Amaro spritz seems to be a controversial drink these days. The New York Times wrote a story saying that the Aperol spritz is a bad drink, which I disagree with. Using Aperol, Campari or any of your favorite Amari (Cynar? Great! Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro? delicious!), you can make an amaro spritz with just amaro, bubbles — cava, prosecco, or champagne — and soda water. Top with a slice of orange, and you have a great drink on your hands.
I love spritzes! I particularly love using an amaro that I would enjoy neat or mixed with vermouth – I recently tried out the Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro and thought it was just lovely, both on its own and in cocktails. It has a juice, floral flavor and feels very sophisticated. I’m also a sucker for good branding, and I love their design.
So enjoy a spritz, just use good ingredients!
Aperol Spritz is a 3-2-1 recipe.
First, take a glass and fill it ¾ full with ice.
Take 3 ounces of prosecco or your favorite bubbly wine. Prosecco, cava, champagne, whatever
Pour in 2 ounces of your favorite Amaro. I made this recipe with Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro.
Top with 1 ounce of club soda and a slice of orange.
Ta da!
Amaro is Italian for “bitter.” Usually amari are drunken after dinner, as a digestif, to help digest everything. Folks traditionally drink amari neat, but in the past couple of years, amari has gotten popular over ice, with gin and vermouth – a Negroni, or in spritzy type drinks.
Amaro is “typically produced by macerating herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and/or citrus peels in alcohol, either neutral spirits or wine, mixing the filtrate with sugar syrup, and allowing the mixture to age in casks or bottles.”
Mimi Newman
- 3 oz of sparkling wine – cava prosecco, or champagne
- 2 oz of your favorite Amaro – i made this with Lo-Fi’s Gentian Amaro
- 1 oz of club soda
- orange wedge for serving
- Pour in prosecco, followed by amaro, followed by club soda