Hugo Spritz Recipe

by | Sep 9, 2025 | Cocktail Recipes

Hugo Spritz cocktail in a wine glass with sparkling drink, ice cubes, lemon wheel, and mint sprig garnish on a marble bar top with blurred background. Text overlay reads Hugo Spritz with Bartend Long Island logo.

Hugo Spritz Recipe

A bright, floral spritz with elderflower, mint, and lime—light, low-ABV, and built for warm Long Island afternoons and Hamptons garden parties.

We first started pouring the Hugo Spritz for outdoor parties where guests wanted something lighter than a full cocktail but more interesting than a plain glass of bubbly. It’s a floral cousin to the Aperol Spritz: Prosecco + elderflower liqueur + soda, lifted with mint and a snap of lime. On hot summer days across the Island—bridal showers, backyard dinners, beach houses—it’s the spritz that disappears first.

The key is balance: keep the Prosecco dry, measure the elderflower (it’s sweet), and use plenty of fresh mint. Below you’ll find our bartender-tested ratios for single glasses and crowd-size pitchers so you can scale without losing that crisp, garden-fresh profile.

  • Prep time:
  • Total time:
  • Servings: 1 cocktail (scales easily)

Ingredients

  • 3 oz dry Prosecco (or other dry sparkling wine)
  • 1 oz elderflower liqueur (e.g., St-Germain)
  • 2 oz chilled soda water
  • 6–8 fresh mint leaves (plus sprig for garnish)
  • 1–2 lime wheels (or a 0.25 oz squeeze)
  • Ice

Best Ratios

Classic: 3 : 1 : 2 — Prosecco : elderflower : soda (balanced and bubbly)

Drier: 3.5 : 0.75 : 2 (less sweet, more crisp)

Lighter ABV: 2 : 0.75 : 3 (sessionable for long afternoons)

Step-by-Step

  1. Lightly clap mint leaves between your palms to release aroma (don’t muddle to avoid bitterness).
  2. Fill a wine glass with ice. Add mint and lime wheels.
  3. Pour in elderflower liqueur, then Prosecco, then top with soda water.
  4. Give one gentle stir. Garnish with a mint sprig and optional lime wheel. Serve immediately.

Variations We Love

  • Hugo Rosa: Use dry rosé Prosecco for a blush spritz.
  • Cucumber Hugo: Add 2–3 thin cucumber slices for spa-day vibes.
  • NA Hugo: Use non-alcoholic sparkling wine + NA elderflower syrup; keep the mint and lime.
  • Hugo Highball: Swap the wine glass for a Collins and increase soda to 3–4 oz for lower ABV.

Pitcher & Party Math

Standard pours (per drink): Prosecco 3 oz, elderflower 1 oz, soda 2 oz.

  • 750 ml Prosecco ≈ 25.4 oz → ~8 Hugo pours at 3 oz sparkling each
  • 1L soda ≈ 33.8 oz → ~16 pours at 2 oz each

Pitcher for 8

  • Prosecco: 24 oz (≈ 1 bottle)
  • Elderflower liqueur: 8 oz
  • Soda water: 16 oz
  • Mint: 1 large bunch; Lime wheels: 8–12

Pitcher for 20

  • Prosecco: 60 oz (≈ 2.5 bottles; round up to 3)
  • Elderflower liqueur: 20 oz (1 × 750 ml covers ~25 oz)
  • Soda water: 40 oz (≈ 1.2 L)
  • Mint: 2–3 bunches; Lime wheels: 20–30

Plan 2–3 spritzes per guest over ~2 hours. For 20 guests × 2 spritzes, budget ~3 bottles Prosecco + 1 bottle elderflower liqueur + 1.5 L soda.