Alton Brown's clarified milk punch is not only smooth, it's actually velvety on the tongue. Enjoy this low-ABV cocktail all holiday season long.

Course: Drinks

Keyword: Allspice Dram, Clarified Milk Punch, Cocktails, Holidays, Low-ABV cocktails, Port, Rum

Clarified Milk Punch

Name: Clarified Milk Punch
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 8 Earl Grey tea bags; 1/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 cup ruby port; 4 fluid ounces aged dark rum (not spiced); 2 fluid ounces Allspice Dram; 2 fluid ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 cup whole milk

ACTIVE TIME: 40

TOTAL TIME: 2 30

Yield: 1 quart

This traditional English tipple has been around for hundreds of years. It's no wonder both Benjamin Franklin and Charles Dickens were milk punch fans: Perfectly clear and nicely tinted by ruby port, the punch is not only smooth, it's actually velvety on the tongue.

Why? Because we clarify the milk, meaning that we filter out the curds and accompanying astringent tasting compounds, leaving just silky smooth whey. And since it's only about 10 percent alcohol-by-volume, I say, drink on! Safely, of course.

Note: Any overproof rum will work in the dram, meaning any rum over 50% ABV. But navy-strength rum, typically bottled at 57% ABV, is my favorite. Just remember: the higher the ABV of the rum, the higher the ABV of your resulting dram.

I know it seems like you’re using a lot of containers, but the punch needs to strain into a container large enough to securely hold the sieve and such a vessel would be too wide to serve from ... except for maybe a punch bowl, which is tough to get into the fridge.

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8 Earl Grey tea bags
1/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup ruby port
4 fluid ounces aged dark rum (not spiced)
2 fluid ounces Allspice Dram
2 fluid ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup whole milk

Specialized Hardware

quart-sized glass jars

electric kettle (optional)

large sieve

commercial-sized coffee filter

glass pitcher

4-quart container

ACTIVE TIME: 40

TOTAL TIME: 2 30

Yield: 1 quart

Procedure

Heat 2 1/4 cups of water to 208°F. If you have an electric kettle with a temperature setting, great. If not, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, kill the heat and count to 20. Pour the water over the teabags into a quart vessel and steep 3 minutes before removing the bags. (Do not wring out or squeeze the bags.)
Add the sugar to the hot tea and stir to dissolve. Then add the port, rum, Allspice Dram, and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Pour the milk into a glass pitcher and then follow with the tea mixture. (Yes, it will curdle.) Park on counter for 1 hour. Do not shake, stir or molest in any way. Just let the magic happen. Oh, and make sure the tea goes into the milk, not the other way around.
Line a large, fine-mesh sieve with a commercial-sized coffee filter (we like those made for 1.5-gallon machines) and strain the mixture into a wide, 4-quart container. Once completely filtered, typically about 1 hour, transfer to a quart jar or pitcher and chill to serve. (See note.)
Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.