Dark sugar melted in hot water, a generous pour of lime juice, then porter, strong rum and brandy: this is punch as it was drunk before the cocktail existed. The porter adds a malty, bitter depth that no juice could give, and the lime keeps the whole bowl lively. Serve it in small cups and let the name be a warning.
3.3Editors’ rating
Taste3.4
Balance3.3
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Garnish: Lime wheels and freshly grated nutmeg · Ice: One large cube
Method
Stir the demerara sugar into the boiling water in a large bowl until fully dissolved.
Add the lime juice and stir.
Pour in the porter, rum and brandy and stir again.
Chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
Serve over a large block of ice in a punch bowl, ladled into small cups.
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Watch it made
Blow My Skull
Taste
Rich and malty, with toffee from the demerara, sharp lime, and a warming rum and brandy finish. Strong for a punch, though softened by the water.
History and origin
Punch was the great social drink of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, served from a shared bowl in taverns, clubs and private houses across the British Empire. Blow My Skull is usually described as a punch from colonial Australia, where it turns up in accounts of early nineteenth-century New South Wales. Its mix of rum, porter, brandy, lime and sugar reflects what a colonial punch bowl was built from.
The mix of beer and spirits was not unusual at the time: porter was cheap, widely available and added body to a punch. Modern versions like this one use navy-strength rum to recreate the heavy, rich rums of the period.
Bartender tips
Freeze a block of ice in a loaf tin the day before: it melts slowly and keeps the punch from turning watery.
Rub the lime peels with the sugar before adding the water to extract the aromatic oils, a technique known as an oleo saccharum.
Taste before serving: the balance of lime and sugar varies with the rum and porter you use.
Variations
Half batch
Halve all quantities for about eight small servings.
Softer version
Replace the navy-strength rum with a standard 40 % dark rum and add 250 ml extra water.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does this recipe serve?
About 2.5 litres before the ice, enough for 15 to 20 small punch cups of 120 to 150 ml.
Why is there beer in the punch?
Porter was a common punch ingredient in the nineteenth century; it adds malty body and a gentle bitterness.
Can I serve it warm?
Yes. Skip the chilling and serve it warm on a cold evening, but do not boil it once the alcohol is in.
