We’re drinking more at home, and in the summer, in our backyards, on our decks and patios and on our balconies. Enjoy a refreshing low ABV, lower calorie, easy to make backyard cocktail with friends today.
Here at BROVO, we’re big fans of the Spritz and Aperitivo hour. Across Italy, friends and family gather for a pre-dinner hour to socialize and open their palates with a cocktail or two. The Spritz is easy to make- start with a large glass of ice, combine one ounce of Tacoma Punk to one ounce of Pink vermouth and top with sparkling wine to complete it. Garnish with a slice or orange or lemon.
Spritzes are typically served with a small bowl of potato chips and another of green olives, but any small plates of food work.
Aperitivo hour started in the 1700’s in Piedmont, Italy. King Vittorio Emanuele II took a liking to vermouth and started to enjoy it in a social hour. By 1786 it had moved to Turin, where Antonio Benedetto Carpano started making vermouth and encouraging people to enjoy it in aperitivo. But it really developed in Milan in the 1860’s when Gaspare Campari opened a cafe to feature his new liquor- Campari. It really took off in the 1920’s and now it is all over Italy.
What makes a spritz? – It’s three key components- a bitter, a citrus and bubbles. It’s lighter in alcohol, easy to drink, and refreshing with fewer calories and less sugar. You can mix it up- sparkling wine or water can be the bubbles, and you can try a variety of different vermouth or amari to make up the bitter and citrus components.
We’ve got a few recipes to get you started:
Neko Case > 2 oz BROVO Tacoma Punk
> 2 oz sparkling wine
> 2 oz soda water
Build in a wine glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.
Schwinn > 1.5 oz BROVO Amaro 4
> 1.5 oz Pinot Gris wine
> 1.5 oz soda water
Build in a wine glass with ice. Garnish with a citrus slice.
We’ve also got an aperitivo booklet for you if you want to know more or share this easy backyard entertaining idea with your friends!
In terms of a basic grocery list for a group of six friends to enjoy aperitivo hour together we suggest the following:
- One bottle of BROVO Pink Vermouth
- One bottle of BROVO Tacoma Punk
- One bottle of sparkling wine
- One bottle of sparkling water
- 3-4 oranges, either sliced or cut into wedges
- One pound of Castelvetrano olives
- Half pound of cornichons
- Bag of salted potato chips
- 2-3 pieces of cheese you like- one soft, one hard, one blue is a pretty typical combo
- Half pound of salami and prosciutto
You’re going to want to have lots of ice and we usually recommend that you serve spritzes in a wine glass. We’ve seen both white wine and red wine glasses used. Fill the glass with ice and a slice or wedge of orange, and then mix the cocktail into the glass. Be sure to stir it!
Here’s the kit if you need a link again!