Ready to settle on the couch for some serious spectating? These are the drinks to pair with it.
Hoo boy – summer is packed. We’ve got Christmas and New Year’s, work parties, holidays, sunshine, friends to visit and sleep to catch up on. And between all of that, there’s about a million sports to watch. Forget the sportspeople – it’s the rest of us who deserve a medal just for fitting it all in.
We’re only joking, of course – the summer of sport is one of the highlights of the warm season, and we spend all year looking forward to three straight months of cheering it all on. There’s absolutely no shortage of sporting options, either, but here are the sports we’ll be catching this season.
NBL
Australia’s premier basketball competition has matches scheduled just about every day until March, so clear your schedule. NBL games are broadcast on Channel 10, Kayo and Disney+.
The Ashes: The Boxing Day Test and the New Year’s Pink Test
It’s the bloody Ashes, guys. We’re especially keen for the Boxing Day test in Melbourne (which starts 26 December, naturally) and the New Year’s Pink Test in Sydney (4 January). Watch them on Channel 7.
Big Bash League
If test cricket is a little pedestrian for you, the Big Bash League – Australia’s domestic Twenty20 comp – should do. The season runs until the end of January, and you can catch each match on Channel 7.
Australian Open
Lazy nights on the couch scored by the gentle thwack of a tennis ball sound good? The Aussie Open runs from 12 January to 1 February, and you can watch it all on Channel 9.
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Regardless of whether the forecast is for calm seas or heavy storms, consider us happy to take in this race from a safe distance. Watch the world’s best sailors from 26 December to 2 January on Channel 9.
A League
Like the NBL, Australia’s top soccer comp runs all through summer, so there’s always a match on. The round ball is rolling on Channel 10 or Paramount+.
Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart International
Aha! Bet you thought the Australian Open was the only big event on the summer tennis calendar, right? Wrong! These three ATP/WTA tournaments all lead into the big dance, starting in early January. Catch them streaming on Stan.
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Our pick of drinks for spectacting
1. Oakridge Ovata Sparkling Rosé NV
Yarra Valley winery Oakridge has long stolen our hearts for its range of exceptional pinot noir and chardonnay, so it makes sense that an Oakridge sparkling wine blending the two would be equally good. We’ll be raising glasses of Ovata Sparkling Rosé all summer long thanks to its juicy strawberry flavours and pretty rose-gold colour, but we’ll also have a few bottles stashed away for the big dates on the sporting calendar.
What to watch: Sparkling wine in hand? It has to be the Sydney to Hobart, right? Not that those brave, seafaring souls are reclining on the upper deck with a glass of bubbly, but you get the idea.
2. DIY Alcoholic Lemonade
Yes, the current wave of premixed hard lemonade is convenient and delicious, but a DIY cocktail with fresh lemons simply can’t be beat. Our vodka-based recipe (we’re using Grey Goose) isn’t quite as easy as cracking a can, but it is very simple, making the most of unwaxed lemons and a few clever techniques to extract maximum flavour. It’s a perfect way to cater to a group, too, so invite your besties around (in their team’s colours, of course) and serve our DIY Alcoholic Lemonade in a big, icy jug.
What to watch: When it comes to supporting their team, A League fans go hard, which makes our DIY hard lemonade a serious match. Plus, it’s zesty and fresh enough that’ll cool down some hot heads when the scores are tied and the clock is ticking.
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3. Monsuta Premium Highball Whisky Citrus & Soda
Whisky Highballs are everything we want in a summer drink – they’re crisp, long, bubbly and dry. And while they’re usually easy enough to mix up (the standard recipe is just whisky and soda water on ice, after all), we love this premixed version from Monsuta because it has a zingy little trick up its sleeve. Nodding to the Japanese love affair with Whisky Highballs, this one includes a hit of Okinawa’s native citrus, shikuwasa. You won’t find those at the local supermarket.
What to watch: If it’s a Highball you’re after, you’ll get plenty at the Big Bash. Australia’s own Twenty20 cricket comp is a parade of sky-high sixes thanks to the annual influx of world-class cricket talent. Pop a couple of Monsutas in the esky, we reckon.
4. Great Northern Brewing Co. Ginger Beer 3.5%
We trust those guys up north – they know what works in the heat since they get it so much more than the rest of us. This ginger beer from Great Northern Brewing Co. hits all the right notes for summer sipping, balancing a gentle sweetness with the warmth of ginger and at a milder 3.5% ABV.
What to watch: A mid-strength is perfect when you’re in for the long-haul – like the Boxing Day Test. Of course, based on the first test of this year’s Ashes, we’re no guarantee to go longer than two days, but we think it’s best to be prepared.
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5. Frozen Coconut Daiquiri
Say it with us: it’s going to be a frozen cocktail summer. This Frozen Coconut Daiquiri takes the best parts of the frozen Daiquiri (namely, the silky, icy texture and the rum-and-lime combo) and adds the tropical richness of coconut cream and frozen coconut water. As far as the rum goes, the Santisima Reserve is a solid choice, and honestly, this cocktail tastes like a tropical holiday feels. Doesn’t your summer break need a bit of that?
What to watch: When the heavy socialising (and eating) of Christmas and New Year is over, that’s when the real relaxing can begin. For us, we’re counting down the days until the final match of the Ashes – the New Year’s Pink Test – rolls around. If you can’t get to the SCG in person, blend yourself a Frozen Coconut Daiquiri and recline in front of the TV.
6. Balter IIPA
The imperial or double IPA is just about the king of beers, taking the already souped-up hops of a regular IPA and, well, doubling it. We already know that Balter can handle a hoppy beer (just look at its ever-popular XPA for evidence if you need it) but this limited-edition IIPA shows that the Gold Coast brewery can dial things way up, if needed. It’s intensely fruity and citrusy from all the hops but, despite being 8% ABV, is still light on its feet and super drinkable.
What to watch: Balter IIPAs are big when it comes to flavour – definitely big enough for those seven-foot basketballers running around in the NBL. Australia’s premier basketball comp really starts heating up in the new year, so we’d be cooling down with a Balter IIPA to sip on throughout the game.
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7. Archie Rose Australian Gin & Blackberry Soda
We love Archie Rose over here and the Sydney distillery’s foray into premium premix just reaffirms our affection. With this one, you get a whack of Archie Rose Straight Dry Gin blended with a deep-purple blackberry soda, rounded out by the herbal, citrusy notes of lemon myrtle. Pour it over plenty of ice and garnish however you like – we reckon a sprig of mint is a great way to go.
What to watch: When we’re talking about Aussie summer sport, the Australian Open is potentially the jewel in a very glitzy crown. Every year it’s bloody hot and some homegrown refreshment is in order. A couple of ice-cold cans of Archie Rose Australian Gin and Blackberry Soda ought to do the trick.
8. Tabhilk Marsanne
Tahbilk Marsanne is a wine of rare beauty. Marsanne itself is pretty uncommon over here in Australia (it’s mostly produced in the Rhône Valley in France), but Victorian winery Tahbilk has made the grape its own. As a young wine, marsanne is crisp, citrusy and light, but give it a little age and it’ll develop richness, texture and a nutty complexity. Plus, it’s always seriously good value – especially for a wine that could age for 10 years or more. How the heck do they keep doing it?
What to watch: With value and drinkability on its side, we’re totally happy to spread Tahbilk Marsanne across a few sporting dates, which is why we’ll be sipping a glass during each of the Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart International tennis tournaments.
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