Here are a few tips for building a great punch, from Punch House’s Will Duncan and Husk’s Roderick Hale Weaver:
*”Use the freshest ingredients and the highest quality,” says Weaver, “because if you’re putting garbage in, you’re going to get garbage out. You’re going to feel horrible the next day.”
*”Don’t use a lot of sugar to cover up your booze. It’s not going to help,” Weaver says. “It’s just going to make it sweet and not balanced.”
*Make punch a day before entertaining, both bar gurus agree. Like a soup or sauce, “punch always tastes better the second day,” Duncan says. “Flavors meld, become more complex.”
*Before serving, make sure punch is well chilled before adding any sparkling liquid or ice.
*On ice, I: Avoid adding small ice cubes to the punch; they can water it down. At Husk, punch is served in a glass with a 2-inch cube “to give that punch bowl effect in a single serving.”
*On ice, II: When using a punch bowl, Duncan says, “Either keep ice out of the bowl and only in the glasses for service, or pre-freeze a large cube using a round Tupperware container.”
*Don’t have a punch bowl? Duncan uses a mixing bowl to combine ingredients, then transfers the punch to a glass pitcher for storing in the refrigerator.
*Carbonation (sparkling wine, sparkling water, etc.) plays a role in some punch recipes. “Bubbles move a punch into more of an aperitif category and do give it kind of a refreshing quality,” Duncan says.
*Getting creative? “Complementary flavors are important,” Weaver says. “The taste, the balance, the texture, the things that turn you on as a drinker is what makes a good punch.”
*”Never overthink your drink,” says Weaver. “That’s a cliche, but the more you think about it, the more complicated it becomes, and you end up with something horrible. The best creations seem to come naturally.”
