Growing up there were all sorts of Halloween specials that networks would air ranging from one time specials to blocks of spooky shows (like Scooby Doo or the Most Haunted Places on Earth). Some became classics, like the Simpson’s Tree House of Horror V, while others, like the Halloween Tree hang out at the edge of peoples memories. Among the most popular and oldest of these specials is It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It aired annually on broadcast networks from 1966 to 2019, before Apple+ became it’s home in 2020 – ending the streak. It will return this year on PBS, to introduce another group of children to the idea of the great pumpkin and Charlie Brown’s rotten luck, that resulted in the phrase ‘I Got A Rock”.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
In It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown the kids go trick-or-treating. After each house, the kids discuss their haul. The exchange occurs 3 times, per Wikiquote:
Kids: Trick or treat! Money or eats!
Lucy: [after getting her bag filled] Can I have an extra piece of candy for my stupid brother? He couldn’t come with us ’cause he’s sitting in a pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin. [gets her extra candy, then the other kids get their bags filled] It’s so embarrassing to have to ask for something extra for that blockhead Linus?
[everyone announces what they got in their trick-or-treat bag]
Lucy: I got 5 pieces of candy!
Violet: I got a chocolate bar!
Patty: I got a quarter!
Charlie Brown: I got a rock.
In subsequent exchanges, the items each person gets changes, ranging from gum to popcorn balls to more chocolate. This continued exchange became our inspiration for the cocktail. As they’re Peanuts, we utilize a small amount of Peanut Butter Whiskey. For the popcorn ball, we add in popcorn simple syrup. Finally, we serve the entire creation over a rock.
I Got A Rock
The first sip of “I Got A Rock” is sweet and nutty with a good dose of spice. As it evolves, light notes of popcorn build. On the finish, the popcorn comes through the strongest with a continuation of the caramel and peanut flavor. It’s a simple, sessionable cocktail that pairs exceptionally good with buttered popcorn.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
Building this cocktail is pretty straightforward, but there are a few tips and tricks that are worth knowing. First, dilution is important in this drink. We originally tried making this cocktail with Jim Beam Bonded, and found that it overpowered the other flavors – until the ice had a chance to melt. The solution to this is using lower proof, such a Jim Beam White Label, and making sure that you’re thoroughly stirred the drink. You should aim for 12-20 seconds.
Secondly, since popcorn is made with fat (to make it pop), you’ll need to chill your syrup, and strain off the top layer before you make the drink. If you don’t, you’ll notice a layer of fat floating at the top of the container you use to store the syrup. This won’t necessarily effect the syrup, but it’s not ideal from a presentation standpoint.
- Jim Beam White Label – Jim Beam is often described as having a ‘peanut funk’ to it, and we’ve found that to be true. This helps to double down on the Peanuts theme, and adds other spice notes. The lower proof is also critical, and we’ve found white label works the best, but feel free to experiment with other Jim Beam offerings.
- Popcorn Simple Syrup – The full recipe is below, we use ours chilled from the fridge.
- Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey – Skrewball is powerful in terms of its peanut butter flavor. Resist the urge to go heavy as it will overpower the other ingredients.
Popcorn Simple Syrup
When making the popcorn for this recipe, we used Orville Redenbacher popcorn from the jar, instead of microwave or already popped popcorn. The intention is to control the fat that you’ll later have to remove from the syrup once chilled.
- 35g of fresh popped popcorn – (we used coconut oil to pop ours)
- 500g sugar
- 500g water
- 30g Neutral Grain Spirit (Optional)
Bring water & sugar to boil in a sauce pan. Add popcorn. Steep while stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Allow to cool at least 1 half hour. Place into a clean glass container. If desired, add neutral grain spirit. Shake. Refrigerate
Looking for more Halloween Cocktails? Check out our full list here:
