The Hugo Spritz swaps the bitter aperitivo for elderflower and fresh mint. The result is the lightest, most floral member of the Spritz family — pale, fragrant, and barely bitter at all.
The Spritz with the bitterness traded for a meadow.
A Young Drink From the Alps
The Hugo is unusually well documented for a modern classic: it was created around 2005 by Roland Gruber, a bartender in South Tyrol, in the Italian Alps. He wanted a Spritz lighter than the Aperol version, reached for elderflower, and the drink spread across the German-speaking Alpine countries within a decade.
Elderflower and Mint
Elderflower syrup — or St-Germain liqueur — gives the Hugo its soft, honeyed, floral sweetness; fresh mint and a squeeze of lime keep it bright and stop it cloying. It is a drink that tastes distinctly of late spring.
Plenty of Mint, Gently Bruised
The mint should be lightly pressed, not muddled to shreds — enough to release its aroma, not its bitterness. A generous sprig, plus a few leaves in the glass, gives the Hugo its signature garden-fresh lift.
The Aperol Spritz Family
The classic — Aperol, Prosecco, and a splash of soda over ice, with an orange slice.
- 3 ozProsecco
- 2 ozAperol
- SplashSoda water
The Spritz turned bitter — Campari for the Aperol, deeper red and drier.
- 3 ozProsecco
- 2 ozCampari
- SplashSoda water
The Spritz gone bright yellow — limoncello for the bitter, lemony and sunlit.
- 3 ozProsecco
- 2 ozLimoncello
- 1 ozSoda water