Spanish Drinks Beyond Sangria: 10 Must-Try Beverages

As you explore Spain,

you'll naturally find yourself enjoying drinks quite often.

A beer with a plate of tapas,

a cold white wine with seafood,

and a glass of Sangría when you're relaxing on a terrace on a hot day.

It's a country where drinks

effortlessly weave themselves into the fabric of your food and travel experiences 🍷

As I journeyed through Spain myself,

I tried everything from Sangría to Cava, Clara,

Tinto de Verano, Vermut, and even Sidra.

While they might seem similar,

once you taste them,

you'll find their flavors and the vibes they create are quite distinct.

Today, based on my own personal tasting experiences,

I'll be compiling a guide to Spanish drinks, their flavors,

and when best to order them.

1. Spanish Drinks, at a Glance

Let's start by briefly covering some common drinks

you'll often encounter on Spanish menus.

If you're new to Spanish drinks,

it's enough to pick just one that appeals to you from this list

and stick with it when ordering.

2. Beer — Cerveza · Clara

Cerveza (Beer)

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In Spanish, beer is called Cerveza.

However, when you go to a bar,

you'll often hear the word Caña more frequently than Cerveza.

A Caña refers to a small glass of draft beer,

and the exact volume varies from bar to bar.

If you want a larger glass,

some places call it a Doble.

In Spain,

it was incredibly convenient to enjoy a Caña

alongside my tapas.

Since it's a small glass, you can drink it quickly while it's still cold,

and if you want more, you simply order another one 🍺

Clara (Beer Mix)

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A Clara is a drink

made by mixing beer with a lemon-flavored soda or similar carbonated drink.

With less of the typical beer bitterness and a delightful sweet-sour tang,

when I first tried it, it tasted almost like a soft drink.

Especially on a hot day,

it's so refreshing it just goes down smoothly.

But that's precisely why you need to be careful 😂

Even if it feels like a soft drink, beer is still beer!

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If you're looking for something light to drink,

or if you're not a big fan of bitter beer,

definitely give it a try.

3. Wine — Vino Tinto · Vino Blanco · Cava

Vino Tinto (Red Wine)

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Red wine is called Vino Tinto in Spanish.

In Spain, I found the prices for wine to be much more approachable than back home,

making it perfect for enjoying a glass or two with meals.

And if you're not a wine connoisseur,

don't overthink it!

During my trip, I simply went by this rule:

Red wine with meat,

white wine with seafood.

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And just knowing that was enough to navigate the menus quite successfully.

You'll often spot Rioja on menus, too—it's one of Spain's most renowned wine regions,

so keep an eye out for it!

Vino Blanco (White Wine)

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White wine is known as Vino Blanco.

Served chilled, it's a crisp and perfect match for seafood or fish dishes.

Especially on days when I ordered various seafood tapas,

opting for white wine instead of beer was always a winning choice.

Cava

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This is Spain's quintessential sparkling wine.

Beyond white Cava,

you can also find rosé Cava with its lovely pink hue.

During my Spanish adventure,

I had the pleasure of trying

white Cava at a 1-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant.

Its fresh and clean effervescence made it a delightful accompaniment to the course meal 🥂

Before that, if you asked me about Spanish drinks,

Sangría would have been my first thought.

But after that day, Cava certainly made a lasting impression!

I'll dive deeper into that fine dining experience

in a separate post later on.

4. Wine Cocktails — Sangría · Sangría de Cava · Tinto de Verano

Sangría

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This was my absolute favorite drink in Spain ❤️

It's a chilled drink made with wine, fruit, and other ingredients, and since each place has its own unique recipe and ratios,

the taste varies slightly from bar to bar.

I completely fell in love with Sangría

in Spain.

Even after returning home, I kept thinking about that taste

and visited several places, but none quite captured

the flavor I experienced during my trip.

For a while,

I even suffered from a serious case of

'Spanish Sangría withdrawal'!

If you're with a group,

it's often better to order it by the pitcher to share,

rather than individual glasses.

Sangría de Cava

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If you enjoyed Sangría,

then you absolutely must try Sangría de Cava.

Made with Cava instead of red wine,

it felt even more refreshing and crisp

than regular Sangría.

With its lovely fizz,

it also goes down incredibly smoothly on a hot day.

Tinto de Verano

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As the name suggests, it’s 'red wine of summer'.

It's a drink made by mixing red wine with a carbonated beverage,

served chilled,

so when you first try it,

it might remind you of Sangria.

My first impression was, in fact,

“Isn’t this similar to Sangria?”

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I thought.

But the more I drank it, the subtly different it became.

Compared to Sangria, which boasts rich fruit flavors and sweetness,

Tinto de Verano felt much simpler and lighter.

For a refreshing drink on a hot day,

this one was actually more comfortable.

5. Other Drinks — Vermut · Sidra

Vermut

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It's an aromatized wine, made by adding herbs and spices to wine.

In Spain,

you can find it served as a light aperitif

before a meal.

Its unique aroma and bitter taste are quite strong,

so it might not be for everyone.

Honestly, I...

wasn't a fan 😂

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Still, when traveling,

there's a certain joy in experiencing

local drinks one by one.

I don't regret giving it a try.

Sidra

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This is an apple-based alcoholic drink widely consumed in northern Spain.

If you ordered it imagining a sweet apple wine,

you might be a little surprised by the first sip.

It's less sweet than expected and has a strong tangy flavor.

However, I surprisingly enjoyed this acidity.

After indulging in various tapas

and several drinks,

your palate can sometimes start to feel a bit heavy.

At those moments, taking a sip of Sidra

felt like rinsing my mouth,

resetting my taste buds with a fresh sensation.

For me, it wasn't so much a sweet apple wine to simply enjoy,

but rather a perfect drink to refresh my palate

before moving on to the next dish.

And the way Sidra is served is quite entertaining too.

You'll see it poured by holding the bottle high

and letting it fall into the glass below,

a traditional method meant to aerate the cider

and enhance its aroma and feel.

It's best to pour small amounts and drink it immediately,

rather than letting it sit for too long.

6. So, what should you drink in Spain?

If I had to pick just one Spanish drink,

it would still be Sangria.

But what I enjoyed most on my trip

wasn't any single drink in particular,

but the fun of moving from city to city,

and choosing a different drink

to match the food and atmosphere of the day.

So if you're traveling to Spain, don't just order familiar beers;

try picking out new names from the menu one by one.

Because sometimes, what stays with you most unexpectedly from a trip

might just be the taste of a single drink you had that day 🍷