**History:**
– The original drink was named ‘paanch’ in the Indian subcontinent.
– The term ‘punch’ may come from Hindi meaning five ingredients.
– The drink was introduced to England by East India Company employees in the late 17th century.
– The term ‘punch’ was first recorded in English documents in 1632.
– Punch houses were mentioned in documents by 1671.
**Variations:**
– Fruit punch is a common non-alcoholic version.
– Commercial fruit punch beverages usually contain minimal fruit juice.
– Alcoholic punches historically used arrack or rum as base spirits.
– Bajan rum punch has a simple recipe with lime juice, sweetener, rum, and water.
– Alcoholic punches are popular at college parties and may have high alcohol content.
**Non-alcoholic Varieties:**
– Fruit punch is often served at social events.
– Non-alcoholic fruit punches are popular among children and adults.
– Most commercial fruit punches contain very little actual fruit juice.
– Lemon-lime soda and ginger ale are common additions to non-alcoholic punches.
– Brands like Hawaiian Punch and Hi-C offer popular non-alcoholic fruit punch options.
**Alcoholic Varieties:**
– Rum-based punches like Bajan Punch and Planters Punch are well-known.
– Arrack-based punches have historical significance.
– Alcoholic punches are common at college parties.
– Some alcoholic punches have high alcohol content.
– Jungle Juice and grain punch are popular names for certain types of alcoholic punches.
**Punches around the World:**
– Blow My Skull is a famous Australian alcoholic punch.
– Bajan Punch from Barbados includes rum, lime juice, and nutmeg.
– Ti Punch is a popular rum-based punch in the Caribbean.
– Cups are a traditional style of punch served in England.
– German punch often includes wine or liquor with fruit juices and spices.
– Korea:
– Hwachae is a term for traditional Korean punches.
– Sujeonggwa is a traditional punch made from dried persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger.
– Mexico:
– Ponche is traditionally prepared during the Christmas season in Mexico.
– Ingredients in ponche include tejocotes, guavas, sugar cane pieces, piloncillo, apples, pears, dry hibiscus, raisins, prunes, clove, and star anise.
– Argentina:
– Claret Cup, known as Clericó, is the traditional Christmas and New Year punch in Argentina and Uruguay.
– Clericó is made with red wine, oranges, apples, peaches, strawberries, and other fruits.
– Sweden:
– Punch is typically called bål in Sweden and is served at social functions.
– Punsch is a specific type of alcoholic punch using arrack that was popular in Sweden in the 1900s.
– United States:
– Planters Punch is claimed to be invented at the bar of the Planters House hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
– The recipe of Planters Punch varies, containing rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, grenadine, soda water, curaçao, Angostura bitters, and cayenne pepper.
The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.
| Cocktail | |
|---|---|
 German bowle | |
| Type | Cocktail family |
| Standard drinkware | .svg) |
| Commonly used ingredients | Usually fruit juices and other drink mixers, optionally with alcohol |
| Preparation | Varied |
In the United States, federal regulations provide the word "punch" to describe commercial beverage products that do not contain fruit or fruit juice. The term is used to label artificially flavored beverages, with or without natural flavorings, which do not contain fruit juice or concentrate in significant proportions. Thus a product labeled as "fruit punch" may contain no fruit ingredients at all.