Four Alternatives to the Aperol Spritz
Looking for a classy alternative to the ubiquitous Aperol spritz? Here are four iconic Italian cocktails to shake up your aperitivo!
One of the (many) joys of living in Italy is the availability (and affordability) of the classic Italian aperitivo, the Aperol spritz.
Wherever you go in Italy, no matter what time of day, you are never too far away from the iconic orange aperitif!
Made with Aperol, prosecco, a dash of soda water and a slice of orange, the Aperol spritz is the quintesstial Italian cocktail.
In Verona, where it’s not actually classified as a cocktail, you can enjoy an Aperol spritz, generally served with complimentary snacks, for as little as €3.50!
So, whether you’re looking for a pre-lunch pick-me-up or an early evening refreshment to see you through until dinner time, an Aperol spritz is the obvious choice.
But there are innumerable intoxicating alternatives to choose from. In this article I’ve picked out a few of my personal favourites.
First, to whet your appetite, a bit of history!
The history of the Aperol spritz
In 1912, Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, two brothers from Este, a small town about 60 kilometres from Venice, inherited their father’s liquor business. The brothers spent the next seven years experimenting with an orange-based bitter, which they finally unveiled at the inaugural “Fiera di Padova”, a trade fair established to relaunch the local economy in the aftermath of the First World War.
The vibrant bitter-sweet liquor that the brothers created, a complex infusion of alpine plants and roots, medicinal herbs, rhubarb and orange essence, took its name from a French word for aperitif, “apero”, and was pitched as a sweeter, less alcoholic (just 11%) alternative to Campari.
The fair was a massive success. Amongst the 170,000 visitors and 642 exhibitors was King Emanuele III. The Barbieri brothers had found a niche for their brand and Aperol was on its way!
But it wasn’t until the 1950s that Aperol really took off. Inspired by the traditional Venetian spritz (white wine with soda water), discerning baristas in northern Italy were now adding a dash of Aperol to prosecco, topped-up with a splash of soda and served with a slice of orange, to create an eye-catching and mouth-watering cocktail — the Aperol spritz was born!
Spurred on by a seductive advertising campaign and, in the 2003, the acquisition of the brand by the Campari group, the Aperol spritz has now taken the world by storm. Its dazzling good looks and refreshing drinkability make it a popular choice for the instagram-generation.
But in the intoxicating world of the Italian aperitivo, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from. Here are some of my favourites.
The Campari spritz
Campari is another iconic Italian brand and a Campari spritz is a great way to enjoy the distinctive, aromatic flavour of this quintessential Milanese bitter.
At 25% Campari is much stronger than Aperol and the Campari spritz lacks the refreshing sweetness of the more popular Aperol version. But if you don’t have a particularly sweet tooth, the Campari spritz (3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Campari, 1 part soda water), is a classy pre-dinner alternative.
As well as forging enduring links with both Italian and international artists, the avant-garde brand has also featured in numerous literary works. Indeed, Ernest Hemmingway, that most renowned of drinkers and bar connoisseurs, is said to have always kept a bottle close at hand for his beloved Negronis (see below), having discovered Campari while serving in northern Italy as an ambulance driver during the First World War.
The Hugo
L’Hugo (Italians tend not to pronounce the ‘H’) is a newcomer on the Italian aperitivo scene. With its origins in the mountainous South Tyrol region of northern Italy, the Hugo was created in 2005 by legendary mixologist and barman Roland Gruber. The refreshing prosecco-based aperitivo is now growing in popularity across northern Italy, as well as in Austria, Switzerland and German. Gruber’s original recipe contained 15 cl of prosecco, 2 cl of lemon balm syrup, a splash of soda, a spray of mint and a slice of lemon. A more common variant substitutes the lemon balm syrup with elderflower (fiori di sambuco).
Either way, the Hugo is a fragrant and refreshing alternative to the traditional spritz.
The Americano
Another timeless Italian cocktail, the Americano combines two classic Italian bitters, Campari (from Milan) and red Vermouth (from Turin), blended with a touch of soda water and served with a slice of lemon to create a classic pre-dinner cocktail that is dry and slightly bitter.
The precise origins of this blend, known as the father of the Negroni (see below), are unclear, but they’ve been serving the Milano-Torino (as it was previously known) in bars in northern Italy since the 1860s.
One theory is that the cocktail became known as the “Americano” in honour of Italian boxer Primo Carnera who, following a famous victory at New York’s Madison Square Gardens, become Heavyweight Champion of the world in 1933. More likely, the drink owes its name to its popularity amongst Americans during the prohibition period.
Order an Americano and you’ll be in distinguished company. In Casino Royale, the first of Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, 007 orders an Americano at Monte Carlo’s Hermitage Hôtel. Indeed, it was one the suave spy’s go-to tipples, which he enjoyed time and time again in From Russia with Love and A View to a Kill.
Negroni
The Negroni is another classic Italian pre-dinner cocktail — but beware — this one packs a punch! Named after Tuscan Count Camillo Negroni, in the 1920s and 30s the Negroni became one of Italy’s most popular cocktails.
The noble Count was, by all accounts, a colourful character. Explorer, cowboy, swordsman, gambler and, of course, renowned drinker, he returned from a trip to London with an unquenchable taste for gin. At his local bar, Caffè Casoni in Florence, he ordered a classic Milano-Torino (see above), but instead of soda water he asked for a dash of gin! To distinguish it from the traditional Americano, the enterprising young barman garnished the Count’s drink with a slice of orange instead of lemon and the Negroni was born!
Another drink with a fine literary pedigree, it was said to be one of Hemingway’s favourites!
If you prefer a slightly less toxic version, ask for a Negroni sbagliato, which substitutes the gin with spumante.
As you can see, there is plenty of history and culture behind some of Italy’s most iconic cocktails. Not only do they look good (a necessity in Italy’s culture of bella figura), they taste pretty good too!
So, next time you find yourself in a sun-drenched Italian piazza about to order an Aperol spritz, do yourself a favour and try one of these alternatives!
Cin cin!
