This year we fell hard for the ease of the pitcher cocktail. While shaking up individual drinks is all well and good, when there's a thirsty crowd to entertain, a pour-what-you-wish situation always seems like the best answer.

Here are our 10 best big-batch drinks from the year.

Spike your favorite store-bought lemonade with rum and pile in a load of sweet and juicy strawberries and you've got an easy cocktail that's meant for lazy weekends with friends.

If you're expecting a crowd of gin and tonic drinkers, this is the pitcher cocktail to make. The large format of the classic cocktails makes it easy to serve, and the addition of smashed cucumbers is a fun and easy twist.

Muddled jalapeño slices provide a spicy contrast to sweet pineapple juice in this tequila-based pitcher cocktail.

Yes, this delicate sangria is lovely to serve at a bridal shower, but its pleasing mix of cava, elderflower liquor, and fresh raspberries really makes it fitting for any occasion.

Tart cranberry juice takes the places of some of the usual lime juice in this winter twist on margaritas. Like all pitcher cocktails, it's an easy enough recipe to halve or double depending on the crowd you're serving.

Most mojito recipes call for tossing the fresh mint leaves into the bottom of a glass or pitcher and muddling them to break them down and release their flavor. This recipe takes a difference approach by smacking the leaves between your hands instead, which releases the oils without breaking them apart.

A bottle of prosecco is already a great choice for a gathering of family or friends, but it can easily be made more festive by pouring it into a pitcher and adding watermelon cubes and fresh mint.

This bourbon-spiked cocktail is sure to be a hit even among non-whiskey fans, as the heart of it is fruity, gingery, and bubbly. The nutty notes from the bourbon only round everything out.

This Halloween-themed sangria is filled with black fruit — blackberries, black plums, and black grapes — and spiked with blackcurrant liqueur to ensure it's deep and dark.

Letting the strawberry and cucumber slices soak with the orange liqueur for at least an hour before adding the sparkling wine ensures their sweet, fresh flavor is in every sip.