♫If you like … Sangria, and getting caught in the rain♫

holiday mood right? We cannot bring to you the sunny weather of Spain but you can find here four amazing recipes of Spaniards favourite summer drinks.

Everybody heard and even had sangria at least once in their life, and if not, you have to try it! It is the perfect summer drink for either a relaxing weekend or a friends gathering. Moreover, we have 3 more ideas for you! But first, let’s start with the most popular one: Sangria.

Sangria is made with red wine, but you can substitute it with white if you want to. It is a very popular drink not only among restaurants in Spain but also for family and friends meetings. You’ll never find two identical recipes and you can try to make your own way experimenting with your favourite ingredients, this is the fun in it! It usually has fruit juice, liquor, fresh fruits, soda water and, of course, wine.

Our recommendation is to use a bottle of medium quality wine, fresh fruits (we recommend orange, lemon, apple and pear), brandy, soda and orange juice. Mix all the ingredients in a jug and leave it to rest in the fridge for a couple of hours. Then, add the ice cubes and enjoy.

As I said earlier, we have 3 more Spanish drinks ideas for you: Tinto de Verano, Rebujito and Calimocho.

Tinto de Verano

Literally in Spanish, Summer red wine is Sangria’s fizzy cousin: red wine mixed with a fruity soft drink. In Spain, the most usual one is Fanta Lemon, but you can use Sprite, 7up or even a mixture of lemonade and soda water. All you need is a bottle of red wine, 750ml of lemony soft drink or equal parts of lemonade and soda water, one lemon, one orange. Mix all of them and let the aromas combine in the fridge for a couple of hours. You can even add 200ml of vermouth for an extra kick!

Rebujito

As most of the Spanish summer drink recipes, you can’t find two similar ones! Rebujito is one of the simplest cocktails, with origins in Andalusia, and is basically a mix of Fino sherry wine or Manzanilla wine mixed with a lemony soft drink, some mint and, of course, served with ice cubes. For a drier, bitter version, some recommend substituting the soft drink with tonic water and lemon peel.

Kalimotxo (Calimocho)

Originated in the Basque country, this summer drink is considered by many a guilty pleasure. Why? Because this drink is a mix of dry red wine and an equal amount of cola. You can squeeze some lemon juice, serve it with ice cubes and garnish it with a slice of lemon or orange.  A common way of serving kalimotxo is in one litre drinking glasses, called “Cachis”. Some say is the simplest version of sangria, without all the fruit-chopping work and waiting.