Punch Season: My Favorite Time Of The Year, By Far!

It’s Punch Season! If you are not running at least one Punch per week you’re losing out on some really fun times in your cocktail lounge. Why not?

Making the most of Punch Season requires only a few really basic things. Desire to make something different is certainly a good reason. Another reason is here in the NY/Metro area, we have a little something named History. They say that George Washington was fond of Punch and that’s probably more plausible than “George Washington Slept Here” signs that are all over this region. The history side is the savories (or sweetest) thing about the interest in Punch.

The other part of Punch Season is the cost. Everyone in the bar industry knows that the bottom of the bottle shows up infrequently. There are times that a bottle will languish on the shelf with an inch or two of expensive spirits- for weeks on end without being sold. The solution? Punch! Building a Punch will empower your staff as well. Think of the art of making Punch as a team building exercise. Places like Cure in New Orleans (think Tales of the Cocktail) and all the wonderful drinks that grace their elegant and nearly endless bar.

Punch is raised to a higher level in my six books as well. (So, get studying!) There are dozens of recipes available and many you’d never heard about as well.

A Colonial Cider Punch-Cocktail (Whisperer Style)

This will keep the attention of at least thirty thirsty folks

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Jade Absinthe – for the wash
• 1-750ml. bottle of Laird’s 100 Proof, Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy
• 1 Quart fresh Apple Juice
• 4 oz. Pickett’s Ginger Beer Syrup
• 12 oz. Seltzer Water- to mix with the Ginger Beer Syrup
• Angostura and Cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Wash the inside of a fancy cut crystal Punch Bowl with the absinthe
2. Add a large block of ice
3. Add the Laird’s Apple Brandy
4. Add the Apple Juice (or cider)
5. Add the Pickett’s Ginger Syrup
6. Mix with the Seltzer Water
7. Serve
8. Dot with Angostura and scrape some fresh cinnamon over the top

A Bourbon Milk Punch

Ingredients:

• 1-750ml. bottle of Bourbon. I used Buffalo Trace
• 2 Quarts Heavy Cream
• ½ cup real vanilla extract
• 1 Quart whole milk (regular)
• Lots of fresh nutmeg
• 1 cup Chai Tea

Preparation:

1. To a Punch Bowl: Add the liquid ingredients with a large cube of ice
2. Mix well
3. Serve in a tea cup

A Fun Winter Citrus Punch

Ingredients:

• 8 grapefruits, 10 oranges, 4 lemons and 1 lime
• Angostura and Demerara sugar
• 1 Bottle Rhum Agricole from Martinique (100 Proof)
• 1 Bottle Prosecco
• 1-pint dark simple syrup
• Bitters of your choice- I used Cardamom

Preparation:

1. Roast 8 grapefruits, 10 oranges, 4 lemons and 1 lime, in ½’s, covered in Angostura and Demerara sugar (300 for an hour, cool and juice)
2. Mix the ingredients together in a Punch Bowl
3. Adjust sweetness with the dark simple syrup
4. Serve in shot glasses- or even lightly warmed!

Tea Punch

Ingredients:

• Make at least 50 oz. of Dark Tea (Like Lapsang Souchong, a touch smoky is great!)
• 1 Quart heavy Cream
• 1 Quart light Cream
• 1 Quart 1 regular milk
• 1 pint dark simple syrup (to taste)
• 1, 750 ml. bottle of London Dry Gin

Preparation:

1. Mix everything together.
2. Serve in tea cups early in the morning.
3. No one will know!

Check out some other recipes here, here, and here.