Good news — September 20 is National Punch Day! Would you rather have a punch in the face or some punch in a bowl? We hope you said the latter because this is the Internet and not an old-timey saloon fight.
But if you’re more scared of making punches than taking punches, here are our essential tips for pouring a “liquid party” into a bowl. Grab those ladles and cups, because things are about to get punch-drunk.
5 Punch Tips You Must Know:
1. Start With a Big Enough Bowl
Bourbon Tea Punch with Citrus Ice Cubes
If you don’t have a punch bowl, find the prettiest bowl in the cupboard and simply call it a “punch bowl.” Done. Or – super-secret tip – hit a vintage shop or thrift store. There are almost always gorgeous vintage punch bowls for incredibly cheap. You know why? Because no one knows how to make punch (see below!). Just please do us one favor: Don’t serve guests punch from a bucket.
Get the Recipe: Bourbon Tea Punch
2. Balance the Sweet and the Bitter
One common mishap with punches is accidentally creating a bowl of alcoholic sugar water. The first sip is awesome but by the end of the cup, you’re hungover. A very easy formula to start with is:
2 parts non-alcoholic juice (orange juice, lemonade, blood orange juice, cranberry juice)
2 parts booze (flavored vodkas are easiest to pair, but bourbon and gin can go great with citrus)
2 parts seltzer water
10-15 dashes of bitters to taste (start with a few dashes in the bowl and taste)
A line-up of different bitters
Although champagne punches can be bubbly and delicious, we think that mixing sugary champagne with sugary juice is a recipe for an immediate headache. So it’s a good idea to choose a base spirit like a gin or a bourbon or a flavored vodka, mix it with a complementary booze, add some bubbly water (perhaps in a complementary flavor) and 10-15 dashes of bitters to give the cocktail some depth. Keep tasting it. Too sweet? Add more seltzer water. Too boozy? Add more juice. Keep tasting. Don’t taste all of it before the guests arrive.
And if you don’t want to create your own, try these recipes:
- Alie & Georgia’s Zombie Gut Punch
- Giada’s Italian Fruit Punch
- Two Fat Ladies’ Rum Punch
- Mulled Hibiscus Punch
- More Punch Recipes and Drinks for a Crowd
3. Big Ice Cubes Are Your Friends
The biggest punch secret? Use one huge ice cube to keep it cool.
The best way to keep your punch cool: ice. Duh. But the biggest punch secret is using one huge ice cube. A whole bowl of tiny ice cubes will melt faster than you can say “water trough,” but one huge block of ice will melt much more slowly and not dilute your drink. So two nights before the party, get a big metal loaf pan or a metal bowl (but slightly smaller than your punch bowl), fill it with water and put it in the freezer until it’s a big solid block of ice. When you’re ready to serve your punch, dip the bottom of the bowl in warm water to loosen the ice and pop it in the punch bowl. Or, if your local liquor store sells 10-lb. blocks of ice, use that in ye olde punch bowl.
4. Use Fresh Garnish-y Stuff
Pick garnishes that indicate your punch's flavors.
In addition to a huge block of ice, think about pretty things to float in your punch. Our suggestions: slices of lemon or orange, lovely sliced strawberries or peaches, or whole fresh mint leaves. Things not to float in your punch: pool noodles, dollar bills, rubber duckies.
5. Don’t Buy Ugly Cups
If you’re working hard to serve an appealing punch, don’t hide it in those big red plastic party cups that we all have some regrettable memories of. For two reasons: Those cups are unsightly, and they also do not allow party-goers to enjoy the aesthetic benefits of your punch labors. Also, those cups are huge, which means that people will get drunk very fast and they will drink up all of your punch before the party is over. So get smaller, 8-10 oz. clear party cups. Smaller portions = fewer drunk people napping on your couch. You’re welcome.
With that, go out and punch yourself!
Bam-pop-pow,
Alie & Georgia
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
The Absent Game…
Between me and my husband we’ve owned a lot more MP3 gamers through the years than I can count, including Sansas, iRivers, iPods (typical & touch), the Ibiza Rhapsody, etc. But, the last few several years I’ve settled down to one line of players….
