When it comes to cocktail hour, nothing beats Italy. Several of the most classic and highly popular cocktails have their origin in the country with the lemon trees.
The classic Aperol Spritz became one of the most popular aperitive in Italy around the 1950s, and there is no big surprise it is still one of the most favoured today. Light and refreshing, it is the perfect drink for hot summer days. In addition, the bright orange never fails to make you immediately feel happy.
What is Aperol
Aperol originated in Italy in 1919 where it was created by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri.
The orange hued liquor is low in alcohol and has a slightly bitter citrusy taste, and it is made according to a secret recipe that is said to have hardly changed since 1919. However, what is known is that it is made of gentian, rhubarb, bitter and sweet oranges and chinchona along with a couple of different herbs and roots.
Aperol has its name from the Italian word apero, which is slang for aperitivo. Which is how it is still mostly enjoyed in Italy – as mixer for a large number of pre-dinner cocktails. With perhaps the most popular and widely known Aperol Spritz.
What is a Spritz
Basically, any drink that consists of wine, bitter liqueur or cordial and sparkling water or soda is called a spritz.
Whilst Aperol Spritz and its many different variations have only become more widely known over the past few decades, spritz were already introduced in the early 20th century. At the time, it mostly consisted of still white wine and a dash of sparkling water or soda.
The custom to add also a splash of bitters instead kicked off around the 1920 in Italy, just after Aperol was introduced to the market.
The next evolution came in the 1990s in Venice, where bartenders started to substitute still white wine with prosecco. The drink they created was called Spritz Veneziano, today internationally more widely known as Aperol Spritz (although locally, it still goes under its original name).
5 variations of the Aperol Spritz to drink this summer
Though the classic Aperol Spritz remains the perfect drink for nearly every occasion, there are many delicious variations equally perfect to be enjoyed anytime.
Not all of them actually include Aperol, but you can believe me when I tell you, each one is the perfect summer Spritz in its very own way – and once you have taken a sip, you will want to make them on repeat.
Rosé Aperol Spritz
This one is perhaps the most straightforward twist imaginable. In fact, you only need to substitute prosecco with a sparkling rosé – and since earlier this year, it could be a rosé prosecco.
Yes, you got that right. Just in case you still don’t know, rosé prosecco is officially on sale since the start of 2021 after it was green-lighted by the Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco (the official body of prosecco producers).
If you want to learn more about the latest addition to sparkling rosé wines, and which ones you should get started with, read my recent post Sip the new rosé prosecco for a fresh take on the world’s favourite bubble.
90 ml sparkling rosé
60 ml Aperol
30 ml soda water
Add ice to a wine glass, then add sparkling rosé, Aperol, and soda. Garnish with an orange or grapefruit wheel.
Tropical Rosé Aperol Spritz
If you liked the Rosé Aperol Spritz, go a step further and make it a tropical one. You only need to add a tropical juice like passion fruit (but just go ahead and try a maracuja or pineapple juice) and some lime juice.
90 ml sparkling rosé
60 ml Aperol
30 ml passion fruit juice
15 ml lime juice
30 ml sparkling mineral water
garnish: orange wheel
Amalfi Spritz
I am not sure why this one is called Amalfi Spritz, since it calls for pineapple juice – more a tropical ingredient whilst I would rather expect lemon juice for a drink called ‘Amalfi’.
My puzzlement aside, I love this Spritz variation. It’s absolutely refreshing and delicious.
90 ml prosecco
30 ml pineapple juice
25 ml Aperol
25 ml lime juice
garnish: lime wheel
Fill a cocktail glass with ice, then add prosecco, pineapple juice, Aperol, and lime juice. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Limoncello Spritz
If you follow my blog, you will be familiar with Limoncello. This popular lemon liqueur from the Amalfi Coast is not only a fixture when it comes to mixing cocktails, it also regularly features in many of my recipes.
60 ml limoncello
90 ml prosecco
30 ml soda water
garnish: mint leaves and lemon wheel
Fill a cocktail glass with ice, add limoncello, prosecco and soda water. Garnish with a lemon wheel and some mint leaves.
Vodka Spritz
Substituting Aperol for a French Lillet blanc and prosecco for vodka, you get an interesting twist of the classic Aperol Spritz.
30 ml Vodka
30 ml Lillet Blanc
60 ml soda water
60 ml sparkling water
garnish: orange or grapefruit wedge
Fill a cocktail or wine glass with ice then add vodka, Lillet, soda and sparkling water. Garnish with an orang or grapefruit wedge.
Do you have a favourite Spritz cocktail? Which one?
Carrots and Tigers 