Blueberry Sangria

If you’re fortunate enough to find yourself in the middle of a blueberry field on a hot July afternoon, try this recipe to help cool down and enjoy the fruits of your labor! You may want to make a double batch if you have junior blueberry pickers to reward with delicious mocktails. These recipes are easily adapted by even the newest drink alchemist to achieve the perfectly sweetened summertime refreshment.

It’s hard to imagine that a refreshing summer drink like this could be deemed illegal. However, if you lived in Virginia as recently as 2008, you would not have been able to order a sangria at your local restaurant! Prohibitionists decided that mixing wine with spirits was not to be allowed given the higher alcohol content!

Blueberry Sangria, Simple Syrup & Mocktail

BLUEBERRY SANGRIA

Ingredients:

1 c. Blueberry Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
740 ml blueberry wine
1 c. brandy
Ice
Frozen blueberries
Lime slices
2 c. tonic water

Instructions:

Stir all ingredients in a pitcher.

Add tonic water.

Sip from a glass with extra blueberries and lime slices.

BLUEBERRY SIMPLE SYRUP

2 c. blueberries, rinsed & drained
1 c. water
¼ c sugar
Juice of ½ lime

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan bring berries and water to a boil. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Drain into a cheesecloth-lined collander over a bowl to catch juices. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Gather corners and squeeze out as much juice as possible.
Return juice to the pan.
Add sugar and lime juice.
Heat on medium-high until boils. Stir until dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes.
Store syrup in a canning jar in the refrigerator.

BLUEBERRY MOCKTAIL

Ingreidents:

¼ c. Blueberry Simple Syrup
1 c. your favorite fizzy water
Ice
frozen blueberries
Lime slices

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients. Enjoy with garnishments of blueberries and lime slices.