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Loading...An Aperol Spritz is a bubbly, light aperitif cocktail made from Aperol, prosecco, and a splash of soda water that is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a go-to classic cocktail that any bartender should have in their back pocket. In an Aperol Spritz, Aperol’s bitter, fruity notes are balanced by prosecco’s sweet and floral notes. The club soda rounds out the drink to create a well-balanced, easy-sipping drink that asserts its claim as one of Europe’s most popular cocktails.
Bar Tools
- BARSPOON
- JIGGER OR MEASURING CUP
To Serve: Wine Glass
Ingredients
- 3 OZ. PROSECCO WINE
- 2 OZ. APEROL
- 1 OZ. CLUB SODA
To Garnish: Orange Slice
How To Make
Add the prosecco, Aperol, and club soda to a wine glass filled with ice. Stir to combine. Add the orange slice to the rim of the glass or drop it in as garnish.
Nutrition Facts & ABV
- ABV (alcohol by volume): 7.7%
- Calories: 210
- Total carbohydrates: 22.1 grams
- Total sugar: 22.1 grams
Some spirit recipes aren’t available. As such, some nutrition content may be estimated.
History
Aperol first came onto the market in 1919 courtesy of Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in Padua, Northern Italy. The apéritif (a drink meant to be taken prior to a meal to stimulate the appetite — a sort of liquid amuse-bouche) became widely popular in Italy and was characterized by its bittersweet orange flavor.
In the 1950s, a new trend began to sweep through different parts of Italy: Spritzes. The term Spritz comes from the German word for “splash”, spritzen, referring to the number of Austrians visiting Italy who would add a splash of soda water to Italian wine to create a drink lower in alcohol and more suited to their taste.
New marketing efforts put forth by the Barbieri brothers in the early 1950s to further popularize their creation coincided with a national culture shift towards the rise of the chic fashion movement in Italy, and suddenly the Aperol Spritz found itself as the new mascot of luxe drinks — lasting into modern eras.
Aperol Spritz FAQs
Can I use something different than Aperol?
As the Aperol Spritz is defined by the use of Aperol, technically there is no way to create one without including Aperol. However, any apéritif or amaro would make an interesting and uniquely different kind of spritz. The second most popular type of spritz uses Campari, which has a flavor similar to Aperol but much more bitter. These variations by nature are no longer Aperol Spritzes, but each has its own intricacies to explore.
Can I use a different wine than prosecco?
On occasion and when in a pinch, some bartenders have opted to substitute different types of sparkling wine, such as brut champagne, for the prosecco. The problem with this is that other types of sparkling wine don’t have the unique balance that prosecco brings to the Aperol Spritz. With other types of wines, the cocktail is often found to be out of balance, either too sweet or not sweet enough. For this reason, it is recommended to only use prosecco for this cocktail.
Do I need the club soda? Can I use more wine instead?
Club soda is included in this cocktail to lengthen the drink and provide a lighter mouthfeel to the cocktail without adding more sweetness or bitterness to unbalance the proportions. Substituting extra prosecco here would still create a highly drinkable cocktail, but would present itself as slightly more sweet and heavy than the intended recipe.
