Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is the 3-2-1 cocktail: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda, built over ice in a big wine glass. Bright orange, lightly bitter, and the easiest way to look like you know what you are doing.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthLightabout 9% ABVMethodBuilt in glass6 guided stepsIngredients3Big wine glass

Sparkling

In the glassProsecco · Aperol · Soda water

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear large wine glass with a generous rounded bowl and slender stem. — Serving glassLarge wine glass

Set up before you pour

Use a large wine glass.

The generous bowl gives a spritz enough space for ice, fruit and sparkling mixer without crowding.

Standard size: 400 ml13½ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a stemless wine glass or roomy tumbler.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

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Scale to your big wine glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Prosecco90 ml
Aperol60 ml
Soda water30 ml

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill a big wine glass with ice
Why it mattersReally fill it — a spritz with too little ice goes warm and flat fast.
02
Measure and pour
Pour 90 ml prosecco
- Prosecco
Why it mattersProsecco first, then Aperol — this order mixes on its own, so you barely need to stir.
03
Measure and pour
Pour 60 ml Aperol
- Aperol
04
Top gently
Top with a splash of soda water
- Soda water
05
Stir around the ice
One gentle stir
06
Finish the drink
Finish it — add an orange slice

Know your drink

About the Aperol Spritz

Three bright orange and ruby aperitivo cocktails on an Italian terrace at golden hour.

The sound of an Italian summer

The spritz descends from 1800s Austrian soldiers in Veneto asking for their wine "gespritzt" — splashed with water. Aperol arrived in Padua in 1919, and by the 1950s the orange aperitivo and the spritz had merged into Italy’s pre-dinner ritual: bitter enough to wake the appetite, light enough to have two.

Common questions

Aperol Spritz FAQ

What is the correct Aperol spritz ratio?

The official ratio is 3-2-1: three parts prosecco (90 ml), two parts Aperol (60 ml), one part soda water (30 ml), built in that order over plenty of ice. Pour the prosecco first and the Aperol second — it mixes itself without stirring the bubbles away.

Aperol or Campari — what is the difference?

Aperol is sweeter, lighter (11% ABV) and tastes of orange and rhubarb; Campari is drier, stronger (about 24%) and properly bitter. Swap Campari into the same ratio for a Campari Spritz with real edge — or elderflower liqueur and mint for a Hugo Spritz.

Why is my spritz watery?

Warm ingredients. The prosecco and soda must be fridge-cold before they touch the glass — ice should keep the drink cold, not do the initial chilling. Big cubes, cold bottles, and it stays crisp to the bottom.

What ingredients are in an Aperol Spritz?

A classic Aperol Spritz calls for 90 ml (3 oz) Prosecco, 60 ml (2 oz) Aperol, 30 ml (1 oz) Soda water. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is an Aperol Spritz?

A standard Aperol Spritz is roughly 9% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it a relatively light, sessionable drink — similar in strength to a beer.

Is an Aperol Spritz shaken or stirred?

An Aperol Spritz is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.

What glass do you serve an Aperol Spritz in?

Serve an Aperol Spritz in a large wine glass, over fresh ice cubes.

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