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- Aperol spritz is a popular version of the spritz Veneziano, an Italian pre-dinner cocktail.
- It only has three main ingredients – Aperol, Prosecco, and sparkling water.
- Aperol is a sweet, bitter aperitif made with a well-guarded formula of orange, herbs, and roots.
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Bright, bittersweet, and slightly effervescent, the Spritz – a traditional Italian aperitivo- has found massive popularity across the pond.
"For Italians, a spritz is a stimulation of the palate and gastric acid in order to have more of an appetite for dinner or lunch," says Luigi Capasso, Beverage Director at Eataly Los Angeles.
For Americans, the Aperol spritz is the most widely recognized variation of the spritz cocktail, with its unmistakable orange hue and refreshing taste. Now widely available on bar and restaurant menus across the country, this version of the spritz has morphed from being just a pre-dinner beverage to one of the most ubiquitous cocktails of the summer and beyond.
Though Aperol was invented in 1919, the spritz cocktail itself – sometimes called Lo Spritz or Spritz Veneziano- has been around long before that. In the 1800s, Austrians occupying the Veneto region found the local wine too strong and would mix it with a splash of water to make it more palatable (the word "spritz" comes from the German word spritzen, which means "to spray" or "to splash").
Over time, the recipe changed to include prosecco, bitters, and soda water, and is enjoyed across Italy during the social ritual of aperitivo.
What is Aperol?
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"Aperol is a traditional Italian aperitif made by infusing alcohol with oranges, herbs, and roots," says Capasso. "It is prepared according to a secret, original recipe that has remained unchanged since its birth."
It's sweet, bitter, herbal, and citrusy, and combining it with Prosecco and soda water highlights those flavor notes. Aperol's lighter alcohol content of just 11% makes it an easy-to-drink choice for any time of day, from brunch to happy hour, but it is still best enjoyed before a meal to stimulate one's appetite.
Variations on the spritz
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If you're not a fan of Aperol, you can certainly switch it out for other liquors, like Cynar or Select.
"In Italy, we drink a lot of Campari spritzes as well as an 'Americano,' which is an equal part of vermouth and bitters mixed with soda water," says Capasso. "Anything light, bitter, and herbaceous can work as a spritz variation."
As for the sparkling wine component, if you don't have Prosecco on hand, you can pick any other bubbly made via the metodo 'charmant,' (like Asti from Piemonte, Lambrusco from the Emilia-Romagna region, or a vin mousseux from France), according to Capasso. "Preferably something a bit aromatic at the nose and not too sweet at the palate, since Aperol already covers the sweet element," he says.
Insider's takeaway
The Aperol spritz is a lively, refreshing cocktail that doesn't take much expertise to master. Gather your Aperol, sparkling wine, and bubbly water, a wine glass, and ice and you've got all the tools to stir up this delightful cocktail. For a truly Italian-style happy hour a casa, break out some light bites like crostini with burrata, your favorite olives, and potato chips to pair with your homemade spritz.