers to Track for Continuous Improvement
- Ticket time: Set a hard benchmark of under 7 minutes from order to guest for all cocktails in this section.
- Menu penetration: Aim for highballs and spritzes to total 40–60% of all cocktail sales during the holiday surge.
- Batch variance: Monitor pours using jiggered staff training to minimise overpours and track spills.
How Bouchon Supports Your Spritz & Highball Success
With nearly a century of collective industry expertise and a portfolio truly tailored to Queensland venues, we’re here to do more than deliver. We offer:
- Trade-pricing on all the key spirits, vermouths, and sparkles you need for high-speed drinks
- Direct access to local representatives for every region
- Complimentary staff training, tastings, and weekly/monthly promotional features for your list
- Free delivery across Queensland for every order over $750
When you’re looking to refine your cocktail menu beyond the holiday rush, consider our guides on optimisation, like Refreshing Your Cocktail Menu: Premium Alternatives to Popular Spirits and Beyond Aperol: Innovative Ways to Refresh Your Cocktail List with Massenez Liqueurs.
Quick Action Checklist: Your 15-Minute Playbook
- Finalise six drink specs with clear, laminated guides.
- Batch enough base for at least 30 drinks per top seller.
- Stock glassware and prepare 60+ citrus wheels and 30-herb sprigs per 100 expected guests.
- Align all bartenders with a physical walk-through and a speed round before service opens.
- Track sales and speed for real-world performance—and re-tune weekly.
Your backbar should always work as hard as you do, and there’s no better way to fill operational gaps—and the till—than with a deliberate, flexible spritz and highball section for the holidays. Need assistance customising products for your demographic or price point? Contact your local Bouchon team for recommendations rooted in real Queensland experience, not vague claims.
For trade buying, our site is purpose-built for professional venues and licensed accounts.
Are you a retail customer looking for quality holiday spritz supplies at home? Visit Caravan Wines & Spirits for retail ordering and delivery.