Cape Fear Punch

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2009

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Feeling Punchy

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (5)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(5)

Prep Time:
30 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
approximately 160 ounces or 40 (4-ounce) servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 24 hr 0 min
Cook: --
Total:: 24 hr 30 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

For the base:

750 ml rye whiskey
750 ml water
1/2 cup Demerara sugar
3 bags green tea
375 ml rum
375 ml Cognac
4 whole lemons

For the punch:

2 small oranges, thinly sliced
4 small lemons, thinly sliced
2 (750 ml) bottles sparkling wine or Champagne
1 liter seltzer or sparkling water
Ice block
Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

For the base:

Pour the rye whiskey into a 4-quart container. Fill the now empty rye whiskey bottle with water, pour into an electric kettle, and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until the temperature drops to 190 degrees F. Place the tea bags in the kettle and steep for 3 minutes.

Add the tea, rum, and Cognac to the whiskey. Peel the zest from the lemons, being careful to remove the white pith. Wrap the lemon bodies in plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator. Add the lemon zest to the mixture, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the punch:

Strain the base into a large punch bowl. Juice the reserved lemon bodies and add to the punch bowl. When ready to serve, add the oranges, lemons, sparkling wine, and seltzer water; stir to combine. Add the ice block and serve with freshly grated nutmeg.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Roasted Pineapple Milkshake

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Comments & Reviews

recipe Cape Fear Punch
LIZ chicago, IL 01-02-2010
Flag

Delicious, refreshing, expensive, hi-octane, sophisticated punch
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This punch was phenomenal. I served it for NYE and 10 of us finished it in under 3 hours. Everybody raved about it and... nobody drove home, that's for sure! As other reviewers noted - it's got an indesribable flavor at first. It does NOT taste as alcoholic as it is, certainly not like whiskey (or rum, or congnac for that matter). It is not sweet - only 1/2 c sugar in the whole batch and no cloying fruit juice. If you are looking for a "foofy" punch, look elsewhere. This is a clean, refreshing flavor. I found it looking for a champagne punch for NYE but it would just as apt at a summer party with the citruis & tea notes. I t is very expensive to make (realized I purchased over $70 of alchohol for this punch alone!!! - wonder if brandy would have been as good as the cognac?) but the fact that I wished so many happy new year via phone and do not recall doing so yet suffered no unpleasant hangover made it worth it! Read more
recipe Cape Fear Punch
Steven Jacksonville, FL 12-26-2009
Flag

Superb Party Refreshment!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Decided to try it for a get together party of about 20 to 25 individuals. Everyone's reaction to it was disbelief how... fantastic this punch tasted, including several people who DO NOT like whiskey. I was worried that it wouldn't go far but it lasted throughout the evening. In fact, I would say it made the perfect amount. Definitely give it a shot if you wanna get seriously juiced while maintiaining a nice measure of refinement.Read more
recipe Cape Fear Punch
S Nashville, TN 07-04-2009
Flag

This punch has a real...punch!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

The very first sip of this punch can leave you a little puzzled if not slightly disappointed, BUT after only one or two more... sips your palette will adjust and you will start to notice and appreciate the subtle nuance of this interesting blend of flavors ... and then you will be hooked. WARNING: This punch can be dangerous because it sneaks up on you... the high alcohol content is very well masked behind its flavor profile, yet it is also blended proportionally so that you can consume fairly large amounts (say on a hot day) without overdoing it. The freshly ground nutmeg makes quite the difference so don't leave it out! Read more
recipe Cape Fear Punch
Andy Santa Cruz, CA 06-28-2009
Flag

Expensive but refreshing
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Jamaican rum 750ml: $16.99 Hennessy VS cognac 375ml: $19.99 2 bottles Korbel extra dry: $19.98 Old Overholt rye whiskey... 750ml: $14.99 so just at that point I'm over the $70 mark. I could have looked a little harder, especially for a cheaper rum but at least there's still a half bottle of that left. It was a fantastic and interesting drink though. Everyone liked it including me. My only critique about the punch itself was that it didn't seem as fizzy enough but maybe that's the champagne's fault.Read more
recipe Cape Fear Punch
Jeremy Town Creek, AL 06-27-2009
Flag

A Serious Party Punch
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Thanks Alton for another great recipe idea. I can't wait to try this at my gamers night at my house with friends. Gears of... War is going to be a little more interesting to play with a good punch.Read more