Blood Bag Punch

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Cocktail History

The Blood Bag Punch is a popular large format Halloween cocktail of unknown origin, with this version being created by Jay and Leah Hall of the Gastronom Cocktails blog. Meant to be bright red and served in food-grade blood bags at Halloween parties, the recipe pairs two tequilas with a fruity sangria zinger tea along with pineapple, passion fruit, and citrus.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Tequila Blanco: This is a type of tequila made in Mexico with fermented blue agave and yeast, which are distilled and then left unaged to develop a bright, agave-forward flavor.

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe pineapples that has a sweet, tangy tropical flavor and bright yellow color.

Sangria Zinger Tea: This is a type of tea made with hibiscus blossoms, fruits, and spices, which are dried and blended to develop a tart, fruity tea flavor.

Passion Fruit Juice: This is a juice made with passion fruit purée, sugar, and water.

Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter orange peels, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, bright citrus flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Jalapeño Tequila: This is a type of tequila made with fermented blue agave and yeast, which are distilled and then infused with jalapeño peppers to develop a spicy, vegetal flavor.

Passion Fruit Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with passion fruit, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a tart, tropical flavor.

Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a deep, sweet-tart flavor.

Red Food Coloring: This is a liquid or gel dye used to color foods and drinks.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Piedra Azul Tequila Blanco
• 🔗 Celestial Seasonings Sangria Zinger Herbal Tea
• 🔗 Giffard Triple Sec Liqueur
• 🔗 Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 🔗 Liber & Co. Real Grenadine Syrup
• 🔗 Watkins Red All Natural Food Coloring

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Pitcher: This is a large container with a handle and spout that’s used for mixing, holding, and pouring batch cocktails and punches.

Spoon: This is a kitchen utensil with a rounded bowl and long handle that’s used for mixing ingredients.

Blood Bag Pouch: This is a flexible plastic drink pouch designed to resemble a medical blood bag that’s used for serving Halloween punches and other themed drinks.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
• 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
• 🔗 Libbey 60 oz Glass Pitcher
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon
• 🔗 Meowtastic Blood Bag Pouches

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright red color

• Aroma: Tropical fruit and agave

• Taste: Sweet flavors that mix pineapple with a slight jalapeño spice and passion fruit

• Finish: Light tequila, spicy pepper, and dry floral notes

Kendall’s Take
“Filling blood bags with this boozy batch cocktail definitely takes more patience than shaking the usual recipe, but the payoff is total Halloween-showstopper status. The punch itself is heavy on the fruit flavor with a touch of spicy bite, which is exactly what you want when serving a crowd. Large-format, fun, and undeniably festive, the Blood Bag Punch delivers the right mix of intrigue for a Halloween party cocktail.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the publication Gastronom Cocktails.