Help Please: I Need to Make About 5 Gallons of Punch

[Christine]

...and I need it to be really easy but refreshing.

I am helping put together a large open house function at work for a retirement. We were provided with those large glass beverage dispensers that, I'm pretty sure, hold about 5 gallons of liquid.

One container will have water with fruit, the other will have iced tea, and for the third, they'd like some sort of juice. I was just going to get some gallon jugs of raspberry lemonade or something like that, but I'd actually like to have something "sparkling."

I've been scouring Pinterest for ideas but most of them seem more work than I will be able to manage that day (I'll we at work and there's no prep area really). I need to be able to kind of throw things together. The punch recipes I've seen make about a gallon and have several different things that need to be measured out. By the time I'm looking at 5 gallons or so, it's a ton of 4 different things!!

So, I was sure that someone out there on the DIS has had a big event where they made a simple punch/sparkling drink.

Any ideas? Oh, and I have to make this on Thursday after picking up a ton of food and cake!

 

[disykat]

My current favorite is apricot nectar (or apricot/mango) mixed with 7 up. I always get compliments on it. Very good, and different from the standard sparkling cranberry. (Though I do love cran/cherry mixed with 7 up too!)

 

[TCRAIG]

...and I need it to be really easy but refreshing.

I am helping put together a large open house function at work for a retirement. We were provided with those large glass beverage dispensers that, I'm pretty sure, hold about 5 gallons of liquid.

One container will have water with fruit, the other will have iced tea, and for the third, they'd like some sort of juice. I was just going to get some gallon jugs of raspberry lemonade or something like that, but I'd actually like to have something "sparkling."

I've been scouring Pinterest for ideas but most of them seem more work than I will be able to manage that day (I'll we at work and there's no prep area really). I need to be able to kind of throw things together. The punch recipes I've seen make about a gallon and have several different things that need to be measured out. By the time I'm looking at 5 gallons or so, it's a ton of 4 different things!!

So, I was sure that someone out there on the DIS has had a big event where they made a simple punch/sparkling drink.

Any ideas? Oh, and I have to make this on Thursday after picking up a ton of food and cake!

I use 2 parts fruit juice (any kind) with 1 part 7-UP or Sprite (any clear lemon-lime soda) and then throw in a coupla cans of frozen lemonade...

 

[lynxstch]

We always use Hawaiian Punch, 7 Up , and add some scoops of sherbert in it

 

[Christine]

So, because of the dispenser thing and lack of space, I can't do anything with a "mix in" such as sherbet (which I do love). I suppose I could do the frozen lemonade concentrate, but again, I have no place to mix this. I guess I need to just pour jugs of stuff together but I don't see any recipes that are that simple. The nectar one sounds good but I need a LOT. For some reason, I think the nectar can be fairly pricey (yes, we also have a budget), but I'm going to look.

 

[lynxstch]

Hawaiian punch and 7 up would be more cost effective, just skip the sherbert, lol

 

[mummabear]

My go to is 1.5L Sprite, 1L pineapple juice, 1L orange juice and mixed berries

 

[Happyinwonerland]

You could also add sparkling white grape to a fruit punch to make it sparkle, and it would taste better than 7 up IMO.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Cranberry juice and ginger ale

 

[Hikergirl]

Watermelon juice and lime seltzer

 

[lizabu]

You can use any kind of juice. I like McCain berry punch. It's a frozen concentrate. Make according to the instructions. Then just pour in some 7up to give it some fizz. You can add 7up to anything.

 

[McKelly]

Blue Hawaiian Punch and Lemonade. Tastes like a blue raspberry popsicle.

 

[McKelly]

Sorry - double post.

 

[Fabooliss]

We just made some. Mixed orange juice and berry punch with ginger ale. Really tasty and easy.

 

[bcla]

Does it have to be real, or could it be something like a powdered mix? I remember Hawaiian Punch used to come in cans that could make a couple of gallons, but they may not be available now except for a sugar free version. Artificially sweetened punch may not be that great for a party.

 

[Christine]

Thank you everyone, you've given me some good direction to go in before I head off to the store tonight!

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd substitute seltzer for the soda - my teeth are hurting!

 

[tina.tina]

This may be too late, but I love white grape juice and sprite.

When we had parties at my former office, we would mix a 96 oz bottle of white grape juice per each 2 liter of sprite. To have extras on hand already mixed, I would pour 1/2 bottle of white grape juice in the serving container and 1/2 bottle of Sprite, then, I would pour what was left in the Sprite bottle into the white grape juice bottle to store for refills.

 

[Christine]

Thanks! No, it's not too late. Didn't find anything to buy at Costco so off to the grocery store tomorrow. I saw the grape juice/sprite thing on Pinterest but didn't see any reviews on it. It would probably look pretty with some cranberries added in the tank.

 

[NotUrsula]

You will have to multiply the recipe, but this one works really well, and is a "grown-up" recipe, meaning that it isn't cloyingly sweet. It is also a white punch, so it doesn't stain if spilled.

2 2-liter bottles ginger ale (or dry champagne, for the alcohol version)
1 large can (abt. 40 oz) of pineapple juice
1 small can of frozen white grape juice concentrate
1 lemon, sliced (you can do this in a dispenser; they float.)