Summer Camping Sangria

This summer camping sangria is a white wine cocktail with summer fruit, brandy, and juice. It's easy prep for a few or a group!

Are you looking for a refreshing summer cocktail?

While planning for a recent camping trip, I knew the weather was going to be hot, so I wanted to bring some drinks along that were refreshing.

Of course, we also brought along lots of water and electrolytes, but I also wanted to bring along something for an after-dinner cocktail.

We also enjoyed some easy, low-effort camp stove meals like (pre-prepped) camping tacos and camp stove chickpea curry.

This summer camping sangria uses white wine and fresh (or frozen) summer fruit, and is a lighter take on my favorite fall camping cocktail: a red wine apple sangria.

What Kind of Wine Should I Use for Summer Sangria?

My preference is a dry, crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

If you want a sweeter sangria, you could use a sweet white wine like a moscato. Keep in mind that we’ll be adding juice to the sangria, which will also increase the sweetness level.

You could also use a rosé instead of a white wine. Rosés can be either dry or sweet, so choose one that’s a sweetness level you enjoy.

What Kind of Juice Should I Use?

I recommend using a juice that won’t dramatically change the color of the wine. Use a light-colored juice if possible, such as apple juice or cider, white grape juice or pear juice.

In the sangria photos here I used pear juice.

If you’re using a rosé, cranberry juice would make it darker but would likely be really pretty! Just be aware that unsweetened cranberry juice won’t add the sweetness you’re looking for here.

What Can I Substitute For the Brandy?

Brandy can sometimes be difficult to find in my small town, so I’ve swapped sangria brandy for fruit liqueur multiple times and it always works just fine. If I’m out of brandy, I typically use Grand Marnier instead.

However, if you do have brandy, use it! I was excited to try out this (really delicious!) paw paw brandy we picked up at the Jeptha Creed Distillery.

What Summer Fruit Should I Use?

In the summertime I often have an assortment of berries and fruit in my kitchen. This is a perfect recipe to use up those last handfuls of blueberries or grapes. Kiwi or stone fruit also work well.

That said, my preference is for fruits that aren’t so delicate that they’ll fall apart while they sit in a camp cooler. For instance, raspberries may start to fall apart, and I personally don’t love eating strawberries that have been soaking in a drink for a long time.

Whatever fruits you use, halve or dice them as needed to make sure that everything is bite size.

How to Make Summer Camping Sangria

Add the bite size pieces of fruit to four pint-size glass mason jars.

Next, add juice and brandy to the jars.

Finally, top each jar off with the wine. If you have a little extra wine, that’s okay, pour a glass for the chef (yourself) and call it a reward for all this hard work you’ve been doing.

Put the lids on the jars and chill them for at least four hours. They can chill in the fridge (before your trip) or in the camp cooler.

Enjoy this easy summer camping sangria as you sit around your campsite watching the evening fireflies.