The Original Spritz Cocktail Wasn't Made With Aperol

A spritz delivers a bubbly beverage into the hands of a drinker, offering a cocktail that packs less of an alcoholic wallop that can be nursed at leisure. Some food historians have traced the origins of the drink to ancient Greeks who added water to wine, even finding indication that snow would be plopped into wine glasses to sip. The original ratio for an Aperol Spritz involves combining three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, and one part soda water. Yet, as classic as this drink might be to us today, the drink wasn't always made with the now-familiar bright orange apéritif.

The concept of a spritz evolved in Italy when early 19th-century Austrians would add splashes of water to the heavier Italian wines they were presented. The move was an attempt to replicate the lighter taste of beer. Soon, this subtle gesture was improved upon as fortified wine, Prosecco, amaro, and soda were mixed in glasses. Around this time, bitter liqueurs flavored with ingredients like herbs and sweeteners began to make more frequent appearances on bar counters and restaurant tables. One of them, a flavorful red liqueur known as Select, was used to make what we know as a Venetian Spritz sometime in 1920, and with the help of advertising campaigns with prominent actors, the flavorful concoction grew in popularity. 

Those who know their facts about Aperol know that the company was launched in the 1950s by two brothers. It was then that the Aperol Spritz, which called for the orange liqueur instead of Select, began making the rounds in bars as a new version of the classic Venetian spritz. Once Prosecco entered the drinking equation in the 1970s, the sparkly addition further brightened the overall palate of the jewel-toned beverage.

Syrupy, bittersweet Aperol combined with Prosecco offered a sweeter-tasting profile than the spritz recipes that were made with Select. Soon, the bright cocktail found its own enthusiastic roster of revelers opting for the order. In the 1990s, ice was tossed into cocktail glasses filled with Aperol Spritz and served on Venetian beaches. The refreshing drink offered the ideal ingredient for an easy holiday sipper that could be socially enjoyed at a relaxed pace. Since then, bartenders around the world have put their own spin on the drink, reimagining the classic recipe with inclusions such as rhubarb syrup (perfect for Aperol Spritz lovers who crave a more tart taste) or elderflower liqueurs –– building interesting cocktails that can reliably keep a party going (or simply get one started).