How to make Hugo Spritz
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• Saint-Germain: This elderflower liqueur is one of the world’s most popular, with notes of flowers, honey, peach and pear. It’s slightly syrupy and very sweet, making it the perfect base for tart lime juice or dry prosecco.
• Mint & Lime: The mint has a herbal cooling quality and the lime has a floral tartness that balances the sweetness of the St. Germain.
• Prosecco: Without the bubbles, you can’t have a spritzer, which is why this sparkling wine needs an Italian white wine.
• Soda water: Soda water is great for adding volume and bubbles without adding more alcohol — you can use sparkling water, seltzer, or club soda for this spritz, but avoid tonic water.
• Garnish: The mint and lime juice mix is what makes this a Hugo Spritz (as opposed to a regular St. Germain Spritz), so it makes sense to use them as a garnish, too. Before adding the mint leaves to the garnish, hold them in the palm of your hand and give them a few firm smacks with your other hand to release the mint oils and flavor the cocktail.
Step-by-step instructions
Place the St. Germain and mint sprigs in your favorite wine glass. Stir gently and let sit for 3 minutes. Be gentle when stirring as a spritz is typically served in a wine glass. Gently crush the mint with a muddler and twist slightly to bruise the leaves and bring out the mint flavor.
Add ice, Prosecco, and soda water and stir gently to combine. Be sure to stir gently to prevent the ice from causing the drink to spill over the sides. Now is the time to taste. If you want it a little sweeter, add an extra 1/2 ounce of St. Germain. If it’s a little too thick, add a bit more soda water. If it’s not thick enough, add more Prosecco.
Garnish with a mint sprig and lime. Mint and lime are a classic flavor combination in cocktails, so it doesn’t hurt to add another mint sprig as garnish to enhance the flavor of the drink.
Recipe Tips
- How do I muddle mint? Gently crush the mint with a muddler, twisting it slightly to bruise the leaves and bring out their flavor. If you haven’t yet purchased a home bar kit with a muddler, don’t worry: you can also use the back of a spoon or a pestle to crush the mint leaves in the glass.
- What is the best ice for a Hugo Spritz? Choosing the right type of ice is crucial to creating a well-balanced cocktail. For a Hugo Spritz, the right type of ice is small to medium sized cubes. Crushed ice melts quickly and becomes watery, while larger cubes or spheres make it difficult to stir and drink.
- What kind of glass is suitable for Hugo Spritz? Spritz are typically served in a wine glass, but you can also choose a stemless wine glass or a rocks glass if you prefer stemless glass.
- Would a Hugo Spritz go with club soda or soda water? Soda water is a general term for seltzer and sparkling water, while club soda is carbonated water with added minerals that gives it a slightly salty, earthy taste.
- What is the difference between Hugo Spritz and St. Germain Spritz? Both drinks are made with St. Germain, Prosecco and soda water, but the Hugo Spritz has fresh lime juice and mint, while the St. Germain Spritz has a dash of fresh lemon.
- How did the Hugo Spritz become the drink of summer 2023? Last May, we declared the Hugo Spritz the drink of summer 2023 after it exploded in popularity on social media, with over 290 million views on TikTok.
- Hugo Spritz Variations: Try making a Rosé Hugo Spritz by adding sparkling rosé instead of Prosecco.
More Spritz Ideas
Aperol Spritz
St. Germain Spritz
Campari Spritz
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