Discovering Spritz Veneziano

Spritz Veneziano is one of the specialities born in Italy and spread worldwide. Italians love this exceptional drink because of its bitter and intense taste.

Italians widely use this special product to celebrate, drink, and have fun with friends or family. They also use this special spritz to make aperitifs and relax on weekends. That’s why everyone can fall in love with this cocktail with just a sip.

This new article can help you to find out more about the cocktail, let’s discover the origins, ingredients and the secret recipe of Spritz Veneziano.

The story behind the Spritz Veneziano

As a matter of fact, the origins of the Spritz are fascinating and, at the same time, mysterious. There is no definite proof of the birth of this drink; however, according to local stories, this cocktail was invented in the 19th century.

During this time, Habsburg troops occupied northern Italy. When the Teutonic soldiers wanted to relax, they asked the Italian bartenders to "sprinkle" some water in the wine. This made the drink less bitter, but they could not get drunk. Members of the Habsburg Empire spoke German and indicated this custom with the verb spritzen.

This tradition struck the Venetian people. More and more people began to order the "spritzer", shortening it into Spritz. Regardless, one day, someone thought of removing the wine from that drink, spraying it inside with a pungent bitter. Initially, the bartenders used Campari. After some time, Aperol became the main ingredient of the cocktail. Today, this drink is also known as Aperol Spritz. 

In this way, Spritz Veneziano was born.

In 1986, the Spritz was included in the official cocktails of the International Bartenders Association (IBA). Nowadays, hundreds of people around the world love it!

The lack of an official recipe

You do not have an official recipe for this cocktail because of the mysterious origins of the drink. Every region of northern Italy has a different variant of Spritz. However, the original is the Spritz 

Veneziano. What are the ingredients of this delicious refreshment?
Well, the world’s great bartenders follow the official IBA recipe. So, to prepare this cocktail you need:

• Prosecco: 90 ml
• Aperol or Campari: 60 ml
• Just a splash of Soda Water

Other variations of this cocktail include exclusive ingredients. In some areas of Veneto, where spritz was born, local bartenders also use Cynar, a bittersweet liqueur made from artichoke and other herbs.

In Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, another Italian region, bartenders follow the historical recipe for making Spritz. This means that the drink is mixed with some wine and water. Besides, very creative variations use ingredients such as Vermouth, Rosé and more.

How to prepare a Spritz Veneziano?

If you want to prepare this cocktail, the procedure is straightforward. You can do it without any problems, even if you have no experience creating drinks.

First of all, make sure you have the ingredients of the recipe. So, you have to carefully check the amount of the ingredients. Then, prepare a glass of wine with lots of ice. After that, you can proceed to pour the ingredients into the glass.

Furthermore, you have to mix everything for a few seconds. Finally, you can enjoy this refreshment.

Remember that you can garnish the cocktail with an orange slice. Moreover, you can eat finger foods or various appetizers while you enjoy your cocktail.

When can you enjoy this drink?

Usually, the best time to enjoy a spritz is in the afternoon. You can enjoy that cocktail while relaxing, after work. Also, if you want to experience your skills, you can prepare a homemade spritz and taste it on weekends or holidays.

This cocktail is refreshing, and you can love it in the summertime. The bitter drink can be what you need during the hottest days because it allows you to rest and recharge your energy.

Ultimately, now you know all about this famous Italian drink. What do you have to do? It's simple; try it and appreciate its intense and unforgettable taste!