Bajan Rum Punch (One of Sour, Two of Sweet)
Local name: Rum punch
In short: Barbados rum punch built on the rhyme of one sour, two sweet, three strong, four weak, finished with bitters and nutmeg. A pitcher for four. It takes about 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 170 kcal
Barbados is known for its rum, and the island's rum punch follows a rhyme every bartender knows: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak. Lime juice, syrup, rum and water make up the pitcher, with a few drops of bitters and fresh nutmeg on top. It is simple, balanced and easy to scale up for a party. Use a good aged rum, and serve it very cold.
Instructions
- Warm the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Cool completely. You will use half of this syrup.
- In a pitcher, stir together the lime juice, 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the syrup, the rum and the cold water.
- Chill the punch for at least 1 hour. Taste and add a little more syrup or lime juice to suit your preference.
- Fill four glasses with ice. Pour in the punch and add 2 dashes of bitters to each.
- Grate fresh nutmeg over the top and garnish with a lime wheel.
Tips
- Squeeze the lime juice fresh, since bottled juice tastes flat. Remember the rhyme when scaling up: keep the parts in the ratio 1 sour, 2 sweet, 3 strong, 4 weak.
- For a nonalcoholic punch, replace the rum with chilled strong tea or pineapple juice and keep the lime and syrup. The weak part can be sparkling water.
Questions and answers
What is the Bajan rum punch rhyme?
One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak. It means 1 part lime juice, 2 parts syrup, 3 parts rum and 4 parts water or ice melt.
Which rum is best for punch?
A good aged Barbados rum gives a smooth, caramel-edged punch, but any gold or dark rum works. White rum makes a sharper, lighter drink.
Can I make rum punch ahead?
Yes. Mix it up to a day ahead and keep it chilled. Add ice and the bitters and nutmeg just before serving so the drink does not dilute.
How long does it take to make Bajan Rum Punch (One of Sour, Two of Sweet)?
About 15 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bajan Rum Punch (One of Sour, Two of Sweet)?
About 170 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 26 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 170 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
