Aperol spritz
Prosecco, Aperol and a splash of soda over ice. Bitter-sweet, orange and easy to make.
- Time
- 3 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Wine glass
- Strength
- 1.7 UK units
How to make an Aperol spritz
- Fill the glass with ice. Fill a large wine glass to the top with ice. More ice keeps the drink colder and slows the dilution.
- Pour the prosecco. Pour in the prosecco first, tilting the glass a little, until it is about half full.
- Add the Aperol. Pour in the Aperol. It will sink and swirl, and you should see a deep orange.
- Top with soda and stir once. Add the soda water and give it one slow stir from the bottom, just enough to mix. Stir any more and the bubbles will go.
- Garnish and serve. Tuck a thick orange slice against the ice. Serve straight away while it is still fizzing.
- Glass
- Wine glassNo wine glass? Any large wine glass or a stemless tumbler.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- A thick slice of orangeOr: A strip of orange peel twisted over the top.
What you need to make an Aperol spritz
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Bottles we'd use
- AperolThere is no real substitute: its bitter orange flavour is the drink.Find it on Amazon
- A dry proseccoBrut or Extra Dry, such as a DOC prosecco around the £10 mark. You do not need anything pricey.Find it on Amazon
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The Aperol spritz story
Spritz means "splash" in German, and the drink goes back to the Veneto when it was under Austrian rule, when soldiers and visitors added water to the local wine to lighten it. Aperol was first made in Padua in 1919. Putting it into a spritz came later, and it only became a national habit once Campari Group, which bought the brand in 2003, pushed it hard across Europe.
The classic split is three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda. Keep that ratio and use plenty of ice, because a warm Aperol spritz tastes sticky. Add the soda last so the bubbles stay up.
Aperol spritz: your questions answered
What is in an Aperol spritz?
An Aperol spritz is made with 90 ml Prosecco, 60 ml Aperol and 30 ml soda water. Garnish: a thick slice of orange.
How strong is an Aperol spritz?
Made to this recipe, an Aperol spritz contains about 1.7 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve an Aperol spritz in?
Serve an Aperol spritz in a wine glass over ice. No wine glass? Any large wine glass or a stemless tumbler.
