The spritz of the summer is here, and it doesn’t have bitter orange liqueur in it. Meet the floral, refreshing Hugo Spritz, your new summer sipping bestie.
The Aperol Spritz was 2023’s drink of the summer, but its floral cousin, the Hugo Spritz, is poised to take center stage this year.
In 2005, bartender Roland Gruber created the Hugo Spritz at San Zeno Bar in Naturno, a town in northeast Italy bordering Austria. No one really knows why Gruber called it the Hugo Spritz, but we do know that it was his answer to the ever-popular spritz Veneziano, or Aperol Spritz.1 Although lesser known here in the States than the Aperol Spritz, the Hugo Spritz is an Italian standard that is held in the same regard as its bitter, orange cousin in its home country and across Europe.
The Hugo Spritz’s central element is elderflower liqueur, which is traditionally handmade by locals in the Dolomite region of the Alps where the Hugo was born.2 The drink’s creation coincided with the launch of St-Germain, the most widely known elderflower liqueur, in 2007, allowing the cocktail to gain popularity in Austria, Germany and, eventually, the rest of the world.
A Hugo Spritz is a refreshingly floral spritz, which is typically made with three parts sparkling wine, two parts soda water and one part liqueur or cordial. It is served in a traditional wine glass and made with Prosecco, soda water, elderflower liqueur and mint. A citrus garnish, like a lime or lemon wheel, is usually added as well.
Just like the beloved Aperol Spritz, the Hugo Spritz is made with Prosecco and soda water. However, the Aperol is replaced with elderflower liqueur (usually St-Germain) in the Hugo Spritz. If you love a bubbly drink on a hot day, but don’t care for the bitter flavor profile of Aperol, the Hugo Spritz is likely your ideal drink. The elderflower is sweeter and slightly botanical, bringing out the floral and citrusy notes in the Prosecco. And the uses for elderflower liqueur don’t stop there; see why people refer to it as “the bartender’s ketchup” here. The addition of cooling mint (after smacking the leaves to express the oils) makes this the perfect summer thirst-quencher.
The Hugo Spritz is a wonderfully drinkable and versatile cocktail. It’s simple and elegant, so we can easily see this one as a signature cocktail at a spring or summer wedding, baby shower or other event. It’s something you can sip all day long, so it’d fit in at a laid-back summer pool party or barbecue, too. Spritzes are also famously food friendly and pair beautifully with whatever’s on your plate.
Now, onto the recipe!
The Recipe
1 ½ ounces St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
8-10 mint leaves
2 ounces Séries Brut
2 ounces soda water
Mint sprig
Lime wedge
In a glass, add ice, St-Germain and approximately eight mint leaves. Top with sparkling wine and soda water. Stir to combine and garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge.
Obsessed with spritzes? We get it. The spritz’s simple formula can be riffed on to make an endless combination of tasty, refreshing cocktails. Keep scrolling for a couple more spritz recipes to try this summer.
The Recipe
3 ounces Séries Brut
2 ounces Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
1 ounce club soda
Passion fruit pulp, optional
Lemon wheel
Rosemary sprig
Add sparkling wine, passion fruit liqueur and club soda to a glass with ice. Stir to combine. Mix in passion fruit pulp if desired. Garnish with a lemon wheel and rosemary sprig.
The Recipe
3 ounces Bella Notte Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC
2 ounces Villa Cardea Aperitivo
1 ounce club soda
Orange wedge
Orange peel
Add Prosecco, Villa Cardea and club soda to a glass with ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with an orange wedge and peel.
The Recipe
1 ounce Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
4 ½ ounces Bella Notte Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC
Club soda
Raspberries
Mint
In a wine glass with ice, add liqueur and sparkling wine. Top with club soda. Gently stir to combine and garnish with raspberries and mint.
The Recipe
1 ½ ounces Don Julio Blanco Tequila
¾ ounces grapefruit juice
¼ ounce agave nectar
3 ounces La Bella Prosecco DOC
Grapefruit slice
Combine tequila, grapefruit juice and agave nectar in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Champagne glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with a grapefruit slice.
