Aperol Spritz

If you haven’t tried an Aperol Spritz, you’ve probably heard of one.

This popular Italian aperitif (aperitif) is a favorite summer drink for many. It is low in alcohol, easy to drink and has a zesty deep orange color reminiscent of a sunset on a hot summer night.

What is Aperole?

Aperol is an Italian orange liqueur. The recipe is secret, like many specialty liqueurs, but the brand’s website says it’s “an infusion of ingredients like oranges, herbs and roots.” (Don’t tell everything now!)

To me, when I try Aperol neat, it tastes like the syrup version of orange soda, quite sweet but with a bit more bitterness. At 11% ABV (alcohol by volume), Aperol has relatively little alcohol compared to other liqueurs, which typically contain 24% ABV or more.

That’s why Aperol in spritz form is so popular – you can drink a tall glass before dinner and hardly feel a thing!

Aperol vs Campari

Both Aperol and Campari — that other popular Italian liqueur and one of the key ingredients in a Negroni (my favorite drink) — are amari, herbal liqueurs made in Italy.

While they share a similar color and flavor profile (both have distinct orange flavors with sweet and bitter elements), Aperol is fruitier, sweeter, and syrupy than Campari. It also has half the alcohol content (11% ABV versus 24% ABV for Campari).

One way of thinking about the difference is to say that Aperol is like a session beer and Campari is like an IPA. One is straightforward and unlikely to be offended; the other is complex with a specific point of view.

Substitute for Aperol

If you don’t have Aperol or can’t find Aperol or not like Aperol, consider this my invitation to you to embrace the spirit of Aperol Spritz but with a liqueur that borders on Aperol. In other words, another Italian Amaro!

consequences the classic spray ratio – three parts prosecco or other sparkling wine, two parts liqueur, and one part soda water – then substitute any of the other amari listed below.

Note: If using an Amaro other than Aperol, you may want to add an ounce or more of plain syrup to the above spritz ratio just to balance out the bitterness.

Technically, if you get on one of these, make one Amaro Spritz. Each of these Amari has its own unique flavor profile – experiment and find which one you like best!

• Campari
• Aperitif Rinomato
• Cappelletti
• Luxardo Aperitivo
• Aperitivo selection
• Montenegro Amaro
• Amaro Nonino

What kind of Prosecco is best for an Aperol Spritz?

• Here are my rules for the Prosecco in an Aperol Spritz:
• Make it dry. You don’t want sweet sparkling wine because the drink is unbalanced. (Aperol is very sweet on its own.) Look for a Prosecco that says brut or extra brut.
• Add it at the right time! If you pour prosecco or bubbly into a wine glass after you’ve added the ice, it loses half of its bubbles and you’re left with a half-flat drink right from the start. Instead, pour in the Prosecco first and then add the ice gently with tongs.

Other sparkling summer cocktails:

• Hibiscus Spritz
• Rosemary-lemon-rhubarb spritzer
• Sparkling strawberry sangria
• Mojito Cocktail
• Strawberry Mojito