A few weeks back, I was asked to create a Summer party punch for the 4th of July. I’ve got a ton of punch recipes in the back of my mind, but I can’t necessarily remember which one’s I've created vs borrowed vs tweaked, so I was pretty interested in coming up with something new for this challenge. I wanted it to stand out, but be tasty too, so I went to the liquor cabinet to see what I had.

So first thing I asked myself was, what makes a good party punch. To me, when I serve a punch, I want it to be something everyone can taste the flavors in, but can not pinpoint exactly every flavor that’s in it. I prefer it to be fruity, but also bubbly. It then needs to have a subtle alcohol taste, so that you know there is liquor in it, but don’t exactly feel like you’re drunk after a cup. I’m not in college anymore, and I don’t drink much hunch punch these days. Then I figured it should be something relatively easy to make with simple measurements and easy to find ingredients (or easy substitutes. For a base, most punches use rum, vodka, or even gin, but the more I’ve been down here in the South, the more I’ve started to love whiskey drinks. A few days ago, a bottle of Bushel & Barrel showed up at my door courtesy of their brand reps so I got inspired to use it as a base. It’s an apple flavored whiskey from Berentzen, a brand known for fruit flavored liqueurs. Though Bushel & Barrel might not be available where you are, there are some easily substitutable brands out there and I’ll list them below. For flavor I gave a typical punch flavor, pineapple, and then added some peach nectar, lemonade, and topped it off with Ginger Ale for taste and most importantly, for some carbonation. Hope you enjoy!

Peach Apple Summer Punch

• 1 Cup Peach Nectar
• 1 Cup Lemonade
• 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
• 1 Cup Ginger Ale
• 1 Cup Bushel & Barrel Apple Whiskey (Can substitute with Jim Beam’s Red Stag Cider, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cider, or any local Apple Whiskey)
• Frozen Peaches, lemon wheels, and lime wheels for Garnish (optional)

Combine all of your ingredients except your ginger ale in a punch bowl or pitcher. Garnish with any fruits you desire, we chose lemon & limes wheels. Store in the fridge for a few hours to chill. When, ready to serve, add in your Ginger Ale and serve.