- Cocktails
Summer Punch Recipes To Serve Up This Party Season
Delicious, versatile and easy, punch is the world’s favourite summer cocktail. Here are three of the best punch recipes to liven up your party season.
Punch cocktails have been the communal cocktail of celebrations around the world since at least the 1630s. It’s not hard to see why — punch can be made with just about anything, and it’s a delicious choice for entertaining, especially for large groups of people.
It is said punch is named after “puncheon”, which were the barrels used to store the rum British colonists brought home from India. The strong spirit was often diluted with water and flavoured with spices to make it more palatable. That’s probably how the punch cocktail came to be. Though the punch drink experienced a decline in popularity during the Victorian era, we are now going through something of a party punch renaissance — no doubt due to our new-found appreciation for at-home entertainment.
The best part? Anyone can learn how to make punch. Here are three easy punch recipes to try at your next party.
Easy summer rum punch recipe
A refreshing tropical punch bursting with layers of spice and citrus flavours, this rum punch recipe follows the tried and true punch formula: 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet, 3 parts strong, 4 parts weak.
Ingredients (4 serves):
- 60mL lemon juice
- 120mL pineapple juice
- 180mL spiced rum (try Sailor Jerry)
- 240mL ginger beer
- 4 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Lime, cut into wheels (for garnish)
- Ice
Method:
- Add ice to a large pitcher or punch bowl, filling about halfway up.
- Add the lemon juice, pineapple juice and spiced rum.
- Top with ginger beer and add the Angostura bitters. Stir to combine (this can be made ahead and refrigerated).
- When ready to serve, add some more fresh ice in a cocktail glass and pour in punch. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Recipe by Luke Sanderson, Brand Ambassador – William Grant & Sons
Vodka punch recipe with watermelon and basil
While the original punch cocktails may have been rum based, the drink has evolved into many new iterations involving different spirits and some even without any alcohol. A fresh, fruity vodka punch recipe is perfect for summer — it looks beautiful, tastes great and is easy to make.
Ingredients (4 serves):
- 240mL vodka (like Smirnoff Red)
- 16 pieces watermelon, cut into small rounds
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 120mL lime juice
- 800mL soda water (try Capi)
- Ice
Method:
- In the bottom of a pitcher or punch bowl, Lightly muddle watermelon to release juices.
- Gently clap basil leaves, then add basil, vodka, lime juice, and ice. Stir to combine.
- Top with soda water.
- Garnish with a sliver of watermelon and a basil sprig.
Strawberry lemonade non-alcoholic punch recipe
With more and more people veering towards low- and no-alcohol drinks, a non-alcoholic punch is perfect for summer drinks — whether it’s a boozeless brunch, a febfast get-together, or just for that friend who doesn’t drink.
Ingredients (6 serves):
- 450g strawberries, halved and hulled
- 1 cup simple syrup (like Monin)
- 1 cup water (for strawberry puree)
- 4 cups still or sparkling water (for lemonade)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Mint leaves (to garnish)
- Strawberry slices (to garnish)
- Lemon wheels (to garnish)
Method:
- Place strawberries and water in a blender and puree until smooth. Using a fine mesh strainer, separate the liquid and discard the solids.
- Add simple syrup, strawberry puree, lemon juice and the still or sparkling water to a pitcher or punch bowl with ice.
- Stir to combine and adjust to your taste preferences (does it need more lemon, water, sugar, etc.).
- To serve, pour over fresh ice and garnish with lemon, strawberries, and fresh mint.
If you would like to turn this into an alcoholic punch recipe, try adding vodka, white rum, or a pink gin like Gordon’s. You could even turn this into a Pimm’s punch to play up those fruity flavours. Get experimenting!
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