Bourbon Cider Smoked Honey Sour Punch
Are you a (boozy) punch fan or are you on the fence? When I say punch, I'm not talking about Hawaiian punch, I'm talking knock your socks off, over the top tasty punch. Punch made with fresh, organic ingredients. Basically, the kind of punch that makes you hope that nobody else realizes how good it is so that you can have more. If you're on the fence, here's my two cents: always drink the punch. Just do it--commit to a good night! After all, it's (almost) always delicious and a little dangerous, but in a good way. Please note, it is a little dangerous so, always, always follow it up with a glass of water that's twice as big as your punch glass. Do this and I pretty much guarantee your holidays will be merrier (aka, your hangovers will be less plentiful).
Little known fact, a good punch usually takes a while to make because to make it extra tasty, you typically have to add syrups that take a bit of time to make. Syrups like oleo saccarum, which takes 4 days to really hit it's stride, or falernum, which is made by milling fresh whole spices, peeling and grinding fresh citrus peel, and juicing ginger (aka it takes time). And when it's holiday party season, and you're juggling a million things, the last thing you want to do is labor over your not so simple, simple syrups. That's where my friends at Bittermilk come in. Have you heard of Bittermilk yet? If you haven't, I'm kinda shocked but also super pumped cause that means I get to tell you all about them. Basically, they're a cocktail enthusiast's bff. They make awesome, quality craft cocktail mixers that are crafted in small batches, by humans, and with quality, organic ingredients. Each products contains a bittering agent, a sweetener, and an acid, which leads to a well-balanced cocktail. They give you simple instructions on how to shake up (or stir up) the cocktail of your dreams. But Bittermilk can also be used as a mixer, in, oh, I don't know, maybe this punch!?
Thanks to Bittermilk No. 3 Smoked Honey Whiskey Sour, I've created my go to holiday punch recipe. It's packed with flavor, hello dreamy smoked honey, and has fresh meyer lemon juice, fresh grapefruit juice, and apple cider, so it's pretty much a health food. And so seasonal because winter's all about citrus, right? (Also, sidebar, but am I the only person on the planet who thinks of Amy in Little Women when I think of oranges + Christmas?!)
I encourage you to give this punch a whirl this holiday season, but even if you don't, I strongly recommend add some Bittermilk to your bar because let me tell you, it has saved me many a night. Specifically those nights when Moses comes home exhausted and clearly needs a cocktail, but I'm way too lazy to make it. I just grab a bottle of bourbon, Bittermilk No. 1 Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Fashioned, and just like that, I've made his night (and mine). Of course, I couldn't tell you about how awesome Bittermilk is without offering to share some, so I've teamed up with the Bittermilk crew to give away their Bittermilk Jar Bar set (which includes No. 1 - Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Fashioned, No. 2 - Tom Collins w/Elderflowers & Hops, No. 3 - Smoked Honey Whiskey Sour, No. 4 - New Orleans Style Old Fashioned Rouge, No. 5 - Charred Grapefruit Tonic w/Bulls Bay Sea Salt, and No. 6 - Oaxacan Old Fashioned along with The Mason Shaker by W&P Design. To enter, leave a comment with your favorite holiday cocktail or who you'd share this set with, and fill out the form below. Open to US residents only.
Bourbon Cider Smoked Honey Sour Punch
Makes 4 quarts
INGREDIENTS
32 oz. bourbon (I used Bulleit)
16 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (about 2 - 3 large grapefruits)
16 oz. freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice (roughly 16 lemons)
Large ice cube(s)
32 oz. soda water
16 oz. apple cider (I used Shacksbury Cider - Classic)
Garnish: grapefruit slices, lemon slices, Luxardo maraschino cherries
TOOLS
Punch bowl
Measuring cups
Spoon
Cups (for serving)
FIX
Combine bourbon, Bittermilk No. 3, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice in a large punch bowl and stir with a spoon. Add ice and top with soda water and cider. Garnish with sliced fruit and cherries if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Note: This punch can be made a day ahead by simply combing all ingredients except for cider and soda water and storing in a large jar with a lid. When ready to serve, simply pour over a large cube (or cubes) of ice and top with cider and soda water.
This post was created in partnership with Bittermilk. They provided the products for this giveaway as well as some ingredients for this post, so a huge thank you to them! I've been a fan of their brand for a while now and I'm so excited to share everything I know about them with all of you!