The Agua de Valencia recipe
for a pitcher to share
Juice the oranges and chill the juice, cava, vodka, and gin for at least one hour.
Stir the sugar into the orange juice in the pitcher until it has completely dissolved.
Slowly add the cava and gently stir once with a long spoon. Never shake it, or the bubbles will disappear.
Optionally add ice and orange wedges, then pour into chilled coupes.
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The story
Agua de Valencia originated in 1959 at Cervecería Madrid in Valencia, now Café Madrid. Constante Gil, the man behind the bar, regularly welcomed Basque guests who asked for “Agua de Bilbao,” their name for the house's best sparkling wine. When they wanted something new one time, he mixed sparkling wine with orange juice, gin, and vodka. When asked what the drink was called, he replied matter-of-factly: Agua de Valencia.
The name stuck, and the recipe suited a city known for its oranges. Today, Agua de Valencia is on the menu at many bars in the city, almost always served in a pitcher for the whole table. The family never revealed the original's precise proportions. That's why you see slightly different versions everywhere, some sweeter than others.
The right glass
You make and serve Agua de Valencia in a pitcher and drink it from a coupe, the champagne glass with the wide, round bowl. The pitcher keeps everything together and cold, while the coupe releases the orange aroma and lets the bubbles rise gently. A 1.4-liter pitcher is more than large enough for the quantity for six people, including ice. Choose coupes from 20 to 27 cl and chill them in the refrigerator beforehand. Find more options in our champagne coupe glasses and water pitchers.
RCR Timeless Champagne Glass / Coupe 26 cl (6 pieces)
Pasabahce Timeless Water Pitcher 1.4 liters
Coupes and pitcher together € 56,90.
The right tools
For an Agua de Valencia, in addition to the pitcher and glasses, you use a bar spoon to stir gently, a jigger to measure the vodka and gin, and a vegetable peeler for a strip of orange peel. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Coupes (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 110,80.
What do you make an Agua de Valencia with?
For an Agua de Valencia, you need cava, vodka, and gin. Choose a dry cava (brut) to keep the drink fresh alongside the sweet orange juice. Well-known bottles include cava from Faustino, Absolut vodka, and Gordon's gin. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it goes well with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
If you want it less sweet, leave out the sugar and choose an extra-dry cava, such as a brut nature. For a smoother version, use a little more juice and a little less vodka and gin. Some bars add a splash of orange liqueur; connoisseurs advise against this because the liqueur overpowers the aroma of the fresh orange. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Chill everything in advance, including the jug. Add the cava only when your guests are seated at the table and stir with a long spoon without shaking. This keeps the bubbles in the glass for as long as possible.
Good to know
Why the juice must be fresh
Orange juice from a carton tastes flatter and is often sweeter. Freshly squeezed juice has more freshness and aroma, which you need alongside the cava. For six people, you need approximately half a liter of juice; allow for seven to nine juicy oranges. Strain the juice if you do not want pulp in your glass.
The amount for one jug
Allow 8 cl of orange juice, 8 cl of cava, and 1 cl each of vodka and gin per person. For six people, that comes to 48 cl of juice, 48 cl of cava (slightly more than half a bottle), and 6 cl of each spirit. With ice added, this fills a 1.4-liter jug. Use the rest of the cava bottle to top up when the jug runs empty.
How strong is Agua de Valencia?
With these proportions, you end up with approximately 9 to 10 percent alcohol, comparable to a glass of wine. Because of the sweet juice, you can barely taste the vodka and gin, so it goes down more easily than you might expect. Pour small glasses and put a jug of water on the table.
Alcohol-free Agua de Valencia
Replace the cava with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, such as Amare Sparkling Zero, and leave out the vodka and gin. A splash of tonic brings back a slightly bitter note that you would otherwise get from the gin. Go easy on the sugar, as non-alcoholic bubbles are often already somewhat sweeter. Serve it in the same pitcher and coupes.
Frequently asked questions
What is Agua de Valencia?
Agua de Valencia is a cocktail from Valencia made with cava, fresh orange juice, vodka, and gin, often with a little sugar. It was created in 1959 at Cervecería Madrid in Valencia and is usually served in a pitcher for the whole table.
What is in Agua de Valencia?
Per person, use 8 cl fresh orange juice, 8 cl cava, 1 cl vodka, 1 cl gin, and, to taste, 2 teaspoons of sugar. For a pitcher serving six people, multiply everything by six.
How much alcohol is in Agua de Valencia?
With the proportions in this recipe, the alcohol content is around 9 to 10 percent, about the same as a glass of wine. The juice masks the spirits, so it feels lighter than it is.
Which glass do you use for Agua de Valencia?
You make it in a pitcher and drink it from a coupe, the wide champagne glass. Choose coupes of 20 to 27 cl; see our champagne coupe glasses.
Can you make Agua de Valencia in advance?
Partly. You can mix the juice with the sugar, vodka, and gin a few hours in advance and chill it. Add the cava just before serving; otherwise, it will lose its fizz.
Does Agua de Valencia need orange liqueur?
No. The classic recipe consists of cava, orange juice, vodka, and gin. Some bars add orange liqueur, but that means you lose the fresh aroma of the orange.
Buy cava
Want the bottle delivered right away? Order cava online from Gall & Gall. Gall & Gall has 19 varieties, 5 of which are on sale.
Las Dalias Cava Brut Rosé
Privat Cava Rosé Brut Nature
Privat Cava Brut Reserva
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