How to make an Aperol Spritz at home
Over the years, the Aperol Spritz has earned quite the rap. Some folks love it, and others don’t get what’s there to love! The New York Times, for instance, wrote an article titled “The Aperol Spritz Is Not a Good Drink” in 2019. They called it a Capri Sun after soccer practice and not in a good way. They weren’t entirely wrong. Most of the spritzes that pop on your Instagram feed are pretty to look at but are drowning in Aperol, sickly sweet, and go flat by the second sip. That’s not the drink’s fault, though; that’s because most people making the drink rarely get the ratio right. When you get the proportions right, an Aperol Spritz is quite enjoyable; just bitter enough to wake up your palate, yet bubbly and light enough to treat yourself to a second one without regretting your evening.
Our recipe uses mainelove With Bubbles. It works well to reduce the sweetness, and it keeps the vibrant orange color that everyone loves about this drink. Here’s our recipe for making the perfect Aperol Spritz at home, but first a short history lesson.
A quick history of the Aperol Spritz
Aperol didn’t start as a cocktail ingredient. The Barbieri brothers in Padova took seven years to whip up their liqueur, and introduced it at a world fair in 1919. But it wasn’t until decades later that anyone thought to mix it with prosecco and soda. The “spritz” part of the name goes way back to the early 1800s when Austrian soldiers in northern Italy found the local wine a bit too strong for their taste and started watering it down. Italians picked up on this habit and eventually swapped water for soda, and then added aperitivo liqueurs.
Ingredients you’ll need to make an Aperol Spritz
Many online recipes suggest using equal parts of Aperol and prosecco with a teensy splash of soda. This version often gets compared to children’s cough syrup. However, the traditional Venetian recipe uses 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, and 1 part soda.
Here’s what you’ll need for one glass:
-
3 ounces dry prosecco
-
2 ounces Aperol
-
1 ounce mainelove With Bubbles
-
Ice
-
An orange slice or wheel for garnish
How to make an Aperol spritz
-
Fill a wine glass with ice.
-
Pour in 3 ounces of dry prosecco.
-
Add 2 ounces of Aperol.
-
Top with 1 ounce of Mainelove With Bubbles.
-
Stir it very gently to keep all those bubbles intact.
-
Garnish with an orange slice or wheel.
Note: A lot of bars use a low-quality prosecco because you rarely notice bad bubbly buried under bright orange liqueur. At home, you get to control that part. A dry, decent bottle makes a bigger difference to the taste of the spritz.
FAQ
Why is Aperol Spritz so popular?
While some people think it tastes pretty bitter at first, kind of like cough syrup, a lot of others end up really loving it, just like they do with black coffee or IPAs. Basically, once you get used to the bitterness, it can actually be enjoyable. As a bonus, it’s really pretty look at.
What is Aperol Spritz made of?
To make this drink, use Prosecco, Aperol, a splash of soda water (we like mainelove With Bubbles), ice, and an orange slice.
Is Aperol Spritz very alcoholic?
A full glass of an Aperol Spritz has about 8 to 10% alcohol by volume (ABV), which includes the soda and ice. This is similar to a glass of wine, which is slightly lighter. Aperol itself has an ABV of 11%. A 1.5-ounce shot of Aperol has roughly one-third of the alcohol found in a standard shot of vodka or gin, which has an ABV of 40%.
What kind of alcohol is Aperol?
Aperol is a bitter Italian apéritif or aperitivo, not a spirit. It's made from orange with herbal and rhubarb flavors. It has an alcohol content of 11%, which is much lower than the 35 to 40% found in spirits like whiskey or tequila.
Will Aperol Spritz get you drunk?
One or two drinks won’t affect you much because they have low alcohol content and are mixed with ice and soda. However, if you have three or four drinks over the evening, you will most likely get drunk or tipsy depending on your tolerance level.
