Punch

Sour, sweet, strong, weak, spice. The original cocktail template.

Defining structure

Punch is the ancestor of the cocktail: a batched drink built on the classic five-element formula. In its simplest English version, 'one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak, five [times] spice' — one part citrus, two parts sweetener, three parts spirit, four parts water or tea, and grated spice (nutmeg, cinnamon) on top. Punch is communal, made in a large bowl or pitcher, served over ice into small cups. Every later category of cocktail descends, in some sense, from punch.

History

Punch arrived in England from the East India trade routes in the 17th century; the name may derive from the Hindi 'paanch' (five), referring to the five classic elements. 18th-century punch was the drink of British coffee houses, naval voyages, and colonial gatherings. The Bombay, New York, and Philadelphia punches of the 19th century were elaborate productions: pineapples hollowed into serving vessels, ice carved into blocks, guests ladling their own drinks.

Classic examples

Rum Punch

One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak — the Caribbean formula

Sangria

Spanish red wine with brandy, fresh fruit, and orange juice — summer in a pitcher

Other drinks in this family

Piña Colada

White rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice — Puerto Rico's pride

Hurricane

Dark and light rum with passion fruit and citrus — New Orleans' Pat O'Brien's classic

Painkiller

Navy rum, pineapple, orange, and coconut cream — created in the British Virgin Islands

Common riffs

Sangria is punch in Spanish dress: red wine, brandy, citrus, sweetener, soda. Tiki culture is punch's 20th-century descendant, with elaborate garnishes and a migrated Caribbean identity. Every modern 'batched cocktail' served from a punch bowl at weddings and parties honors this tradition, usually badly.