Jayde Nicole Naked…
[...]here are some hyperlinks to sites that we link to mainly because we believe they may be really worth visiting[...]…
Blogs ou should be reading…
[...]Here is a Great Blog You Might Find Interesting that we Encourage You[...]……
the tao of badass review…
[...]although sites we backlink to below are considerably not associated to ours, we really feel they may be truly worth a go through, so possess a look[...]…
top hosting companies…
[...]please visit the web sites we follow, including this one particular, because it represents our picks through the web[...]…
Sources…
[...]check below, are some totally unrelated websites to ours, however, they are most trustworthy sources that we use[...]……
Digg this…
While checking out DIGG today I noticed this…
freshsocials.com…
[...]although web sites we backlink to below are considerably not associated to ours, we really feel they’re essentially really worth a go via, so possess a look[...]…
Art Deco Jewellery…
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I desire to …
JD Barnett Lawyer…
[...]below you will obtain the link to some web sites that we consider you need to visit[...]…
comics…
[...]check below, are some totally unrelated web sites to ours, nevertheless, they may be most trustworthy sources that we use[...]…
home remodeling contractors in seattle…
…
Samsung Galaxy S3…
[...]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[...]…
archery superstore…
[...]below you will obtain the link to some sites that we believe you must visit[...]…
Great website…
[...]we like to honor many other internet sites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages worth checking out[...]……
Visitor recommendations…
[...]one of our visitors recently recommended the following website[...]……
Sources…
[...]check below, are some totally unrelated websites to ours, however, they are most trustworthy sources that we use[...]……
Read was interesting, stay in touch……
[...]please visit the sites we follow, including this one, as it represents our picks from the web[...]……
xn--1-twf0hob3g5c.com…
[...]we came across a cool website that you simply may possibly get pleasure from. Take a appear in case you want[...]…
chicago cleaning…
[...]we came across a cool web page that you just could possibly love. Take a appear for those who want[...]…
furniture to rent…
[...]Every the moment inside a while we pick out blogs that we study. Listed beneath would be the latest internet sites that we choose [...]…
who sells red kap pants…
[...]very couple of web-sites that happen to become in depth beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely worth checking out[...]…
Art Nouveau Jewelry…
[...]the time to study or pay a visit to the subject material or web pages we have linked to beneath the[...]…
alta park gumbet hotel…
[...]please pay a visit to the internet sites we adhere to, which includes this one particular, because it represents our picks in the web[...]…
TSC TDP-247 Thermal Printer…
[...]please visit the websites we comply with, including this one, as it represents our picks from the web[...]…
Visitor recommendations…
[...]one of our visitors recently recommended the following website[...]……
Its hard to find good help…
I am forever saying that its hard to procure good help, but here is…
how do you make money…
Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info about this topic for ages and yours is the best I’ve came upon so far. However, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?…
bodyweight exercises…
[...]The info mentioned within the article are a number of the best out there [...]…
San Antonio parking lot striping…
…
Its hard to find good help…
I am regularly proclaiming that its hard to get good help, but here is…
personal loan singapore…
…
You should check this out…
[...] Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless really worth taking a look, whoa did one learn about Mid East has got more problerms as well [...]……
click here to visit the uniquehoodia website…
[...]the time to read or go to the material or web sites we have linked to below the[...]…
Online Article……
[...]The information mentioned in the article are some of the best available [...]……
skin care…
I’ve been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thanks , I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?…
mortgage broker…
[...]Here is a good Weblog You might Locate Exciting that we Encourage You[...]…
soulmate…
[...]Here is a great Blog You might Discover Fascinating that we Encourage You[...]…
Fort Saskatchewan iPhone…
[...]please stop by the web pages we adhere to, including this 1, because it represents our picks in the web[...]…
diet pills…
[...]Here are a number of the internet sites we suggest for our visitors[...]…
Superb website…
[...]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[...]……
marketing plan…
I acquired more something totally new on this losing weight issue. A single issue is a good nutrition is especially vital any time dieting. A huge reduction in bad foods, sugary food, fried foods, sugary foods, pork, and whitened flour products could b…
Title…
Wow, I’m so chuffed that I clicked on this site, good info here! 8>)…
Related……
[...]just beneath, are numerous totally not related sites to ours, however, they are surely worth going over[...]……
Links…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
Great website…
[...]we like to honor many other internet sites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages worth checking out[...]……
Mobile Website Design…
Thanks for your write-up. I also believe that laptop computers have become more and more popular today, and now are sometimes the only type of computer used in a household. It is because at the same time they are becoming more and more cost-effective, …
aircon cleaning…
[...]check below, are some completely unrelated internet websites to ours, having said that, they are most trustworthy sources that we use[...]…
sales process improvement…
[...]the time to study or stop by the content or websites we’ve linked to beneath the[...]…