Summertime parties are one of the sweetest parts of life. From wedding showers, 4th of July parties, family reunions, and general gatherings of friends — just being together is a precious gift. The food is always great. The fun is always amazing. And the friendship is always rich.
The challenge for me when hosting friends is that I typically set out bottles of water or cans of soda to stand in as beverage. That just doesn’t “cut it” any more! Why should we have excellent food, and pitiful beverages?
This punch is simple to make, and even works to make in advance, then assemble prior to serving. In fact, the punch base can be stored in the refrigerator and mixed up as individual servings, if you wish.
As with traditional punch, there are 5 elements to this beverage:
- fruit — lime
- sweetener — honey syrup
- flavor — ginger mint leaves
- dilution — ginger beer and sparkling water
- and the final element is optional: alcohol
Lime juice adds the “zing”.
Honey syrup makes the punch crave-able.
Ginger-mint leaves provide spiciness. (Ginger-mint is truly a variety of mint that adds a little hint of heat.)
And to dilute, ginger beer is a non-alcoholic soda that isn’t nearly as sweet as ginger ale, and is available at basically any grocery store. Sparkling waters pull all the flavors together! I use lime sparkling water to reinforce the lime-ness, and add ginger-lime mule sparkling water (produced by Spindrift), which is tasty on its own, but sublime when used in this punch.
Just a note about that word: sublime. In many circumstances the prefix “sub” means below, incomplete, or inferior to. Does that make “sublime” something that isn’t quite lime??? These are the questions I ponder when not sleeping at night. ☺️
For an adults-only version of this punch, a splash of vodka is best.
In order to make assembly quick and easy, squeeze limes into a measuring cup to get 18 ounces, then freeze until the day before serving the punch. Making the punch base in advance also works. Just muddle the ginger-mint leaves with a small amount of the lime juice. Add the honey syrup and the rest of the lime juice, and let it steep in the refrigerator.
When it is time to make punch, just strain out the leaves, and you have a potent base. Adding the ginger beer and sparkling waters before serving is all you need to do.
Did you notice that the lime juice and honey syrup should be equal amounts? Because I like beverages to be a little less sweet, I use a 1:2 ratio of honey to water. However, I have served this punch with a true 1:1 honey syrup, and it is very good. I just prefer punch to be more refreshing, less sweet. It all depends on your preference.
Keeping a jar of the lime/honey syrup base in the refrigerator allows you to make individual servings. Use 4 ounces of punch base, then top off the glass with ginger beer or sparkling water.
Garnishing with a few additional ginger-mint leaves and lime wheels makes the punch as attractive as it is refreshing.
Ginger-Mint Sparkling Punch
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 30 – 6 ounce glasses 1x
Description
Refreshing, zippy, tangy, with a little sweetness, this easy-to-make punch is great for groups, or even one glass at a time.
Ingredients
18 ounces freshly-squeezed lime juice (about 2 bags worth)
18 ounces honey syrup (6–9 ounces honey melted in 12 ounces hot water)
1 cup ginger-mint leaves
25 ounces ginger beer (one bottle, or two 12 ounce cans)
2 cans lime sparkling water
2 cans ginger-lime mule sparkling water
Instructions
Melt honey in hot (not boiling!) water. In a glass bowl, muddle the ginger-mint leaves with a small amount of the lime juice. Then add the remaining lime juice and all the honey syrup. Cover and let steep in the refrigerator at least one hour.
Strain honey and lime mixture into a dispenser or punch bowl, and add the ginger beer and sparkling waters. Stir gently, and garnish with additional mint leaves and lime slices.
Notes
Ginger beer is non-alcoholic, and basically a zippier, less syrupy version of ginger ale. I typically purchase it at Trader Joe’s, but it should be available in the soda aisle at most grocery stores.
Ginger-mint has a different flavor than other mint plants. Look for it at a local nursery or greenhouse.
Spindrift brand offers “ginger-lime mule” sparkling water. It’s great alone, but also a perfect addition to this punch. An additional bottle of ginger beer could stand in as substitute.
For individual servings, keep the lime juice and honey syrup in the refrigerator. Add 4 ounces to a glass, and top with sparkling water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: let steep 1 hour
