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- Jungle juice is a punchbowl-type drink that features many different alcohols.
- It's made up primarily of vodka, rum, and various fruit-flavored drinks.
- Spritz the jungle juice with some club soda to add carbonation and lengthen the drink's life.
- Visit Insider's Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.
If there's one "cocktail" everyone's most likely consumed, but probably never ordered at a bar, it's the perennially famous (and in some cases infamous) jungle juice. An everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type drink, jungle juice is a mix between a Long Island iced tea punch bowl and a sangria.
It most likely started in the basements and apartments of college students as a creative concoction to overindulge, while also making use of any leftover alcohol or beverages people were trying to get rid of.
"[Jungle juice] really truly is an assortment of all different kinds of alcohol, and it's always mixed with sugary additives from juices, fruits, things like that," says Julianna McIntosh, owner and mixologist of Join_Jules. "It really is just an easy way for people to make a big batch drink for at home parties."
This hodge podge approach brings about many different iterations of jungle juice, with some opting for flavored liqueurs or rums while others even add in various gummy candies.
"It's a punch bowl with a lot of different types of alcohols in it, and that doesn't necessarily have to have this negative connotation," McIntosh says. "There's not one recipe that is the original recipe. It's your own interpretation of what jungle juice is, which is kind of fun."
Best alcohol for jungle juice
McIntosh recommends starting with a neutral spirit like vodka or a grain alcohol like Everclear, since it doesn't impart much flavor and can serve as a solid base. From there, she says, you can start getting creative.
"When I think of jungle juice, I think tropical," McIntosh says. "So I think rum is a really great thing to add."
While McIntosh typically uses dark rum in her jungle juice, you can also try white, spiced, and flavored rum for a little extra kick.
Jungle juice variations
- Make a tropical treat to sip poolside or at the beach. Use a palette of rums - from spiced to different flavors like pineapple or coconut. Throw together a banana simple syrup for an extra twist.
- Turn it into a mocktail. Include the kids in the fun by omitting the alcohol and tossing in some candies like Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, or gummy bears.
- Add a garnish. Elevate the jungle juice with some rosemary or sage to incporate a fanciful flair.
Storing jungle juice
If you have any drink leftover once the party's over, McIntosh says to store it in an airtight container like a Mason jar. You can refrigerate it for three to four days, spritzing it with a little club soda to freshen it up whenever you pull it out to drink again.
Insider's takeaway
Whether you're trying to make use of leftover alcohol or just want a boozy punch bowl for a pool party, jungle juice is a straightforward and easy-to-make beverage that can be taken in a number of different directions.
Simply mix a combination of rum, vodka, or neutral alcohol with juice, and add sliced fruit to infuse extra flavor. While the juice can be store bought, McIntosh suggests opting for homemade juice instead.
"I like to make it as fresh as you can because it'll just taste better," says McIntosh. "But use what you've got and it will turn out just fine."