Hugo Spritz

With a delightfully fresh aroma from mint, plus the floral essence of St-Germain, a Hugo spritz is the cocktail we want to drink all summer. When sweltering summertime comes, the name of the game is refreshing, low-alcohol cocktails you can comfortably sip all day. The festive effervescence of this drink lifts all the aromatics to the top of the glass, so it hits the nose even before you take that first sip. It’s a perfect cocktail for sitting on the porch and watching the comings and goings of the neighbors. (We won't judge.)

Learn how to make a Hugo spritz, and welcome your porch-sitting friends with this refreshing drink all summer.

Hugo Spritz Ingredients

To make a Hugo spritz, you’ll need just a few widely available ingredients:

• Fresh mint: You’ll need the leaves for the cocktail and the sprigs for garnish.
• Elderflower liqueur: Several brands make an elderflower liqueur, but St-Germain is by far the most popular and widely available brand.
• Prosecco: Make sure it’s well chilled.
• Seltzer water: You can use any brand of bubbly water, such as La Croix. Just make sure it's the plain variety.
• Lemon: Use the wheels for garnish.
• Ice: Plain ice is fine, or have fun with shapes.

How To Make a Hugo Spritz

Make this drink in just four simple steps:

• Step 1: Gently muddle the mint leaves and liqueur in a wine glass, using a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon handle.
• Step 2: Fill the glass with ice.
• Step 3: Add Prosecco and seltzer water to the glass, gently stirring to combine the ingredients.
• Step 4: Garnish the spritz with lemon wheels and mint sprigs. Serve right away.

What Is the Difference Between a Hugo Spritz and an Aperol Spritz?

Both are light and refreshing drinks, but you’ll easily know the difference between an Aperol spritz and a Hugo spritz as soon as you see them. An Aperol spritz is made with a bitter-orange aperitif and is bright orange in color, whereas the Hugo spritz uses elderflower liqueur and is pale greenish in color. 

Is a Hugo Spritz the Same as a St-Germain Spritz?

Although these two drinks are similar, they are not synonymous. A St-Germain spritz is St-Germain, sparkling wine, and soda water; the Hugo spritz includes the addition of mint.

Is a Hugo Spritz a Mojito?

While these two drinks look similar and both employ mint as a central ingredient and flavor, a Hugo spritz is made with the floral liqueur of elderflower and a mojito is made with silver rum. Further, the Hugo's bubbles come from sparkling wine and soda water, whereas a mojito is usually made with just soda water. 

How To Make Hugo Spritz as a Batch Cocktail

To make this drink in a pitcher, start by gently crushing 1 1/2 cups of lightly packed mint leaves and 9 ounces of elderflower liqueur using a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon handles. Fill the pitcher with ice. Add a bottle of chilled Prosecco and a can of chilled plain seltzer water. Stir gently to combine. Garnish the pitcher with lemon wheels and mint sprigs, and serve immediately. This batch method serves six to 12 cups with ice or 6 cups without.

Hugo Spritz Recipe Tips

The Southern Living Test Kitchen made this drink several times to get it just right. Here are our tips for the perfect Hugo spritz:

• If you want to start preparing this recipe before the Prosecco or seltzer are fully chilled, speed up the process by placing them in a large bowl filled with salted ice water. Let it stand until chilled, about 10 minutes. 
• Try lightly smacking the mint sprigs against your palm before garnishing. This will lightly bruise the mint, releasing the natural oils and a fresh aroma.
• Don't break up the mint too much when crushing; just crush it enough to release the natural oils and flavor out of the mint leaves.

Hugo Spritz Recipe Variations

Give this recipe a twist by swapping the plain seltzer water for a flavored variety. Or, use lime wheels as a garnish instead of lemon for a slight spin on the classic.

More Great Spritz Recipes

Keep the light, refreshing cocktails flowing with these favorites:

• Spiced Apple Spritz
• Aperol and Blood Orange Mint Spritz
• Strawberry Rhubarb Spritz
• Strawberry Spritz

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.