New York Sour Punch

 

The New York Sour is one of my favorite classic cocktails. It’s tart, refreshing, easy to drink and easier to make. Typically made one at a time to preserve the classy and festive red wine float, I would simply never make one cocktail at a time, so punch is my preference for large gatherings. For the red wine ice, pick something you’d want to drink, but nothing too pricey– you’re diluting it with water and freezing it, so a lot of the nuance of a more “special” bottle will be sacrificed. 

YIELD — 35 servings (can be scaled down to serve less!)

 

Ingredients

For the Red Wine Ice:

  • 1 cup dry red wine, nothing too precious or pricey 

  • 2 cups water

  • ½ lemon, thinly sliced

For the Cocktail and Serving:

  • ½ cup honey

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 5 cups Maker's Mark 46®

  • 2 ½ cups fresh lemon juice 

  • 4 12 ounce cans seltzer, plus more if you like  

  • Lemon slices and ice, for serving

Directions

For the Red Wine Ice: 

1. Combine red wine and water in a 9” cake pan or something similarly sized. Add lemon slices and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

For the Cocktail and Serving: 

1. Combine honey, sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and cool completely.

2. Combine Maker's Mark 46®, lemon juice and honey syrup in a large bowl, pot or punch vessel. When you’re ready to serve, add red wine ice float and top with seltzer. 

3. Serve ladled over a cup of ice, garnished with more lemon slices, adding more seltzer if you like. 

DO AHEAD: The red wine ice can be made several weeks in advance, kept frozen. The cocktail sans ice ring and seltzer can be made 2 days ahead, kept refrigerated. The honey syrup can be made several weeks in advance, kept refrigerated.


 

newsletter, drinksAlison RomanComment