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Punch It Up!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015


Brett Finn serves up a glass of First President Punch at The Cocktail Club. Photographs (2) by Chelsie Mummert

October 7, 2015

Punch It Up!
Snag the recipe for a fun fall cocktail you can make by the bowl-full


written by Alex Keith

If you’ve been looking for a festive party drink, we’ve got the ticket: the First President Punch, a bourbon-based cocktail that’s easy to whip up ahead of time, leaving you free to enjoy your company. Created in homage to similar recipes from our forefathers’ era, this colonial-style punch from Brett Finn and The Cocktail Club team nods to the nation’s first president in particular, as Washington was a known distiller, producing whiskey at his Mount Vernon home. Follow the steps below, then ladle up the first round and let your guests do the rest.

1. In a large punch bowl, combine 12 ounces rye whiskey, four ounces grenadine, four ounces mint green tea, four ounces lemon juice, six dashes Angostura bitters, and two ounces orange oleo-saccharum (a mix of citrus oil and sugar).

2. Add two cups of ice and give a generous stir to ensure the punch is chilled through.

3. Just before serving, top with 12 ounces of ginger beer and fresh orange slices.

4. Grate fresh nutmeg over the punch. Serves four to six people.

For more recipes from local chefs and mixologists, click here.