If ever there's a time when I want to make pitcher cocktails, it's on those long summer weekends when I'm surrounded by friends, family and—hopefully—a lake. In other words, a weekend much like Fourth of July weekend. And though there's a wide world of pitcher cocktails out there, I always gravitate towards refreshing and fruity sangria. It's low-alcohol (read: easy to drink a lot of), cheaper than a lot of other pitcher cocktails, endlessly customizable, and you can make it in advance—in fact you have to make it in advance, if you're doing it right. Of course, you don't need to be lakeside to make sangria. And you don't need a recipe, either. You just need this blueprint and at least four hours of patience. (You can always drink a beer while you wait.) First, you're going to need some wine. Red, white, and rose all work—just make sure the wine's not too fancy. (Sangria is not the time to splurge on pricey, complex bottles.) Make the wine affordable and medium-bodied and you're good to go.

(I like to make my sangria with Spanish reds, especially garnacha.) One bottle of wine makes enough sangria for about 8 servings. Of course, sangria goes down easy, and the last thing you want to do is run out. So I assume that each person will drink 4 servings, and therefore buy one bottle of wine for every 2 people I'm serving. best bottle of wine in world(I told you the wine needs to be cheap!)best food and wine in dc Next, you'll need some booze. best at home wine coolersChoose either brandy (or cognac) or orange liqueur (such as Cointreau), or a combination of both. glass of wine lunchI like half brandy/half orange liqueur, since the latter adds a nice hint of sweetness. best wine for valentine day

If you want a less-sweet drink, stick with straight brandy or cognac, or use just a little splash of the liqueur. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of booze per bottle of wine. If you want a stronger or weaker drink, adjust accordingly.the best wine tasting experience Sangria needs at least two kinds of fruit in it: One citrus and and non-citrus. top 10 wines in australia 2014The classic combo is apples and oranges but there are more summery combos that are delicious (and you don't need to limit yourself to just two). cheapest place to buy wine in bulkTry peaches and lemon and raspberries, or pears or plums and oranges, or pineapple and strawberry.where can you buy one hope wine

The most essential step by far—don't skip it! Pour the wine, booze, and chopped fruit into a pitcher (or two) and give everything a good stir. Tuck it in the fridge and don't touch it for at least four hours—but hopefully longer (as long as overnight, even). Don't even bother tasting it before you do this: you need to let the flavors of the fruit seep into the wine and for everything to get nice and cold before you'll know what your sangria will actually taste like. Once this time has passed, go ahead and have a taste: if it's not quite sweet enough, add some fresh fruit juice or stir in some sugar or simple syrup. Not all sangrias are carbonated—but I think they should be. Bubbles make everything feel more festive and refreshing. When you're ready to serve your sangria,add some ice cubes and seltzer to the pitcher, or fill each glass with ice cubes, pour some sangria over over the ice, and top off with seltzer. If you want a little sweetness with your bubbles, use a lemon-lime soda in place of the seltzer, or even a sweet sparkling wine, like demi-sec prosecco.

It's sangria, after all. 5 of the Country's Standout Fusion Restaurants You can sip a martini any time, but there's something particularly pleasurable about a cocktail designed for the colder months. "Everyone's looking to drink seasonally," says bartender Tristan Willey of Brooklyn's Long Island Bar. "But if you don't know what to do at home, you can just rotate one or two things to make it appropriate for the time of year." We teamed up with Willey to create a menu of 13 cocktails with a winter-friendly twist. Read on to discover them all. Champagne CocktailChampagne Cocktail"It's really beautiful, and perfect for an elegant party. It elevates the pomp and circumstance of your traditional glass of Champagne."Ingredients:• 4 oz sparkling wine• 1 sugar cube• Angostura bittersDirections:Soak the sugar cube in Angostura bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Fill with sparkling wine (a dry prosecco will also do). Garnish with a lemon twist. Cognac French 75Cognac French 75

"Winter isn't about eliminating refreshing drinks, but there are things that can make them more seasonally appropriate. By swapping the gin for the richer, silkier flavors of the cognac, it turns it into a more wintery version of itself."Ingredients:• 1 oz cognac• .5 oz lemon juice• .5 oz simple syrup• Splash of sparkling wineDirections:Shake the cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute, and top with Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine. 10 Best Fine Dining Restaurants In the World The 10 Freshest, Funkiest Natural Wines Under $40 Natural Wine Is About to Take Over the U.S. This Giant Moscow Mule Weighs 10 Pounds This Clear Coffee Won't Stain Your Teeth How to Make a Negroni Here's Why Your Wine Bottle Always Drips (and Why This One Doesn't) Honestly, Who Likes Paper Straws? The Best Way to Make a Margarita Here's Why Ordering the Cheapest Wine on the List Isn't a Bad Idea Budweiser Is Trying to Make It Possible to Brew Beer on Mars