What is an Aperol Spritz and What You Should Know
The Aperol Spritz is a popular alcoholic drink that you can find in many countries, especially Italy. It’s a dead simple three ingredient cocktail that consists of Prosecco, Aperol, and soda water.
The drink gets its name from the Italian word “sprosso” which means “to splash”. This refers to the way this wine-based cocktail is prepared. Finished with a splash of soda.
The Aperol Spritz has become the warm weather cocktail of choice for many people thanks to its bright orange color and refreshing bite.
How to Take Your Aperol Spritz to the Next Level
The popularity of the Aperol Spritz has led to a minor industry in creating variations on the spritz. To take your spritz to the next level try one of these variations.
Start with muddling some fruit in your spritz. Strawberries are an easy and delicious addition. Raspberries are a good choice as well. Just muddle a few in the bottom of your glass.
Other fruits, or fruit juices like blood orange juice can be a delicious addition as well. Rhubarb and grapefruit also fit into the zingy bittersweet palate nicely as well.
If you’d like to sweeten your spritz up a bit you could try a little flavoured syrup. Something like a vanilla syrup can be a delicious addition to the bitter orange flavors of the Aperol Spritz.
Aperol Spritz Ingredients
Aperol
This is a classic Italian amaro. It is a bitter spirit made with bitter orange, rhubarb, gentian and cinchona bark. There is also a touch of vanilla.
Aperol is less bitter and a little sweeter than Campari, but that is its closest neighbor flavour-wise.
Prosecco
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine that comes from the region around Venice. It has become immensely popular for its light fruity flavour and round effervescent texture.
Soda Water
Soda water is just that. Sparkling water. It has the effect of lightening up the flavor and lowering the alcohol content. This means it stays light, zippy and refreshing.
Aperol Spritz
This is another cocktail that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years with the renewed interest in Italian aperitif cocktails. The story goes that when the Austrian Hapsburg Dynasty occupied Italy in the 19th century they found the local wine and spirits too strong and a little unfamiliar. They would ask to have their drinks diluted with a “spritz” of soda water.
- Glass: large chilled wineglass
- 3 oz. Prosecco
- 3 oz. chilled club soda
- 1 1/2 oz. Aperol
- Garnish: orange wheel
- Pour all ingredients into a large chilled wineglass.
- Fill glass with ice and stir.
- Garnish with orange wheel.
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