5 alternative spritz recipes for when you’re not in the mood for an Aperol

Pomegranate spritz

If it’s a scorching hot summers’ day, there’s really no other tipple that will tick all the right boxes quite like our pomegranate spritz.

Makes 8 cocktails

Ingredients

• 200ml orange juice
• 120ml pomegranate juice
• 150ml gin
• 3 limes
• 75cl bottle prosecco
• Pomegranate seeds to serve

Method

1. Mix together the orange and pomegranate juices, gin and lime juice in a jug.
2. Pour into glasses, top up with prosecco and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Orchard spritz

Not everyone likes champagne (gasp!) so an alternative would be to serve this fruity cocktail at your next drinks party.

Makes 1 cocktail (scale up or down by multiplying ingredients)

Ingredients

• Calvados
• Fruit cordial (such as pear and raspberry or apple and plum)
• Chilled sparkling wine or champagne
• A small fresh rosemary sprig

Method

1. Pour 1cm calvados into a champagne flute or coupe, with 1cm cordial. Top with chilled sparkling wine or champagne, then garnish with a small fresh rosemary sprig.

Rhubarb Aperol spritz

For those that find the classic Aperol spritz too bitter, this is a great alternative.

Makes 6 cocktails

Ingredients

• 600g forced rhubarb
• 80g caster sugar
• 150ml clear apple juice
• 300ml Aperol

Method

1. Cut the rhubarb into small pieces and place in a pan with 80g caster sugar and 150ml clear apple juice. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Strain through a fine sieve, then put back on the heat to reduce to about 200ml. Cool the syrup completely, then chill.
3. Take 6 wine glasses and, into each, pour 2 measures of Aperol to 1 measure of rhubarb syrup, then top up with chilled prosecco. Stir, then serve.

Peach and prosecco spritz

If you’re after a cocktail that’ll taste like summer, this seasonal spritz contains blitzed peaches, lemon juice, sugar and of course, a splash of prosecco.

Makes 6 cocktails

Ingredients

• 2 ripe peaches, stoned and diced
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• Bottle of prosecco
• Handful of fresh basil leaves

Method

1. Put the peaches, lemon juice and sugar in a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth.
2. Pass the purée through a sieve (discard the solids), then divide among 6 champagne coupe glasses.
3. Top up with chilled prosecco and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Pimm’s spritz

The summer has officially *arrived* when a jug of Pimm’s appears. We’ve jazzed-up the classic Pimm’s and lemonade by adding in prosecco.

Serves 1 (scale up by multiplying ingredients)

Ingredients

• 50ml Pimm’s No,1 (25% ABV)
• 75ml lemonade
• 25ml sparkling wine (12.5% ABV)
• 1 slice of orange
• 1 sprig of mint

Method

1. Fill a large wine glass with ice cubes. Pour in the Pimm’s, pour in all the liquid ingredients then garnish with the orange and mint.

 

Not convinced? Craving nothing other than an Aperol spritz now? Don’t worry, here you go.