Master These 5 Sangria Ratios For The Ideal Summer Party Drink
Summer parties are about relaxing in the evenings after a sweltering day at work, with a cooling drink in hand that energises your spirits. These cooling, hydrating mixers full of tangy and sweet fruit juices pack a zesty punch and act as quenchers taming the heat of the rising temperatures.
One cocktail that you can prepare during this season is the sangria, a rather popular Spanish recipe especially reserved for those evenings when you host a fun gathering at home, out on the patio or by the poolside.
Sangria can be prepared using red or white wine as a base, brought together with the addition of another spirit like brandy or vodka as well as a sumptuous helping of citrus fruit juices. You can also add a liqueur like cointreau or peach schnapps to the drink for an elevated flavour.
Whatever recipe you follow, getting the ratios right would mean you can make a well-balanced drink with sweet and tart flavours that induces just the right hint of buzz you would look for at a fun summer bash.
Read on below to know more about how you can adjust sangria ratios in preparing different variations of this cocktail at the next party you plan:
Classic Red Wine Sangria
A classic sangria recipe involves mixing four parts of red wine for every two parts of an alcohol like vodka or brandy and infusing it with another five parts of a mix of different fruit juices. You can bring together grapefruits, oranges and lemons for a sweet and sour fruity mix that would infuse different flavours into your sangria concoction. The red wine could be a merlot or cabernet sauvignon that is used as the core ingredient to add a grapey bitterness into the drink which remains the highlight of the cocktail despite all the fruit juices.
Sangria With Liqueurs
Whether a white or red wine sangria, adding liqueurs means you end up adding an additional layer of flavour into the cocktail recipe. Ratios become critical particularly at this time because you want the wine to shine with the juices, vodka and and liqueurs acting as mixers that elevate its flavours. So, keeping the wine to four parts, most times a 750 ml bottle, you can mix it with one part vodka and another part of orange liqueur. With this, you can enjoy the citrusy taste of the liqueur without letting it overpower the wine.
Classic White Wine Sangria
Preparing a white wine sangria essentially means following a recipe similar to the red wine concoction but you might want to replace the brandy with white rum. This will ensure that you prepare a lightly coloured cocktail rather than a deep brownish or red one to retain the intriguing hues of white wine. To such a four part mix, add one part vodka or white rum and one part orange liqueur accompanied by just a hint of honey for a syrupy quality. Serve the sangria chilled so you can enjoy the cool drink on a warm summer evening.
Rosé Sangria
Another interesting sangria variation involves using sparkling wine or rosé which enhances the fruity and tangy flavour components in the recipe. If you want to pack this drink with a kick, use three parts rosé for two parts of white rum and an additional one part each of elderflower liqueur and peach schnapps. The fruits used for this drink could include fresh flavours like lime juice, strawberry juice and freshly chopped raspberries and blackberries for garnish.
Sangria Rosada
Of the many different types of sangria, this one is particularly interesting because it combines fruity and floral flavours to prepare a drink that is perfectly refreshing at summer pool parties. It puts a slight twist on the classic sangria recipe by using three parts rosé with two parts elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice for its citrusy notes. The drink can be savoured chilled to enjoy a tangy and mouth watering taste along with its thoroughly boozy quality.
