The Hugo Spritz recipe
for your table
Fill a large wine glass with ice, mint leaves and lime slices.
Pour the elderflower syrup over it.
Top up with prosecco and a splash of soda water.
Stir gently once and serve with a straw or stirrer.
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The story
Unlike most classics, the Hugo has an exact date of birth and a living inventor: bartender Roland Gruber came up with it in 2005 in Naturns, South Tyrol, as an alternative to the ubiquitous Aperol Spritz. He initially wanted to call it 'Otto', but thought Hugo sounded better. Originally made with lemon balm syrup, it soon switched to the more readily available elderflower. Via Austria and Germany, the Hugo conquered all of Europe - proof that classics can still be born in this century.
The right glass
Serve the Hugo in a large wine glass or stemmed spritz glass holding 49 to 64 cl. Mint and lime look beautiful in the rounded bowl, which gives the prosecco room to sparkle. A generous glass also makes the Hugo visually what it should be: light, green and inviting. You can easily use the same glasses for any other spritz. A large, round wine glass with a capacity of 64 cl works just as well; take a look at our wine glasses.
RCR Timeless Spritz Glass 49 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Melodia Gin Tonic Glass 65 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 88,90.
The right tools
For a Hugo Spritz, you use a bar spoon to stir, a jigger to measure precisely and large ice cubes in addition to the glass. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Large cubes melt slowly, so your drink gets less diluted
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 82,80.
What do you make a Hugo Spritz with?
You need prosecco for a Hugo Spritz. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Using St-Germain liqueur instead of syrup makes it drier and fuller. A handful of raspberries makes it pink and festive; a slice of cucumber adds surprising freshness. And as an alcohol-free version with 0.0 bubbles and elderflower syrup, the Hugo may well be the best mocktail spritz there is. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Tap the mint briefly against the back of your hand before adding it to the glass, so the Hugo is fragrant even before you taste it. Using St-Germain instead of syrup gives you a slightly drier, more grown-up version.
Good to know
The ratio of prosecco, syrup and soda
This recipe calls for 12 cl of prosecco, 2 cl of elderflower syrup and a splash of soda of about 3 cl. That works out to six parts bubbles, one part syrup and one and a half parts soda, and that ratio keeps the Hugo light rather than sweet. Use more syrup and you will quickly end up with fizzy lemonade. Pour in the order given in the recipe: first the ice, mint and lime, then the syrup, followed by the prosecco, and the soda only at the end. Stir just once afterward, otherwise you will lose half the carbonation.
Difference between Hugo and Hugo Spritz
There isn't any. Roland Gruber simply called his drink Hugo in 2005, and when the spritz family became popular in Italy and Germany, Spritz was added to its name. The same prosecco, the same elderflower, the same mint and lime. In South Tyrol, you can still order a Hugo, while on Dutch terraces, Hugo Spritz appears on menus more often, simply because guests then know what category the drink belongs to. The base does sometimes vary, though: some bars use dry white wine with sparkling water instead of prosecco, resulting in a leaner version.
How much alcohol is in a Hugo Spritz
At around 8 percent, the Hugo is one of the lightest drinks on the menu. The 12 cl of prosecco at approximately 11 percent provides 1.3 cl of pure alcohol, while the syrup is alcohol-free and the soda and melting ice dilute it to a glass of about 17 cl. That is roughly one standard drink, comparable to a large glass of beer. If you use 20 percent St-Germain instead of syrup, the percentage rises to just over 9 percent. With this spritz, a second round is therefore rarely a problem.
Elderflower syrup or St-Germain
Syrup is the original choice and the cheapest: a 50 cl bottle costs a few euros and yields twenty-five glasses. St-Germain is a French elderflower liqueur at 20 percent ABV, made from hand-picked blossoms, and gives the Hugo a drier, fuller flavor. In that case, use 2 to 3 cl and leave out the syrup entirely; otherwise, the drink will be too sweet. With syrup, check the label, as varieties with a lot of citric acid taste sharp. A good elderflower syrup smells of flowers rather than candy, and you can taste that in the glass.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Hugo Spritz?
A Hugo Spritz consists of 12 cl prosecco, 2 cl elderflower syrup or St-Germain, a splash of soda water, four or five mint leaves and two lime wedges, served over plenty of ice. That is all: the elderflower provides the floral sweetness, while mint and lime provide the freshness.
Is there a difference between Hugo and Hugo Spritz?
No, it is the same drink. Hugo is the original name bartender Roland Gruber gave it in 2005 in Naturns, South Tyrol, back then still made with lemon balm syrup. When the elderflower version conquered Europe, the family name spritz was added afterward. If you order a Hugo, you get a Hugo Spritz.
What is in a Hugo Rosa Spritz?
The Hugo Rosa is the pink version: the same elderflower syrup, mint and lime, but with rosé prosecco or a handful of fresh raspberries added. The color therefore comes from the fruit or the wine, not from extra liqueur. The proportions and method remain exactly the same as in the original.
How do you make a Hugo?
Fill a large wine glass with ice, mint leaves and two lime wedges, pour in 2 cl elderflower syrup and top up with 12 cl prosecco and a splash of soda water. Stir gently once, and no more. A generous goblet lets the mint and bubbles shine; see our Aperol Spritz glasses.
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