How to Make Jungle Juice

Warm-weather parties are the ideal place for fruity cocktails. Maybe you're throwing a party of your own and don't want to spend a small fortune on exotic fruits, different types of alcohol and countless mixers. A batch of jungle juice (otherwise known as hooch) is a fast and easy alternative. Best of all, this recipe produces a large quantity, and a little goes a long way.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Half-gallon bottle of PGA (pure grain alcohol) such as Everclear
• Lots of fresh fruit, (type of fruit used is a matter of taste)
• Roughly 4 gallons regular fruit punch
• About 4 or 5 2-liter bottles of clear, lemon-lime soda
• Large vat, tub, etc. for mixing

1. Prepare the fresh fruit by cutting it into bite-sized pieces. People typically use oranges, apples and pineapple. Save a bit of time by using a can of pineapple chunks, and feel free to add the juice for an extra bit of flavor.

2. Place the chopped fruit in the vessel the jungle juice will be mixed in.

3. Pour the alcohol in with the fruit. Allow the fruit to soak for as long as possible (a couple of hours at least) to absorb some of the alcohol.

4. Mix the remaining ingredients with the fruit and alcohol. Remember, this isn't an exact science. Just keep adding more of the punch and soda until it tastes good to you.

5. Leave the jungle juice in the large vessel and simply add a couple of ladles for the guests to serve themselves.

Tips & Warnings

• Tell the pineapple lovers to ladle at the bottom. Pineapple tends to be the least buoyant fruit in the mix.

• You'll know you've mixed a good batch of jungle juice when the taste of alcohol is very faint. That is the beauty of the beast, after all.

• Be mindful of the jungle juice if it's being served at a function where minors might be present. A large tub of punch with fruit floating in it will likely be inviting to children. Keep it in a safe, adult-accessible place.

• Warn guests to pace themselves, especially if they've never had jungle juice before. When mixed right, jungle juice will taste very mild, but the PGA will still sneak up on you quicker than expected.

• Consider labeling the jungle juice as a spiked punch even if there are no minors present so a designated driver doesn't help himself without realizing what he's drinking.