Refresh Cocktail Hour With These Aperol Spritz Alternatives

There’s no denying the popularity of the Aperol Spritz all over the world, from Italy to Southern California. This popular aperitif is enjoyed during the proverbial “golden hour,” before sunset. Made with Aperol, prosecco, and soda water, it’s known for its refreshing and  bittersweet flavor profile.. 

While the Aperol Spritz is an unmatched classic, it’s not the only aperitif/aperitivo cocktail worth exploring at your next happy hour get-together. This style of cocktail is designed to prepare your digestion for the meal to come. It’s not to be confused with a digestif, which will settle your stomach after a heavy meal. These drinks are best enjoyed in a social setting with friends and family as you enjoy the afternoon and some light snacks.

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the appeal of apertifs, it’s time to find some great cocktails to add to your repertoire. Keep scrolling to learn the history and step-by-step instructions for some of the best.

After the Aperol Spritz, there’s no aperitif cocktail more well-known than the Negroni. Created in 1919 by a bartender named Fosco Scarselli at Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy, this bittersweet, complex cocktail features Campari, gin, and sweet red vermouth. The legend says that a man named Count Camillo Negroni walked into the bar and asked Scarselli to make him an alternate version of the popular Americano cocktail, only with gin instead of the usual soda water. Thus, a classic and timeless aperitif was born.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce London dry gin
• 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
• Orange twist

Directions: In a mixing glass, add the Campari, gin, and svermouth. Add ice. Stir gently to combine and chill the drink. Strain the liquid into an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist. 

If you’re looking for the effervescence of the Aperol Spritz with a little more citrus flavor, the French 75 is for you. Like many cocktails, this gin-based drink has a bit of a murky history. Named for the powerful French 75mm field gun, it’s believed to have been created at some point during World War I. Harry MacElhone, a bartender at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris is often credited with its creation. The first official reference to the drink was in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce of London dry gin
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
• Sparkling wine topper
• Lemon twist

Directions: In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, add the London dry gin, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Not all great aperitif cocktails are more than a century old. The Paper Plane, featuring equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice is a contemporary cocktail perfect for fans of the Aperol Spritz. Made to pay tribute the song “Paper Planes” by M.I.A., the Paper Plane was created in 2008 by Australian-born bartender Sam Ross for the cocktail menu at The Violet Hour in Chicago.

Ingredients 

• ¾ ounce Aperol
• ¾ ounce bourbon
• ¾ ounce Amaro Nonino
• ¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Orange twist

Directions: In an ice-filled shaker, add Aperol, bourbon, Amaro Nonino, and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled couple glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

If rye whiskey is more your thing, you’re going to want to replace your Aperol Spritz with the Boulevardier cocktail. A riff on the Negroni , this drink has its origins in 1920s Paris. This was when Erskine Gwynne, the American-born publisher of the Boulevardier magazine is believed to have created the drink at the iconic Harry’s New York Bar.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce rye whiskey
• 1 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• Orange twist

Directions: Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the rye whiskey, Campari, and sweet red vermouth. Stir gently to combine. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

In the world of simple, refreshing aperitif cocktails, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of the Gin & Tonic. This straightforward combination of London dry gin and tonic water is perfect any time of year. While its official origins are shrouded in mystery, it’s believed that a version of the drink was imbibed by British soldiers stationed in India during the 19th century.  They were given quinine to fight malaria, and cut the bitterness by mixing it into a drink with sugar, lime juice, and their daily ration of gin.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• Tonic water topper
• Lime wedge

Directions: Add ice to a Highball glass. Pour in the gin. Top it with tonic water. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge.