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For our wedding reception, we ain’t goin’ the open bar route. Just not gonna do it. First off, really drunk people make me nervous. Secondly, I don’t want anybody barfing. Thirdly, I just don’t want to. I’d rather spend the money elsewhere. So, we decided to do beer, wine, and champagne for the toasting.

I started thinking. (Novel concept, I know). I know tons of ladies (and even some gents that won’t admit it!) that really prefer a, how shall I say this, well, girlier and fruity drink. (Forgive me, but ’round these parts, that’s known as “bitch water”). If there were only beer and wine, they’d be pretty sad. To be perfectly honest, I love me some fruity drinks as well.

Let’s jump on the wedding-bandwagon. Specialty and signature drinks are pretty hot right now, and that trend sounds like a great way to solve the we-need-a-fruity-drink problem. I first thought Sangria, but then went a little “meh” over having it. We need something fun, something awesome, and something unexpected. What packs the same fruity goodness into a punch-like drink that’s a little more fun?

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. I’m crazy. (But you’re probably *always* thinking that, so nothing new).

What packs a bigger punch than Hunch Punch? (Or Jungle Juice, if you will). It’s fruity, it’s unexpected, mix-uppable beforehand, and, well, it’s pretty inexpensive. I know there are about 304823843.32 ways to make it, and some of them are pretty potent, to say the least. (I think I’m over comma-splicing . Who cares). For those of you who are totally and completely lost, here’s how Wikipedia defines Hunch Punch (Jungle Juice for them).

Jungle juice is the name given to a mix of liquor that is usually served for group consumption.

Most jungle juice mixtures contain large quantities of hard alcohol mixed with arbitrary juices. For example, jungle juice may contain rum, gin, tequila, vodka, and whiskey, mixed with orange, grapefruit, grape, apple, pineapple, or other juices for flavor and to stretch the quantity of alcohol. In addition, most jungle juice batches contain chunks of various fruits, such as pineapples, watermelons, or grapes. Another common recipe for large batches mixes Everclear and frozen juice concentrate in a large container, such as a garbage can, diluted with tap water to the desired strength. Jungle juice can also be made with Kool-Aid; this is sometimes called “Hunch Punch.” A gin-based drink is the Gin bucket, containing gin, fruits, and Fresca and served out of a suitably sized bucket.

Jungle juice is popular on college campuses in the United States.

Because of its haphazard assembly nature, there is no preferred or documented way to create Jungle Juice. Several recipe variations can be found on the web.

I’ve seen Hunch Punch made with a whole mess of different things. The way I think that would work for us AND be more appropriate would be essentially like a poor-man’s Sangria. Basically, fruit, Hawaiian Punch, vodka, and something fizzy. Not seved in a garbage can. Not super strong. (Again, I would rather not have someone going… oveboard at our wedding reception).

The main problem/stressor for me though is the fact that Hunch Punch, due to the Hawaiian Punch (or Kool-Aid), is BRIGHT FREAKING RED. Red dye= major stains. I’ll be wearing white. There is fabric in the house. People will be wearing clothes. Do you know what red dye does to those things? KILL DESTROY MAIM. I’m not betting on zero spills of drinks or food throughout the night, but I’d rather avoid red-dyed-spills. There is a such thing as clear Kool-Aid, and I think at one point there may have been clear Hawaiian Punch, so that could work.

Like any good sorority girl, I know of many other options, but this just seems the most fun and unexpected. (Or at least in my nutty brain it does!)

So, what do you think? Hunch Punch: Best idea ever or colossal mistake?