Drinks Cocktails Tequila Cocktails Pomegranate-Tequila Punch Be the first to rate & review! This pomegranate punch is sweet and tart, and yes, there’s plenty of tequila to go around. By Kaitlyn Stewart Kaitlyn Stewart Kaitlyn Stewart is an award-winning bartender from Vancouver, Canada. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 6, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 8 drinks Jump to recipe Piquant and slightly lemony, ginger tea gives this sweet-and-sour tequila and pomegranate cocktail an underlying soothing, warming spiciness. The crisp, clean flavor of blanco tequila allows the tart pomegranate juice and sweet maple syrup to shine. Vancouver-based, award-winning bartender Kaitlyn Stewart, who shares her recipes and cocktail expertise online (@likablecocktails), recommends serving this festive cocktail in tea cups instead of a rocks glass for extra pizzazz at your holiday table. Frequently asked questions What’s the difference between blanco and reposado tequilas? Much like the name suggests, blanco tequila is white or clear. Blanco and reposado tequilas are made the same way up until the step of aging and bottling: The piña, or core, of the agave plant is juiced, then that juice is distilled to create the spirit. Unlike reposado tequila, which gets its golden hue from between two months and one year of barrel aging, blanco tequila is not aged at all and therefore takes on no color. Blanco tequila is fresh and bright with flavors that can range from lemon and orange to herbaceous and vegetal. In contrast, reposado tequila can have stronger spice notes. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen This bittersweet cocktail has a lovely backbone of ginger that gives it a slightly spicy kick. Ginger tea inherently has a citrusy sweetness, and when combined with lime juice in the cocktail, this flavor comes through even more. The flavor combination of maple and ginger evokes the cozy fall season, while pomegranate and lime add enough brightness to make this a great year-round cocktail. Consider garnishing with a bit of mint in the summer for an added pop of freshness. Make ahead This cocktail can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Ginger tea 1 1/2 cups water 2 ginger tea bags (such as The Republic of Tea) Cocktail 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) blanco tequila (such as Lalo) 1 cup pomegranate juice (such as Pom Wonderful) 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 6 medium limes) 1/2 cup maple syrup Fresh rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils, for garnish Directions Make the ginger tea Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high. Add ginger tea bags. Let steep for 8 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Pour tea into a heatproof glass, and let cool for 5 minutes. Make the cocktail Combine tequila, pomegranate juice, lime juice, maple syrup, and cooled ginger tea in a large pitcher. Stir well, about 30 seconds. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 45 minutes. Remove the cocktail from the refrigerator, and stir to recombine. Place a large ice cube in each of 8 glass tea cups. Divide the cocktail evenly among tea cups. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig and 5 to 6 pomegranate arils. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, November 2023 Rate It Print