The Elderflower Aperol and Vodka Spritz is a delightful and creative take on the original. It tastes floral and herbaceous with a beautiful hint of bittersweet orange.
Quick Facts Elderflower Aperol and Vodka Spritz Cocktail
- Method: shaken
- Flavor profile: bittersweet, slightly herbal
- How to serve it: over ice
- Best glassware: wine glass
- Alcohol content: ~ 10%, 17 grams of alcohol per serving
Spritz cocktails are among the most popular alcoholic beverages in Italy. When the sun sets, people gather in cafés and enjoy a glass of these sparkling and refreshing drinks.
The Aperol Spritz stands for this category of cocktails like no other. Still, the simple mix of Aperol, Prosecco, and chilled soda water leaves room for experimenting.Â
Equipment
- 1 Jigger
- 1 Bar spoon
Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Aperol
- 1 oz Elderflower liqueur - (St Germain)
- 2 oz Grapefruit juice
- 1 oz Chilled tonic water
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except tonic water into a cocktail shaker with ice.1 oz Vodka, 1 oz Aperol, 1 oz Elderflower liqueur, 2 oz Grapefruit juice, 2 dashes Orange Bitters
- Shake until well-chilled and then strain into an ice-filled glass.
- Top with tonic water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.1 oz Chilled tonic water
Nutrition
Ingredients of the Elderflower Aperol and Vodka Spritz
Vodka, Aperol, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, orange bitters, and tonic water is what you need for this drink.
Unlike the classic recipe made from only three components, this Spritz does not follow the 3:2:1 ratio but is a customized version of this template. One that's adjusted to the higher number of ingredients:
- Vodka, Aperol, & Elderflower liqueur: the three alcoholic ingredients in equal parts account for the three parts. - Not because they are three ingredients but because they make up 50% of the drink.
- Grapefruit juice & Orange bitters: Then, add two parts of grapefruit juice and two dashes of orange bitters for some tartness, freshness, and complexity.
- Tonic water: Finally, the Spritz cocktail is topped with one part of chilled tonic water to add a bit of fizz.
- Grapefruit wheel or wedge for garnish
Tips for Mixing
In terms of ingredients, we like to use a decent mid-shelf vodka like Absolut or Ketel One for most of our vodka recipes, inlcuding this Elderflower Aperol and Vodka Spritz.
It enhances the classic with a sweet and floral touch of elderflower and spikes the drink with a shot of vodka. If you have another favorite, you can stick to that, though.
St. Germain is our number one pick for the elderflower liqueur. So far, we have found nothing that can compete with the French brand.
The grapefruit juice should be fresh, and you best take a new bottle of dry or Indian tonic water. Don't go for something fancy here.
Shake all components except the tonic and pour them over a couple of large ice cubes in your glass - the larger, the better (in this case, the glass and the ice 😉 ). Only then add the tonic and enjoy this beautiful summer sip.
More About Aperol
Aperol is a bittersweet herbal liqueur within the family of Amaro liqueurs. All Amaro liqueurs are bittersweet in taste and flavored with numerous herbs, roots, and plants.
Further, Aperol is relatively low in ABV as it only contains 11% ABV. It is only slightly bitter and brings in floral and fruity flavors instead. -Usually, Amari have a more bitter taste - think, for instance, of Campari or Fernet Branca.
More About Elderflower Liqueur
Elderflower liqueur is a rare cocktail ingredient, with only a few brands producing it. The best-known is St Germain, released in 2007. Their floral liqueur has won countless gold medals.
The taste of elderflower liqueur is hard to describe. It is relatively light, sweet, citrusy, and floral. You can even find some fruity notes of pear, making it a fantastic addition to summer cocktails like our Elderflower Aperol & Vodka Spritz.
Related Aperol Cocktails
Using Aperol in a drink is a great way to add complexity, herbal flavors, and a bittersweet taste.
You can use it in countless Spritz varieties, Aperol and Gin cocktails, Aperol and Vodka drinks, and twists on cocktails made with other Amaro liqueurs:
- Aperol Sour: An elegant cross between a classic sour cocktail and an Aperol Spritz.
- Montreal Cocktail: A boozy aperitif that is the official drink of the city of Montreal.
- Aperol Spritz: The most popular Spritz cocktail and the reason Aperol became so famous in Europe and the US.
- Aperol Negroni: A less bitter riff on the classic Negroni recipe substituting Campari with Aperol.
- Aperol Cosmopolitan: This modern interpretation of the Cosmo uses only three ingredients.
- Aperol Gin & Tonic: A herbal and colorful twist on a Mediterranean Gin and Tonic.