We take a lot of pride in our grown-up imbibing, especially when we're offering boozy concoctions to our holiday guests. Heaven forbid we sip anything with "trashcan" in the title or something that comes in an aluminum can. No thanks. If you're ready to elevate your holiday hosting this year, the bartenders at Lincoln Park's newest craft cocktail hotspot The Barrelhouse Flat can help. They've mixed up two perfect holiday punch recipes that any humble host can serve with confidence. Mix, chill, and then spend your night having a blast and hosting the hottest (yummiest!) party of the year. Cheers!
The Barrelhouse Flat, 2624 North Lincoln Avenue (between Sheffield & Wrightwood Avenues); 773-857-0421.
1 bottle Rittenhouse Rye
1 bottle Carpano Antica
1 gallon Apple Cider
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
10 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Step 1: Pour 2 oz Rittenhouse, 1 oz Carpano Antica, and 2 dashes Angostura over ice. (This is a joke!). Carpano Antica is the finest vermouth you can buy, so the joke is to make yourself a martin with it before the punch to help use it up before the bottle goes bad – there is more than enough to use in a bottle.
Step 2: Drink
For the actual punch:
Step 3: While drinking step 1, heat 1 gallon Apple Cider, with Cinnamon Sticks, and Cloves almost to a boil.
Step 4: Remove from heat and add the rest of the bottle of Rittenhouse, Carpano Antica, and 8 dashes of Angostura Bitters.
Step 5: By now step 1 is finished, just in time to start drinking the finished punch.
Virginia 9oz Punch Cup, $9.95, available at Crate&Barrel.
Photo:Courtesy of The Barrelhouse Flat
75 oz Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
25 oz Pimm's
13 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
16 oz holiday spice syrup (recipe below)
4 oz oleo saccharum (recipe below)
14 oz lemon juice
Photo:Courtesy of The Barrelhouse Flat