The table is set, the food is prepared, the decorations are hanging and all that’s left is to get the drinks flowing. Halloween is a time filled with gatherings and parties, and it is important to have a good reserve of drink ideas that can be used at a moment’s notice. Having a good balance of all-age punches and specialty alcoholic drinks ensures you are prepared for any situation during the Halloween season.
Halloween Punch Recipes
Keeping things “PG” does not mean the drinks have to be boring. Serving a punch, instead of regular pop or juice, adds a bit of spice to the celebration. The great thing about punches are they are trial and error – start with a fruit base, and finish with pop or some type of sparkling water. There is also the option of a simple “swamp water” punch which is a mixture of any handily available pop. There is no such thing as too much sugar at Halloween!
If the base of the punch is red, made with something like a Hawaiian punch juice or raspberry juice, be sure to add the word “blood” to the name. Serving a punch instead of individual drinks also adds a bit of variety because they are often served in open bowls. These open bowls allow for the addition of chunks of fruit and, for a little added fun, make hand-shaped ice cubes by filling latex gloves with water, freezing, and cutting the ice free.
Mini-cauldrons, found at specialty stores, can help to serve a Witch’s Brew, made of equal parts orange juice, grape juice and ginger ale. To really add an ominous tone, use two nested bowls and have dry ice in the outer bowl to produce a smoking effect. For a glowing, supernatural punch, mix Mountain Dew with pineapple juice and melt in a few scoops of lime sherbert – hello radioactive sludge!
Recipes for Halloween Alcoholic Drinks
Halloween drink recipes are an important part of any party planning. Much like with children, punches can be a great hit with adults. It stops party-goers from having to hunt down ice and also stops them from mixing their own – the lack of free-hand pouring might keep people sober, longer.
Alcoholic punches, much like their PG versions, can often be created from whatever is handy. Add a mix that usually complements the chosen alcohol, such as orange juice to vodka or pineapple juice to gin, and finish with a sparkling water or pop. The addition of the carbonated drinks keeps the punch tasting light. Mixing more than one type of alcohol is also a good idea. Try some triple sec with brandy, champagne and ginger ale, or for the more adventurous, try some tequila with orange liqueur, mixed fruit juices and sparkling water.
If punches do not go along with the mood of the gathering, making sure there are suitable individual drinks is the next step. Some popular drinks include: Black Martinis, which simply replace the usual vermouth of martinis with blackberry brandy; Devil’s Blood, consisting of cranberry juice and black vodka; and Blackbeard’s Ghost, which combines light and dark rums, fruit juice and molasses. Even a plain Bloody Mary can be a hit for this holiday!
If out of ideas or if having a bring-your-own-bottle gathering, be sure to add Halloween themed ice cubes made from eyeball, pumpkin or bat molds, and hae stir stick options available, such as witches brooms or devil’s pitchforks. These extra added touches can really set the tone of an evening at very little cost and effort.