The Hugo Spritz is a refreshing Italian cocktail made with elderflower, sparkling wine, fresh mint, citrus, and a splash of soda water. It is floral without being heavy, lightly sweet, and wonderfully crisp when served over plenty of ice.

Unlike the bitter flavor of an Aperol Spritz, a Hugo has a softer, more aromatic profile. The combination of elderflower and mint gives it a fresh, summery character, while lime adds just enough acidity to keep the drink balanced.

Best of all, you can make one in just a few minutes with no shaker or complicated bartending technique.

What Is a Hugo Spritz?

A Hugo Spritz is an Italian aperitivo cocktail associated with South Tyrol in northern Italy. It traditionally combines elderflower syrup or liqueur with prosecco, mint, citrus, and sparkling water.

The drink is often credited to bartender Roland Gruber, who created an elderflower-based alternative to the more bitter spritzes popular in the region.

Today, the Hugo has become a popular choice for anyone who prefers a lighter, floral cocktail.

What Does a Hugo Spritz Taste Like?

A Hugo Spritz is:

• Floral from the elderflower
• Fresh and aromatic from the mint
• Bright from the lime
• Bubbly from the prosecco and soda water
• Lightly sweet rather than intensely sugary

If you enjoy refreshing cocktails with citrus and herbs, this is an easy one to add to your summer drink rotation.

Ingredients

For one Hugo Spritz, you’ll need:

• 1 ounce elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain
• 5 ounces chilled prosecco
• 6–8 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• ½ lime, juiced
• A splash of sparkling water
• Ice
• Lime wheels, for garnish

Choosing the Prosecco

A Brut or Extra Dry prosecco works particularly well. Since elderflower liqueur already contributes sweetness, using an overly sweet sparkling wine can make the finished cocktail taste too sugary.

For the best texture, chill the prosecco before making the drink.

How to Make a Hugo Spritz

1. Release the Mint’s Aroma

Place the mint leaves in your serving glass and gently clap them between your palms once or twice.

This releases some of the mint’s aromatic oils without aggressively crushing the leaves.

Add the elderflower liqueur and let the mint sit in it for a few minutes.

2. Add Ice and the Sparkling Ingredients

Fill the glass generously with ice.

Pour in the chilled prosecco, followed by the fresh lime juice and a small splash of sparkling water.

3. Stir Gently

Use a bar spoon to give the cocktail just a couple of gentle turns.

You don’t need to vigorously mix it. A light stir combines the ingredients while helping preserve the carbonation.

4. Garnish

Finish with a fresh mint sprig and one or two lime wheels.

Serve immediately while the drink is cold and bubbly.

Tips for Making a Better Hugo Spritz

Use plenty of ice. A well-chilled Hugo is much more refreshing, and enough ice helps keep the drink cold without quickly diluting it.

Don’t crush the mint too aggressively. Excessive muddling can make the leaves taste bitter. Gently releasing the oils is usually enough.

Keep the prosecco cold. Start with a properly chilled bottle and pour it just before serving.

Balance the sweetness. If your elderflower liqueur and prosecco are both quite sweet, choose a drier prosecco to keep the cocktail crisp.

Add soda last. The small amount of sparkling water gives the drink extra lift without overpowering the elderflower flavor.

Can You Use Lemon Instead of Lime?

Absolutely. Both citrus options work well.

Lime gives the drink a sharper, brighter citrus flavor, while lemon has a softer acidity that pairs naturally with the floral elderflower.

Use whichever you prefer or have available.

Elderflower Liqueur vs. Elderflower Syrup

Elderflower liqueur and elderflower syrup can both be used, but they aren’t exactly the same.

Elderflower liqueur contains alcohol and generally gives the cocktail a more complex flavor.

Elderflower syrup or cordial is sweeter and can be used when you want to make an alcohol-free version or simply prefer a sweeter drink.

If substituting syrup for liqueur, start with a smaller amount and adjust to taste because syrups can vary considerably in sweetness.

How to Make a Non-Alcoholic Hugo Spritz

To make a zero-proof version, replace the elderflower liqueur with elderflower cordial or syrup and use sparkling water or a non-alcoholic sparkling wine instead of prosecco.

Add plenty of ice, fresh mint, and citrus just as you would for the original.

The result will still have the floral, minty, citrus-forward character of a Hugo Spritz without the alcohol.

How to Make Hugo Spritzes for a Crowd

For a pitcher, scale the ingredients according to the number of guests.

For approximately six servings, use:

• 6 ounces elderflower liqueur
• 30 ounces prosecco
• Juice from about 3 limes
• Fresh mint
• Ice
• Sparkling water

Combine the elderflower liqueur, prosecco, lime juice, and mint in a large pitcher shortly before serving.

Avoid adding too much soda water too early because the carbonation will disappear as the pitcher sits.

Instead, add a small splash of sparkling water to each glass as you serve.

Hugo Spritz vs. Aperol Spritz

Both drinks are Italian-style spritzes, but their flavor profiles are quite different.

A Hugo Spritz gets its character from elderflower, mint, and citrus, making it floral and herbaceous.

An Aperol Spritz has a more pronounced bitter-orange flavor with a deeper orange color.

If you’re looking for a cocktail that’s floral, minty, and especially refreshing, the Hugo offers a completely different experience from the classic bitter-style spritz.

Hugo Spritz Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 ounce elderflower liqueur
• 5 ounces chilled prosecco
• 6–8 fresh mint leaves
• ½ lime, juiced
• Splash of sparkling water
• Ice
• Fresh mint and lime wheels, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the mint leaves and elderflower liqueur to a large wine glass or spritz glass.
2. Gently clap the mint between your palms to release its aroma.
3. Let the mint and elderflower sit together for about 3 minutes.
4. Fill the glass with ice.
5. Pour in the chilled prosecco.
6. Add the fresh lime juice and a splash of sparkling water.
7. Stir gently two or three times.
8. Garnish with fresh mint and lime wheels.
9. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Use a dry Brut or Extra Dry prosecco for better balance.
• Keep all of the sparkling ingredients well chilled.
• Gently release the mint oils instead of aggressively muddling the leaves.
• Adjust the lime and elderflower to taste.
• For a non-alcoholic version, use elderflower cordial and sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
• Serve immediately for the best carbonation and freshness.