How to Make a PJ Alcoholic Beverage

Pineapple pieces add to the fruity flavor of PJ.

PJ, which stands for party juice, is a potent alcoholic punch served at big parties. Relatively inexpensive and very easy to make, it is an alternative to beer kegs. The punch usually is made in large quantities in a cooler or even a clean trash can. Drinkers should beware -- PJ is made with pure grain alcohol, also called neutral grain spirit, which contains a 95 percent alcohol content. That is much higher than other liquors, such as rum (60 percent) or most spirits (40 percent). Do not overindulge with PJ. This recipe yields about 39 6-ounce servings.

Things You'll Need

• Cooler or large bowl
• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 cups maraschino cherries
• 4 cups watermelon chunks
• 3 cups orange slices
• 1/2 gallon pure grain alcohol
• 375 ml vodka
• 3 gallons fruit punch
• Spoon
• Cups
• Ladle

Instructions

1. Clean and dry your container of choice. A cooler with a water-release spout is ideal because it can be set on a table and the spout used to serve the PJ.

2. Prepare the fruit by washing, hulling and slicing the strawberries; peeling and slicing the pineapple and oranges; cutting the watermelon; and draining the cherries.

3. Pour the pure grain alcohol, vodka and punch into the container. Stir to mix.

4. Dump the fruit pieces into the punch liquid. Stir gently, being careful not to crush or break up the fruit.

5. Allow the punch to sit for 24 hours. This infuses the punch with the fruit flavors.

6. Serve the punch in 6-ounce portions. Use a ladle to scoop out fruit pieces into each cup.

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe can be doubled or tripled by increasing the ingredients proportionally.

• Frozen fruit pieces will act like ice, cooling down the PJ.

• Canned fruit cuts down on all of the prep work involved.

• The fruit pieces will soak up the neutral grain spirit.

• You must be 21 in the United States to consume this drink.

• Alcoholic punch drinks are easy to overconsume because they taste sugary and less like hard liquor than other drinks. Drink PJ in moderation.

References

• Alcohol Contents: The Alcohol Content of Beverages
• Drinks Mixer: PJ Recipe