This Cocktail Recipe Lets You Literally Drink Your Christmas Tree

Sure, you’ve probably heard of tossing back a few drinks while sitting around your Christmas tree, but what about sipping on a drink made from your Christmas tree?

Created by mixologist and drinks expert Nick Strangeway, this innovative punch recipe gives your tree a second life. Needles from your tree are used to create a simple syrup as well as an infused rum.

It’s a complicated drink for sure, Strangeway says it will take 24 to make since you have to do all that infusing, but it could definitely be a fun one to pull out at an after-Christmas soiree.

Pine-Apple Punch

Ingredients:
1.5 liters Apple Juice
1 liters Chilled Lemon Verbena tea
500ml Banks 5 Island Blend Rum
350ml Banks 7 Golden Blend Rum
300ml Douglas Fir Syrup (see below)
200ml of Douglas Fir Infused Banks 5 Island Blend
200ml Apple Molasses
100ml of Citric acid solution (available in all major supermarkets)

Method:
1. To create the Douglas Fir Syrup, infuse 10g of gently dried Douglas Fir needles in 250ml of boiling water for about 10-15 mins before adding 250g of caster sugar.
2. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and then strain to remove the Douglas Fir Needles. Keep refrigerated before use.
3. Next, make the verbena tea by infusing 3-4 large sprigs of fresh lemon verbena in 500ml of boiling water for 15 minutes. Or brew several verbena teabags for a few minutes.
4. Add 500ml of cold water and leave for another 10 minutes before straining. Keep refrigerated.
5. Next, infuse 5g of gently dried Douglas Fir Needles in 200ml of Banks 5 at room temperature for no longer than 24 hours. Strain before use.
6. To create your punch, combine all the ingredients in a large punch bowl with a large block of ice.