Swamp Water Punch
12 servings
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups pineapple juice, preferably fresh (see headnote)
1 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 limes)
1 3/4 cups green Chartreuse
2 to 3 ounces blue curacao (optional; see headnote)
Large ice cubes
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Method
Combine the pineapple juice, lime juice, Chartreuse and the curacao (to taste), if using, in a large pitcher, stirring to blend well.
Add the large cubes of ice; once the punch is chilled, stir it again.
Serve in ice-filled highball glasses, garnish with mint sprigs.
Adapted from "Cocktails: The Bartender's Bible," by Simon Difford
Ruby's Arms - Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post.
Ruby's Arms
16 servings
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups ruby red grapefruit juice (see headnote)
2 1/2 cups Cocchi Rosa aperitif wine (see headnote)
1 3/4 cups mezcal or London dry gin
22ml Angostura bitters
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 thyme sprigs
Large ice cubes
Method
Combine the juice, Cocchi Rosa, mezcal or gin, bitters and salt in a large pitcher, stirring to blend well.
Add the thyme sprigs; transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Stir, then add the large ice cubes. Keep a long-handled spoon at hand to stir the punch if you're serving it over a length of time. Pour into punch cups (without sending any of the thyme sprigs into them).
From M. Carrie Allan
Bramble On Punch - Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
Bramble On Punch
16 servings
Ingredients
177 ml fresh blackberries
3 cups mezcal
1 1/4 cups creme de mure
1 cup Aperol
2 cups fresh lemon juice (from 8 to 9 lemons)
15 ml orange bitters
2 cups ice cubes
Method
Muddle the blackberries gently at the bottom of a large pitcher.
Add the mezcal, creme de mure, Aperol, lemon juice and bitters, stirring to incorporate. Refrigerate for at least half an hour, allowing the berries to soak up the flavors of the drink.
Add the ice to the pitcher and serve, using a cocktail spoon to retrieve a blackberry or two to place in each portion.
Summer Garden Punch - Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
Summer Garden Punch
16 servings
Ingredients
For the tomato shrub
2 cups cherry tomatoes
One 414 ml can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 sprigs rosemary
2 cups water
For the punch
3 cups green chile vodka
1 cup dry vermouth
1/2 to 3/4 cup tonic water, or as needed
Ice
Cherry tomatoes, for garnish
Thin cucumber slices, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Method
For the tomato shrub: Cut each cherry tomato in half, placing them in a large saucepan as you work.
Add the canned tomatoes, pepper, salt, vinegar, sugar, rosemary and water, stirring to blend well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly and pressing on the solids to break them up. Let cool.
Meanwhile, line the fine-mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth; set the strainer over a large bowl.
Ladle the cooled shrub mixture scoop by scoop into the strainer, pressing on the solids so the liquids are captured in the bowl below. The yield is about 3 1/2 cups. Discard the solids, then transfer the shrub to a sealed container. Refrigerate for a few hours, until well chilled (and up to 2 weeks).
For the punch: Combine 3 cups of the shrub, the vodka and vermouth in a large mixing bowl, stirring to incorporate, then pour into a large pitcher. Chill until you're ready to serve.
To serve, add the tonic water (to taste) and stir. Fill individual glasses with ice and your desired garnishes, then pour the punch into the glasses.
From M. Carrie Allan