Witches Brew Halloween Sangria

by Yvette Marquez on September 30, 2022

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Unleash your inner bruja with this spellbinding Witches Brew. No spells are needed to create this dark and gothic Halloween Sangria, but you’re welcome to add your own hocus pocus! Just wait until the dry ice melts before taking the first sip of this bewitching boozy beverage.

Hands holding a goblet of witch's brew sangria on a green book with dry ice fog spilling over and a test tube of liquor sticking out of it.

I’m happy to report that making your own Witches Brew might look terrifying, buts its downright delicious. Double, double, toil and trouble — let’s light the fated black-flamed candle and get this caldron bubbling, shall we?

Table of Contents

Why I Love This Big Batch Cocktail Recipe

I am all about big-batch cocktails, especially for parties. With Halloween right around the corner, I plan on serving a fun seasonal sangria to serve a crowd. Who am I kidding? This will be my happy punch while I hand out candies to trick-or-treaters.

My Halloween sangria is a simple recipe, but the dry ice gives it what gives it the creepy and spooky special effect. In fact, all you need are 6 easy-to-find ingredients to make my eerie Witches Brew — one of which is dry ice!

Aside from having a short ingredient list, this spooky sangria recipe is super fast to make. Simply mix everything together and serve for a hauntingly delicious drink. I found a really cute stoneware witch’s cauldron to act as my punch bowl, but a plastic cauldron, black iron dutch oven, or caldero would also be great.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you don’t need much to make this spirited potion. Here’s what you’ll need to make a spook-tacular Witches Brew:

Red Wine – I recommend any inexpensive medium-bodied red with notes of chocolate and blackberry. Apothic Dark is my preferred brand at just around $10 per bottle.
Blood Orange – While they look the same as a normal orange from the outside, the innards of blood oranges are a boo-tiful shade of dark red. While I think they’re great at making this sangria look extra macabre, you’re welcome to swap in regular oranges instead.
Lime – For a touch of sunshine to help you make it through the frightful night.
Sparking Mineral Water – I love the big, robust bubbles of Topo Chico, but you can feel free to swap in club soda or seltzer instead.
Bourbon – While technically optional, adding some high-octane liquor to your cauldron makes for a tasty and warming drink. I love the bold, boozy flavor of bourbon during the cooler months. Feel free to swap in rum, vodka, tequila, or brandy.
Dry Ice – Hands down the easiest way to transform your Halloween Sangria into a bona fide witches brew. Just be sure to handle it with care — your bare skin should NEVER come into contact with it.

How To Make Halloween Sangria

Aside from benefiting from a bit of witchy mischief and magic, this frightfully tasty sangria recipe comes together in less time than a horror movie scream. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Mix Sangria. Combine the wine, fruit, and sparking water in a large container, preferably something witch-approved like a cauldron. Recite any incantations or spells desired.

Step 2: Divvy Up The Poison. Pour bourbon into test tubes, label as “Poison,” and serve on the side for an extra deadly brew.

Step 3: Serve. Place a chunk of dry ice in the bottom of your serving vessel for an ethereal smoking effect. Enjoy!

Optional Variations

While I love my Witches Brew just the way it is, there’s always room for customization. Here are a few Muy Bueno-approved variations:

Designated Driver & Kid-Friendly Brew – If you have little ones, sober friends, or DD’s in the mix, don’t forget to make a fang-tastic drink for them, too! Consider setting up a separate cauldron filled with blood red Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea) over dry ice, or naturally steamy Calientito (Warm Pear Cider), or Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Fill Test Tubes With Different “Poisons” – I filled test tubes with bourbon so that guests can give their sparkling red wine an extra kick. Feel free to add different liquors and label test tubes so that guests can pick their favorite spooky spirit such as brandy, tequila, or vodka.
Swap in a different red sangria like my Jamaica (Hibiscus) Sangria or Mexican Fruit Sangria.

halloween tablescape with a black witches cauldron filled with halloween sangria and a test tube of liquor plus fall leaves and lit candles.

Expert Tips

Handling dry ice – Dry ice is actually frozen CO2 and it’s MUCH colder than regular ice (-109F!!). As such, you need to take some precautions.

Dry ice should never come in contact with bare skin or you can get frostbite burns. Wear insulated gloves, and if you’re planning on cutting it into smaller pieces, make sure you also wear protective eyewear. For more details on how to handle dry ice, check out this article.
Serving station – Make sure you give yourself every opportunity to enjoy your guests rather than playing server all night. Set up a serving station with cups, an ice bowl, and a ladle so guests can serve themselves.
Cup identifiers – Keep dish-doing to a minimum by making sure everyone has clearly identifiable glasses. Whether you have wine glass charms or glass decals, or even just a sharpie for plastic cups, making sure each person’s drink is clearly marked will make your life easier.
Creepy ice cubes – Taking the extra time to spruce up your ice cube game adds a whole new level of spine-chilling evil genius to your party. Freeze blood orange or cranberry juice for bloody-looking cubes. Another idea are 3D skull ice cubes, which would also be great for Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

cauldron of witch's brew halloween sangria fogging over with dry ice next to a lit black candle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a wine sangria?

Sangria is a wine-based punch, meaning it has other ingredients than just wine. In this spellbinding Witches Brew, I add some fresh citrus and a bit of effervescence, plus dry ice for effect.

What is the best red wine for making sangria?

I suggest reaching for a red that is fruity and jammy but still dry, with low levels of tannins. I love Apothic Red blend because it’s affordable (just $10 a bottle), but you can also swap in a fruity Tempranillo, Garnacha, or Primativo.

How far in advance can I make sangria?

You’re welcome to add the fruit to the wine up to 48 hours in advance, but I don’t suggest adding the bubbles or dry ice until you’re ready to serve.

More Halloween Inspiration

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.