The Most Refreshing Andalucian Summer Drinks

In Andalucia, summer drinks are essential for combating the heat. The soaring temperatures encourage us to enjoy refreshing beverages. Traditional options like sangria are popular, alongside newer choices such as rebujito, a staple at Andalucian fairs, or the typical shandy made with beer and soda or lemon, which is more refreshing than beer on its own.

White and rosé wines are extremely fresh and popular when summer arrives in Andalucia, as are various types of lemonade made with lemon and other fruits like watermelon, pineapple, or raspberry.

Summer drinks can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, suitable for adults or everyone. You can prepare them at home or order them at any bar, restaurant, or beach bar in Andalucia.

Summer Alcoholic Drinks

Sangría

Sangria is a classic alcoholic Andalucian summer drink , known for its refreshing nature and distinct use of red wine. Depending on the recipe, additional spirits like brandy or cognac may be included.

Essential ingredients for traditional sangria include peach, lemon, orange, sugar, cinnamon, and a carbonated drink such as soda. The inclusion of other fruits like pineapple, lemon or orange soda, or experimenting with white wine, cava, or other spirits, is up to the creativity and preferences of the person making it.

As with any culinary recipe, the quality of the ingredients is crucial for achieving a great result.

How to make sangria

Tinto de Verano

Summer reds, like sangria, are summer drinks available ready-to-drink at any supermarket. However, for a higher quality summer red, it's best to order it at a good restaurant, bar, or beach bar. They won't use a reserve red wine, but neither will they use a low-quality wine. A young or slightly aged wine is sufficient to create a quality summer red.

The classic summer red is made from a balanced mix of red wine and soda. However, more people are opting for lemon soda instead of regular soda and adding a few slices of orange and/or lemon, along with some good ice cubes.

Clara De Cerveza Shandy

One way to enjoy beer in the summer is by mixing it with soda. The soda lightens the color of the beer, which is why this popular summer drink gets its name. The sweeter taste of the soda also reduces the typical bitterness of beer.

Switching from regular soda to lemon soda in this mix has become an alternative to traditional beer. To avoid any confusion, when ordering a clear beer at a restaurant, bar, or beach bar, be sure to specify whether you want it with regular soda or lemon soda.

Rebujito

The rebujito is more than just a summer beverage; it is a favored drink at fairs and pilgrimages held during the summer in Andalucia. It is particularly popular among the younger crowd during these festivities, partly due to an advertising campaign by a winery that produces chamomile. This refreshing drink can be prepared with chamomile, fine Sherry wine, or white wine. In some locations, earth's must is added to the lime or lemon soda to create a unique version of the rebujito.

Calimocho

Another classic summer cocktail made with red wine and soda is the refreshing calimocho. Unlike sangria or tinto de verano, where the red wine needs to be of decent quality, calimocho is best made with poor-quality wine. The worse the wine, the better.

Traditionally, calimocho is made with cola as the soda of choice. Some even claim that the lower the quality of the cola, the better the calimocho tastes.

This cocktail is enjoyed throughout Spain and in other countries. It goes by different names in various places, and variations exist in the type of wine and other ingredients used.

Refreshing Summer Drinks

Soft summer drinks are especially suitable for minors and for those who have to drive after their intake. They are equally refreshing drinks and suitable for all the public.

Limonada

Classic lemonade is one of the oldest summer beverages. It is a type of homemade lemon soda that we can now purchase ready to drink. However, as with everything else in life, the quality of the ingredients used in each lemonade, whether homemade or factory-produced, canned or bottled, is crucial for creating a delicious and healthy lemonade.

The traditional lemonade recipe is also used to create refreshing drinks with other fruits. Nowadays, you can order watermelon, pineapple, raspberry, or peach lemonade in many bars and restaurants.

Cafés Helados

Whether caffeinated or not, iced teas and coffees rank among the most favored summer beverages for adults. Who hasn't looked forward to savoring a cool iced coffee or tea after lunch during the summer?

Granizadas

Another summer beverage that nearly everyone can enjoy is the hail. The essential component of this particularly refreshing drink is the crushed ice.

The lemon hail is the most traditional, alongside the coffee variant. However, new and delightful varieties of hail are constantly emerging. Hails come in all colors and flavors, perfect for cooling off at any time during the hot Andalusian summer days.