Homemade sangría, the traditional Spanish recipe

When the weather is nice in Spain, all the streets, bars, and terraces get crowded with people eager to drink a good homemade sangría. This beverage with Latin American origins has become very popular in Spain. It is a cool, sweet, and fruity drink that is as easy to drink as a juice. But one should be careful while drinking it, because it mixes several alcoholic beverages. It is stronger than it seems!

Indeed, traditional sangría is made from red wine, to which other alcohols such as brandy, vermouth or gin are added. In itself, the drink qualifies to be considered a cocktail, however, the IBA (International Bartenders Association) refused to give it that title because it was not invented by a bartender. Rather, it developed in Spanish households, so there is a wide range of variations.

There are two main elements behind the success of a sangría recipe. To start with, the resting time is very important so that the wine takes on the taste of the macerated fruits. That means that you have to wait between half an hour and three hours. Do not exceed this time so that the wine does not change its colour due to oxidation. Without this resting time, the sangría would not be as good. Secondly, we tend to believe that because the wine will be mixed with other ingredients, we can use a bad one for the elaboration. However, sangría gains a lot with a quality wine.

Traditional Spanish sangría recipe

Ingredients for 1.5L of homemade sangría:

• 750 mL of a young and quality red wine
• 1 diced orange
• 1 diced lemon
• 1 diced apple
• 1 diced apricot
• 50 mL of brandy or cognac
• 50 mL of vermouth
• 1 generous spoonful of sugar
• 1 can of lemon or orange soda (or the juice of an orange or lemon)
• Ice cubes
• A large jar

Directions:

1. Start by dissolving the sugar in 50 mL of hot water to facilitate its dissolution in the wine.
2. In a bowl, put the sugar, wine, and cut and peeled fruits (in the case of orange, you can keep the skin). Then let it rest for maceration for two hours.
3. After the time has elapsed, serve the wine with the fruits in a jar with ice cubes, adding the other alcohols. You can only use one of the two to make the sangría less strong. Finally, add the soda and mix well.

The sangría is ready now! You can enjoy a fresh drink with good company.

sangría is perfect for enjoying with friends. | Shutterstock