You know we love to make big batch cocktails for any of our celebrations for so many reasons.  And these big-batch summer cocktails might be some of the best we’ve ever created.  

These three pitcher drinks remind me more of sangria recipes than anything else.  Maybe because they all have a wine base and all you need is a large pitcher or a large drink dispenser to dump everyhing into and then just let it sit.  

Why We Love Big Batch Cocktails

There are so many reasons hy we love creating big-batch cocktails for our celebrations.  And here are a few:

  1. These are super easy cocktails to make and the best part is they’re all made ahead of time.
  2. When it’s party time, you pull the pitcher out of the refrigerator and it’s ready to go.
  3. You don’t need any fancy tools like a cocktail shaker just some sort of large pitcher, punch bowl, or our favorite large drink dispenser (affiliate link in out LTK shop)
  4. Once you created your big batch cocktail recipe, your time bartending has come to an end which is so great to give you some time to enjoy your own party.
  5. Big-batch drinks can easily be turned into a single drink.
  6. Big batch drinks make the perfect foundation for a diy cocktail bar.

Whether it’s a backyard barbecue to celebrate an everyday moment or a holiday celebration, good times and bitch batch cocktails go hand in hand.  

Perfect-for-Summer Cocktail Recipes

There is no way to mess up these super easy cocktails.  

  1. Take your fresh fruit, add it to the large pitcher you’re using.   
  2. Add the wine, liquor simple syrup (if it calls for it) and stir.  
  3. Put it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or as long as 24 hours.   

Honestly, I created this for a summer party and I went a little overboard with the fun ice cubes, but it might be my favorite of all the big-batch cocktails I’ve made to date.

Peachberry Bubbly

  • 1 bottle of Love Olivia Peach Wine
  • 3 1/2 oz Strawberry Whiskey
  • 1 cup Peaches
  • 1 cup Fresh Strawberries (frozen strawberries do work as well)
  • Top with brut bubbly or a sparkling rosé.

If you have been around a while, you know my sister doesn’t like bubbles (I know, she’s crazy), so I wanted to create a way to still top her drink with bubbles and not make it bubbly.  And these ice cubes were created and are perfect!  

Peach Bubbly Ice Cubes

  1. 1 cup peaches 
  2. 1/4 cup bubbly
  3. Blend well.
  4. Pour into ice cube mold.
  5. Freeze overnight for best results. 

Strawberry Bubbly Ice Cubes

  1. 1 cup strawberries 
  2. 1/4 cup bubbly
  3. Blend well.
  4. Pour into ice cube mold.
  5. Freeze overnight for best results. 

To serve, place one or two ice cubes into a champagne coupe.  Add the sangria and, if you’re me, you’re going to top with bubbly.  I did try this with brut and sparkling rosé and loved them both.

Blossom Drop Bubbly Cocktail

This might be the perfect summer drink brunch big batch cocktail recipe.  

1 bottle of Oliver Winery Blossom Drop Wine Cocktail

  • 3-4 oz St Elder Pamplemousse
  • 1 lemon sliced (you could also use lime slices)
  • Fresh grapefruit juice ice cubes
  • Brut bubbly to top

In each glass, I put about 1 oz of fresh grapefruit juice ice cubes.  It added the perfect amount of flavor, but it a completely optional step.  I happened to have frozen grapefruit ice cubes in the freezer and thought I’d give it a try. 

Sparkling Strawberry Rosé

We do love fresh, fruity sangrias and this recipe checked those boxes.  And you know my love for limoncello, so this had to be created.  Such a refreshing cocktail that’s quite deceiving because it goes down so easily.

  • 1 bottle of Rosé
  • 1/2 cup Limoncello
  • 2-3 oz Sparkling pink lemonade
  • 1 Lemon sliced
  • 1 c Fresh strawberries 
  • Bubbly to top (we topped this with Wilson Creek Limoncello and loved it.  Also with a sparkling rosé and brut and all were delicious.

TIPS:

  • Traditional sangria recipes are topped with club soda or soda water.  And that is certainly an option for these big batch cocktails too if you don’t want to add to the alcohol content. 
  • You can add the bubbly directly to the pitcher right before serving.  Typically it would be about 12 oz which is 1/2 bottle.  Or you could all each person to add the amount of bubbly they want to their individual drinks.  Either way works.
  • To not water down your summer drink, use frozen fruit as ice cubes, or create ice cubes using fresh fruit juices.
  • All of these recipes were plenty sweet enough for us (you know we don’t like sweet drinks), but if you felt like it needed a touch more sweetness, you could add 1-2 oz of simple syrup.

Individual Drinks

Of course, you can take these big-batch cocktail recipes and turn them into individual drinks as well.  And you can do this in a way that you’re still not playing bartender and you just have everything set out for your thirsty crowd.

​When creating the perfect serving size single drink, you’ll take:

  • 4 oz wine
  • 1-1 1/2 oz liquor
  • Top with bubbly
  • Garnish with fresh fruit or frozen to keep it chilled.

Sangria Recipes

Over the years, we’ve created a lot of sangria recipes from the most traditional to these fun twists.  And the formula for making a sangria is quite simple:

  1. Fresh fruit 
  2. Wine:  White wine, red wine or rosé wine
  3. Liquor
  4. Simple syrup or a fruit juice to make it sweeter 
  5. Bubbly to top:  Club soda, soda water, tonic water, ginger ale, sparkling wine

Take this formula and go crazy creating your own sangria recipes.  Just be sure to share them with us on Bubbly Side of Life on Instagram.