Festive Cranberry Prosecco Shandy

How to mix a shandy inspired cranberry prosecco cocktail for the holidays. 

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• Take a look at the step-by-step pictures & tips first (1 min)

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This is a brightly colored, full flavored cocktail that perfectly embodies the holiday spirit. We love to serve it to begin family gatherings or casual parties. While it certainly looks and tastes festive it also allows for guests to easily transition to craft beer or wine with the food to follow. 

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For This Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail You Will Need

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• Prosecco. Made from the Glera grape variety, in Veneto, Northern Italy Prosecco has notes of honeysuckle, pear, green apple and honeydew melon and tends to be sweet. Dryer examples have lower sugar content. 
• Cranberry juice. For its unique flavor and gorgeous color. Its characteristic tartness offsets some of the sweetness of Prosecco.   
• Wheat ale. Select among the following low alcohol, highly effervescent ales with no detectable bitterness. They are easy to find around the holidays and very cocktail friendly. 
  • Belgian witbier – typically with orange notes, spiced with coriander;
  • American wheat ale – clean, with citrus notes;
  • fruited sour ale – typically with wheat in the grain bill, kettle soured and fruit conditioned. We used a Cranberry Orange Kettle Sour – fragrant, tart and fruity, very complementary to the cocktail.
• Sugar. Optional and if you choose to use it, add just a bit, to soften the tart edge of the cranberry juice. 
• Cranberries. For best results choose nicely shaped fresh cranberries, then freeze them before you use them to garnish the cocktail. Their frosted look is an undeniable addition to the festive appeal of the drink. 
• Rosemary. For garnish. A fresh rosemary sprig contributes both its fragrance and its looks.

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Step-by-Step Process

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1. Chill Prosecco, cranberry juice and ale. Freeze fresh cranberries. 
2. In a pitcher combine sugar (if using) and cranberry juice. (Stir to dissolve the sugar.)
3. Add the fruited/wheat ale of your choice and allow a few minutes for the foam to dissipate (there will be considerably more of the gorgeous pink foam if you added sugar).
4. Fill cocktail glasses with the cranberry ale mixture and top with Prosecco. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a couple of frosted cranberries. 

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How Strong is This Cocktail?

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This prosecco cranberry shandy is of moderate strength, with final ABV in the range of 8-9%.

If you consider that (1) the average ABV of the fruited or wheat ale you select would be 5% and (2) Prosecco has an average ABV of 11%, then factor in a ratio of roughly 2:3 ale to Prosecco as a guideline for this cocktail, the resulting weighted average ABV comes in around 8.5%, which is equivalent to a stronger ale.

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Other Holiday and Prosecco Cocktails You Might Enjoy

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Black Velvet
Eggnog with Irish Cream and Stout
Holiday Spiced Lager Winter Sangria
Prosecco Peach Bellini
Grapefruit Shandy
Holiday Coquito with Porter

Festive Prosecco Cranberry Shandy

Yield: 4-6 cocktails

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

How to mix a festive cranberry Prosecco cocktail for the holidays. The addition of tart cranberry or wheat ale adds an extra layer of flavor to this easy drinking shandy.

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Ingredients

• 750 ml Prosecco
• 6-8 oz cranberry juice* 
• 12-16 oz fruited ale (such as kettle sour) or wheat ale (such as Witbier)**
• 1 tbps sugar (optional)
• 1/3 cup fresh cranberries
• 6 sprigs rosemary

Instructions

1. Freeze the fresh cranberries ahead of time, chill the Prosecco, cranberry juice and ale of your choice.
2. In a pitcher (1 liter is a good size) add the sugar (if using) and cranberry juice (feel free to reduce noted quantity). Stir to dissolve the sugar if using.
3. Add the ale, pausing frequently to allow the resulting foam to dissipate.
4. Fill glasses about halfway with the cranberry ale mix and top with Prosecco. Garnish with frosted cranberries and a rosemary sprig. Enjoy!

Notes

*Feel free to use less for a more effervescent cocktail with less intense color.

**For specific recommendations see the post section with the notes on ingredients.

Overall mixing this drink readily allows for variations of the listed proportions of cranberry juice, Prosecco and fruited ale. Adjust to taste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

Total calories fluctuate depending on the size of glass in which the cocktail is served.

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