The Secret to Making an *Actually* Delicious Aperol Spritz is Simple
We stan the spritz—so long as it’s made right.
The Aperol Spritz is the most controversial cocktail on the block this month, thanks to a recent New York Times article declaring that “The Aperol Spritz is Not a Good Drink.” In her article, the author Rebekah Peppler calls out the aperitif for being “like a Capri Sun after soccer practice on a hot day. Not in a good way.” The piece ignited plenty of polarizing responses—many Aperol fans were outraged; others rallied behind the revulsion of the spritz.
We get it. Overly sweet drinks are anything but refreshing. But here’s the thing: the Aperol Spritz doesn’t have to be the syrupy, saccharine mixture that it’s being depicted as. The secret to blending a light, effervescent spritz is simple:
1 - Stop adding so much Aperol.
2 - Really, for the love of god, please don’t mix in any type of sweet Prosecco.
And there you have it! If you avoid having a heavy hand with the liqueur, you’ll end up with a cocktail that has a lot less ready-to-give-you-a-mega-migraine sugar. And if you use a dry Prosecco instead of a sweet one—we love those from Mionetto, La Marca, and Santa Margherita—the drink will be downright refreshing. Rather than using one part Aperol to one part Processo as the recipe on the bottle suggests, your drink will go down easier with a ratio of two parts Aperol to three parts Processo.
Last words: let’s put an end to the fishbowl-sized wine glasses, too. It’s no wonder people feel icky after drinking Aperol—you’re sipping a mammoth-sized cocktail! Regular wine glasses should do the trick.
Here’s an easy recipe to make a delicious, refreshing Aperol Spritz at home:
Pour two-ounces of Aperol and three-ounces dry Prosecco into a wine glass filled with ice. Top off with a splash of club soda and gently stir. Cheers!
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