Sangria is a popular alcoholic punch that originated in Spain. It’s typically made with red wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a splash of brandy or liqueur. Pre-made sangria can be found at many grocery stores, like Costco, for an easy cocktail option.
What is Costco sangria?
Costco sells their Kirkland Signature Spanish Sangria in large 3 liter boxes. It’s made with red wine, grape juice, citrus flavors, and brandy. The sangria has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of about 7.5%. While not extremely boozy, it provides a lightly spritzed, fruity drinking experience.
Costco’s sangria is inexpensive, costing around $9 for a 3 liter box. That’s only $3 per regular 750ml bottle equivalent. It’s significantly cheaper than most standalone bottled sangrias. This bulk discount brand option allows you to buy sangria in larger quantities for parties or everyday drinking.
Why would you want to “hack” Costco sangria?
There’s several reasons one may want to hack or alter the Costco sangria:
- To increase the alcohol percentage – The relatively low 7.5% ABV could be too tame for some drinkers looking for more of a punch.
- To customize the flavors – Some may find the standard fruitiness dull and want to liven it up with new fruits, herbs, spices, etc.
- To reduce the sweetness – The grape juice adds a lot of sweetness, which some find overpowering or cloying after awhile.
- To make it fresher – The pre-made sangria lacks the fresh chopped fruit chunks that homemade has.
- To add carbonation – Many enjoy bubbly sangria, but Costco’s does not come fizzy.
- To create unique cocktail blends – Hacking it opens up many possibilities for inventive sagria cocktails.
Overall, hacking Costco’s sangria allows you to customize and improve it to your personal preferences. The basic formula gets tweaked to make something new.
What ingredients can you add to hack Costco sangria?
There’s many creative ways to hack and enhance Costco’s sangria. Here are some ideas for extra ingredients to add:
For more alcohol:
- Vodka
- Rum
- Gin
- Everclear
- Whiskey
- Tequila
- Sake
- Triple sec
- Brandy
For more flavor:
- Lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit juice
- Pineapple juice
- Cranberry juice
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Kiwi
- Pomegranate seeds
- Mango
- Honeydew
- Starfruit
- Cherries
- Pears
- Apples
- Watermelon
- Mint
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Lavender
- Ginger
- Jalapenos
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla
- Coffee
- Tea
For carbonation:
- Club soda
- Tonic water
- Ginger ale
- Lemon-lime soda
- Ginger beer
What are some Costco sangria hack recipes?
Here are a few recipe ideas for hacking the Costco sangria:
Boozy Berry Sangria
- 1 box Costco sangria
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 cup strawberries, diced
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 apple, diced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
- 1⁄2 cup mint leaves
- 1 liter lemon-lime soda
Mix everything together in a large pitcher and chill before serving. The addition of vodka and soda makes this sangria much boozier and fizzier.
Spicy Mango Sangria
- 1 box Costco sangria
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 jalapeno, sliced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 cup tequila
- 1 cup ginger beer
Muddle the mango and jalapeno in a pitcher. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. The mango adds tropical flair while the jalapeno brings some heat.
Rosé Sangria
- 1 box Costco sangria
- 1 bottle rosé wine
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 liter tonic water
Mix all the ingredients together in a large pitcher or punch bowl. The rosé wine lightens up the sangria with some crisp, fruity flavors while the tonic water adds bubbly texture.
What are some non-alcoholic Costco sangria hacks?
You can also hack Costco’s sangria to make non-alcoholic versions by using:
- Non-alcoholic red wine
- Red grape juice
- Cranberry juice
- Sparkling water
- Soda water
- Ginger ale
- Apple cider
- Fruit juices
- Herbal tea
- Syrups like hibiscus, elderflower, lavender, rose, etc.
Mix and match combinations of the above to mimic the fruity, aromatic flavors of sangria without the alcohol. Get creative with different fruit slices, herbs, spices, and carbonation.
What are some sangria serving tips and ideas?
- Chill the sangria for at least 2 hours before serving for optimal coldness
- Add ice cubes or sangria ice rings
- Serve in wine glasses or mason jars
- Garnish with fruit slices
- Include sangria straws and cocktail umbrellas
- Set up a sangria bar with different hack recipes
- Pair with tapas, cheese, or charcuterie boards
- Include carafes of water for alternating with sangria
- Ladle from a punch bowl onto ice for a crowd
- Use infused fruit like bourbon-peach sangria
- Top off pitcher with a wine bottle for tableside pouring
Taking steps like chilling, adding ice, and garnishing makes the sangria an appealing centerpiece drink for gatherings. Offering food pairings and water breaks prevents overconsumption.
What are the risks of hacking Costco sangria?
While hacking Costco’s sangria can result in fun cocktail possibilities, there are some risks to consider:
- Increasing the alcohol content too much could lead to overintoxication, especially if consuming excess quantities
- Not properly measuring and accounting for added alcohol may lead to drinks being far stronger than expected
- Combining too many ingredients can result in an imbalanced or unpalatable sangria
- Non-alcoholic hacks may lack the complexity and depth of flavor that wine adds
- Ingredients like soda or juice can make the sangria overly sweet if overused
- Adding overly spicy, sour, or bitter ingredients can make the sangria harsh
- Improperly stored hacked sangria is at greater risk for contamination and food borne illness
- Trying to carbonate sangria in sealed containers can cause bottles to explode
- Some add-ins like dairy don’t properly dilute into sangria and curdle
Being mindful of proportions, storage, and recipe tweaks will help mitigate any sangria hacking risks. Small-scale taste tests are recommended before making large batches.
Conclusion
Hacking Costco sangria can elevate the inexpensive boxed wine into a bespoke cocktail for parties or personal sipping. While the pre-made sangria offers convenience, its basic formula begs to be embellished. With some creativity and the right added ingredients, you can customize Costco’s sangria into any boozy fruit punch creation you crave. Turn the limitations of the storebought sangria into creative inspiration for crafting your own signature sangria flavor. Just be sure to avoid potential pitfalls like over-intoxication. Sip your hacked sangria responsibly and have fun making each batch uniquely your own!