When the weather outside is frightful, or even just mildly unpleasant as it is here in Houston, you know it’s time for holiday parties. And that means punch.

I love punch. Throw a bunch of stuff in a bowl, and come out with something that everyone can enjoy. Well, maybe it’s not that easy, but you can usually add more booze or sugar to make something decent.

The Charleston Brown Water Society Punch

My favorite winter punch is from Roderick Weaver from the Bar at HUSK Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s called the Charleston Brown Water Society Punch, named after the bourbon aficionado club in Charleston.

Imbibe has the recipe for the punch:

• 3 cups bourbon
• 2 cups dark rum
• 1½ cups fresh orange juice
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups honey syrup
• 2 cups demerara sugar syrup 
• 3 cups soda water

Tools: punch bowl, stirring spoon Glass: punch Garnish: orange slices

Combine all the ingredients except the soda water. Chill. Pour into a punch bowl with a large block of ice, and add soda water just before serving, with orange slices for garnish.

I love this punch. It’s sweet, but it’s honey sweet, and the soda added at the end is the perfect bit of bubbly. Could even substitute champagne, but cut down on the sugar syrup .

The Charleston Brown Water Society Cocktail

But sometimes I want to drink it even when I’m not throwing a party. And that calls for the Charleston Brown Water Society Cocktail, too.

For this single serving, up cocktail, combine with ice:

• 1 oz Hudson Valley Baby Bourbon
• 3/4 oz dark rum
• 1/2 oz fresh orange juice
• 1/2 oz honey syrup
• 1/4 oz lemon juice

and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

I’m telling you: this cocktail is good. It leaves out the soda and much of the sweetener because of it. Just a fine wintry bourbon cocktail.