Alcohol-Free Aperol Spritz, the recipe
for your table
Fill a large Spritz glass or wine glass with plenty of ice.
First, pour in the alcohol-free sparkling wine.
Pour in the bitter aperitif and top with soda water.
Stir once and add half an orange slice. Feeling adventurous? Add a green olive, as they do in Venice.
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The story
Good non-alcoholic drinks are the trend you see everywhere right now. People alternate a glass with and without alcohol, a practice they call 'zebra striping', and the better bars have full non-alcoholic menus. The aperitivo led the way. Italian producers introduced non-alcoholic bitters that come remarkably close to the familiar bitterness of orange and herbs. And almost every prosecco producer now also makes a 0.0 sparkling wine. So you don't order a non-alcoholic spritz anymore because you have to. It's simply a good drink, all year round.
The right glass
Pour the 0.0 spritz into exactly the same glass as the original: a large spritz glass or balloon glass on a stem, around 49 to 58 cl. This matters a lot with non-alcoholic drinks. Nobody wants a small juice glass while everyone else at the table has large glasses. The same glass, the same toast, and the same photo. A large stemmed wine glass works just as well for a spritz; browse our wine glasses.
RCR Timeless Spritz Glass 49 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Alkemist Gin and Tonic Glass 58 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 89,90.
The right tools
For a Non-Alcoholic Spritz, in addition to the glass, use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, large ice cubes and cocktail picks. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our pick 01) + 4 bar tools for a total of € 111,75.
What do you need to make a Non-Alcoholic Spritz?
For a Non-Alcoholic Spritz, you need the right base. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
No 0.0 bitter tastes the same. Try a few and choose the one you like best. With alcohol-free elderflower syrup and 0.0 sparkling wine, you can make a Hugo-style version; with verjus, a slightly more elegant option for the table. That Venetian olive works here too. Add something savory, and it becomes a grown-up drink. Looking for more? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Taste a few 0.0 bitters side by side. They vary quite a bit in sweetness and herbal notes. An extra splash of soda water and an olive make it drier and more like the real thing. You want an aperitivo, not a sugary drink.
Good to know
Which 0.0 bitter should you choose instead of Aperol?
If you're looking for something like Aperol 0.0 for your spritz, Crodino is the best-known choice. It's closest to the original: Italian and herbal, with a pronounced bitter finish. Martini Vibrante is drier and more citrusy. Great if you want to temper the sweetness of alcohol-free sparkling wine. Lyre's Italian Spritz gets the color closest, but is much sweeter. Whichever you choose, stick to 6 cl and taste it first on its own with an ice cube. The brands differ much more from one another than you might expect if you're used to regular Aperol. That first sip will tell you whether you need to add more soda water.
Calories and sugar
An alcohol-free spritz has roughly 90 to 130 calories per glass. The version with Aperol and prosecco has around 180. You save calories on the alcohol, not the sugar. Most 0.0 bitters and alcohol-free sparkling wines actually have a little more residual sugar, because it needs to provide the body that would otherwise come from alcohol. Choose an alcohol-free sparkling wine labeled brut or extra dry, and you can easily save fifteen grams of sugar per bottle. More soda water and a little less bitter aperitif also help.
Alcohol-free limoncello spritz
Instead of the bitter aperitif, use 6 cl of alcohol-free limoncello or lemon syrup with a splash of fresh lemon juice. The rest stays the same: 9 cl of alcohol-free sparkling wine, 3 cl of soda water, and a glass full of ice. Finish with a slice of lemon and, if you like, a sprig of mint. This is sweeter and fresher than the orange spritz. Guests who don't like bitter drinks often choose this one. Be sure to taste it before serving. Alcohol-free limoncello varies a lot in sweetness, and you can taste even half a centiliter less.
For a group, calculate per bottle
A 75 cl bottle of alcohol-free sparkling wine makes eight glasses. If guests are likely to have seconds, allow one bottle for every four to five guests. Chill the bottles for at least four hours beforehand, and only add ice to the glasses when you’re ready to pour. Don’t mix anything ahead of time in a pitcher. Within half an hour, it will go flat and you’ll be left with sweetened syrup. Instead, set out a bowl of ice, sliced orange, and the bottles within easy reach. That way, guests can pour their own in the right proportions.
Frequently asked questions
What do you use instead of Aperol without alcohol?
An alcohol-free bitter aperitif such as Crodino or a 0.0 bitter is the closest alternative to Aperol. Use 6 cl with 9 cl of alcohol-free sparkling wine and 3 cl of soda. You’ll get the same orange color, the same bitterness from orange and herbs, and the same aperitivo feel, without alcohol.
What goes into an alcohol-free Aperol Spritz?
Five things. Six cl of alcohol-free bitter aperitif, 9 cl of alcohol-free sparkling wine, 3 cl of soda water, half a slice of orange, and plenty of ice. The proportions are exactly the same as the original. Only the base is replaced with 0.0 alternatives.
How do you make an Aperol Spritz 0.0?
Fill a large glass with ice and pour in the alcohol-free sparkling wine first. Then add the 0.0 bitter aperitif and finally the soda. Stir once and add a slice of orange. Serve it in the same large glass as the original; see our Aperol Spritz glasses.
How do I make an alcohol-free limoncello spritz?
Instead of the bitter aperitif, use alcohol-free limoncello or lemon syrup with a little fresh lemon. Everything else stays the same: 9 cl of alcohol-free sparkling wine, 3 cl of soda, plenty of ice, and a slice of lemon. It’s sweeter and fresher than the orange version, and you make it in exactly the same way.
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