Everlasting Punch

Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This is a clarified milk punch cocktail, full of refreshing citrus that’s perfect for those easy sunny days. You don’t actually need to clarify this punch, though. Throw your ingredients in a bowl and you’re set to go—and trust me, this punch will go. However, once a punch is clarified, you can store it indefinitely, so while the upfront labor might be a bit involved, you’ll have a go-to cocktail to bring to every function for the rest of the summer.

Serves many (at least 10 people)

1 750ml bottle silver cachaça
1 750ml bottle Spanish vermouth, or any lighter-bodied sweet red vermouth
1 750ml bottle Short Path Distillery Hibiscus Rum
12 ounces demerara or turbinado simple syrup
16 ounces red grapefruit juice, from about 4 whole grapefruit
20 ounces Cara Cara orange juice, from about 10 oranges
12 ounces lime juice, from about 12 medium-sized limes
4 ounces Luxardo Bitter Bianco (optional)
1 750ml bottle of McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé, or your favorite choice of bubbles
12 ounces very cold milk
1 additional grapefruit, garnish
2 additional oranges, garnish
2 additional limes, garnish

Peel and juice citrus. Reserve juice. In a clean jar or other container, infuse citrus in cachaça overnight.

In a large punch bowl, mix chilled infused cachaça, vermouth, juice, syrup and Bitter Bianco. Stir well. Keep chilled until ready to serve. Top with bubbles and dehydrated citrus.

TO CLARIFY:
Follow previous steps, mixing chilled ingredients into a large jar. Stir well. In a separate container, pour cold milk. Slowly pour cocktail into cold milk. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The milk will curdle—this is the process! Rest a large mesh strainer or funnel into a large container. Cover with microfiber cloth, cheesecloth or a large nut milk bag. Slowly pour curdled cocktail over cloth into container. Strain until clear, pouring cocktail back through curds as needed. Store in a sealable bottle in the fridge. Top with dehydrated citrus and bubbles to serve.

DEMERARA OR TURBINADO SIMPLE SYRUP:
Mix equal parts sugar to very hot water, stirring until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear.

DEHYDRATED CITRUS:
Slice citrus ¹/8–¼ inch thick. If using an oven, arrange citrus on parchment paper or silicone baking sheet; bake overnight at lowest temperature until dehydrated. If using a dehydrator, follow recommended temperature and timing as instructed.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2021 issue as part of a larger story on Summer Cocktails.