Samuel Adams Summer Ale Sangria – The Best Party Drink for the 4th

The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday; nothing is better than BBQ, fireworks, and beer. If you are headed to a BBQ later today I recommend taking your beer game to the next level by making the deliciously refreshing Samuel Adams Summer Ale Sangria. This Sangria takes the refreshing qualities of the Summer Ale and infuses it with fresh fruit and wine to make a dry, flavorful and thirst quenching sangria that is unlike any other. Unlike traditional red wine based sangrias, this one is fruity and refreshing without being overly imposing, allowing you to enjoy it all afternoon long.  

For a party-sized serving with enough to satisfy all your friends use the following amounts of ingredients, I actually used half portions of everything for this review since it was just my wife and I drinking it and the pictures reflect this.

Take:

•   4¼ bottles Samuel Adams Summer Ale
•   2 bottles of light white wine, like a sweet Riesling
•   4 oz of cognac
•   4 oz of apple schnapps
•   4 oz of simple syrup
•   2 honeydew melons, peeled, sliced and diced
•   4 oranges, cut into wheels

Put all the ingredients in a large punch bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours, or for best results leave overnight. Add 2 oz soda water right before serving and poor over an ice filled glass, I found that transferring the liquid into a pitcher helped in serving and allowed me to use the newly alcohol infused fruit as delicious garnish. I found that using a sweet Riesling was the best wine for the job and allowed me not to use the simple syrup as a sweetener, but the level of sweetness is totally up to you.

The result is an amazingly refreshing dry sangria that is leaps and bounds better than the red wine everyone is use too. So for your BBQ, pick up a six pack of Samuel Adams Summer Ale and make the best damn Sangria in the free world.