JUNGLE JUICE, What is it and where did it come from?
Jungle Juice is the name given to an improvised combination of liquors, mixers and fruit juices that is usually served for group consumption.
MY JUNGLE JUICE RECIPE & VIDEO IS BELOW.
Typical ingredients include any neutral flavored booze, originally homebrewed varieties, then Everclear (a high proof alcohol favored for it's potency) or cheap vodkas and/or cheap wines and fruit juices, sodas, and even chunks of fruit. Anything that could stretch the alcohol, turn partiers into animals and serve large groups was the sole intent.
Beloved by college students and red neck crowds, Jungle Juice is inexpensive and often mixed in large quantities in trash cans or large coolers. If Everclear or some other moonshine is unavailable, a combination of other readily available liquors and/or wines is used. Whatever alcoholic combination gathered, it's usually untasty flavor is then masked by the juices and sodas added. The whole intent is a powerful punch that goes down easy and is strong enough to lower inhibitions and get blitzed.
Another name for this potent concoction is Trash Can Punch (because of the use of the trash cans as giant punch bowls). Jungle Juice made with Kool-Aid is sometimes called Hunch Punch, and other names are Spodie, Hooch or Wop.
Soldiers in the military stationed in the jungles of the South Pacific during World War II were the innovators of Jungle Juice, hence the name. They would throw together whatever alcohol and other mixers they had on hand for a hobbled up happy hour punch. Often their alcohol was a moonshine they had distilled themselves from local vegetation and even military rations. (Remember the gin still in Hawkeye's tent in M.A.S.H?) This made for a pretty rough booze, which was why it was necessary to disguise it with all the non-alcoholic additions.
Back in my college days my group's version of Jungle Juice was a combination of Ripple wine, preferably Pagan Pink (sold by the quart for 69 cents), orange juice and 7-Up. No other booze added, we were lightweights who wished to stay conscious. Later generations favored Boone's Farm, usually Strawberry Hill, for their vino element.
The Martini Diva's Version of
JUNGLE JUICE
2 Oz. Coconut Rum
2 Oz. Raspberry Vodka
6 Oz. Pineapple Juice
2 Oz. Apple Juice
Juice of 1/4 Lime
Juice of 1/4 Lemon
Dash of Grapefruit Bitters
Toss the whole kit and kaboodle onto a cocktail shaker, shake until chilled and slurp down.
If you prefer visual aids below is my quick video cocktail recipe:
Feel free to batch up in a trash can, cooler or whatever for the frat party or gynourmous drunk event.
This writer, blog and company take no responsibility whatsoever for any stupid pranks, DUIs or other shenanigans you might get up to while under the influence of any form of Jungle Juice you might concoct.
