Picture a punch bowl crowded with orange wheels, strawberries and pineapple chunks, the liquid a deep coral red and beaded with cold. Jungle Juice is not subtle, but made with fresh fruit and a measured hand on the spirits it is a cheerful, easy crowd pleaser.
2.4Editors’ rating
Taste2.6
Balance2.3
Easy to make3.8
Popularity45
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Garnish: Sliced oranges, strawberries and pineapple in the bowl · Ice: Ice cubes
Method
Slice the citrus and strawberries and dice the pineapple; put the fruit in a large punch bowl or drink dispenser.
Pour in rum, vodka and triple sec, then add fruit punch, lemonade, pineapple, orange, cranberry and lime juice.
Stir well, taste and adjust with more lime for tartness or more lemonade for sweetness.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours so the fruit flavors the punch.
Just before serving, add the lemon-lime soda and a block of ice or plenty of large cubes.
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Watch it made
Jungle Juice
Taste
Sweet, fruity and tangy with berry and pineapple notes. Lighter than a cocktail per glass, but easy to underestimate.
History and origin
The name is usually traced to American servicemen in the Pacific during the Second World War, who used "jungle juice" as slang for improvised homemade alcohol brewed from whatever fruit and sugar they could find. The term stuck around in American English as a joking word for any rough, potent mix.
From the postwar decades onwards it became attached to the kind of punch now served at college and backyard parties: several spirits poured into a large container with fruit juices, soda and sliced fruit. There is no fixed recipe. The version here keeps the spirit share moderate and leans on fresh fruit, so the result tastes like a proper punch rather than a dare.
Bartender tips
Use a single big block of ice (freeze water in a loaf tin): it melts far slower than cubes and keeps the bowl from turning watery.
Label the bowl clearly and set out a non-alcoholic punch next to it; this mix tastes weaker than it is.
Add the soda last or it will be flat within the hour.
Variations
Rum-only Jungle Juice
Skip the vodka and use 1 liter of a light rum for a rounder, more tropical flavor.
Alcohol-free bowl
Leave out the spirits and triple sec and double the lemon-lime soda for a family-friendly punch.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does this Jungle Juice serve?
About 5 liters before ice, enough for roughly 25 glasses of 200 ml.
How strong is Jungle Juice?
This recipe works out at around 8 percent alcohol, close to a strong beer, but served in large glasses it adds up quickly.
Can I make it the day before?
Mix the spirits, juices and fruit a day ahead and keep it cold, then add the soda and ice right before guests arrive.
The perfect sound
Party anthems
A wild, loud house party that nobody wants to leave.
