Champagne Holiday Punch

Ingredients

• 1 cup Demerara sugar
• 1 cup Demerara sugar
• 12 ounces genever
• 6 ounces fresh lemon juice
• 4 ounces Créole Shrubb
• Angostura bitters
• 8 ounces cold club soda
• 4 ounces cold Champagne
• Ice, preferably large cubes
• Pineapple slices and star anise pods, for garnish

Steps

1. In a small saucepan, warm the sugar and water over low heat and stir until a thick syrup forms. Remove from the heat, let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
2. In a small punch bowl, combine 4 ounces of the simple syrup (reserve the rest for another use), the genever, lemon juice, Créole Shrubb, and bitters and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Stir in the club soda and Champagne, add ice and garnish with the pineapple and star anise.