Jungle Juice

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

Most jungle juice mixtures contain large quantities of hard alcohol mixed with a variety of fruit juices. For example, jungle juice may contain Everclear, 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 sometimes called spodie (suh-pO-dee) or wop. (Rhythm and blues singer-guitarist-songwriter Stick McGhee, the brother of blues legend Brownie McGhee, celebrated the concoction under both names in two of his songs, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" and "Jungle Juice"; an allmusic.com profile of the bluesman suggests the former song may have helped give jungle juice the nickname "spodie.") It is often an inexpensive means of getting many people intoxicated at parties. Every celebrant brings something to contribute to the festivities. Any fruit juice or soda is an acceptable addition to the mix. Fruit-based and neutral alcohols are also good. Brown alcohols, especially whiskey, are not used, as they make the wop unpalatable, nor beer, which creates an unpleasant flavor. The fruit is usually eaten as well, as it will have absorbed considerable alcohol.

There are countless recipes and even websites devoted solely to jungle juice.

The term has also been used for similar less-than-reputable alcoholic concoctions.