11 Of The Best Austrian Spritz Cocktails You Absolutely Have To Try (Including Recipes)
One of the best things about Austria is that they know how to do spritz cocktails and until my most recent trip to Vorarlberg, I didn’t realise *quite* how good they are.
My favourite, of course, were the spritz cocktails, which are perfect for warm weather and a night out on the town. In this post, I will discuss some of the best Austrian spritz cocktails you can try in your home too! I was honestly surprised at how many variations they had to try!
To put things simply, if you like a drink, chances are you can turn it into a spritz cocktail in Austria…
So, What Are Spritz Cocktails?
A spritz is essentially a cocktail, but one that uses white wine as the base. They are typically served in tall glasses with ice (although you will find some variations below) and garnished with an orange slice or anything else that suits your fancy.
11 Of The Best Austrian Spritz Cocktails You Absolutely Have To Try (Including Recipes)
Wiener Spritz
To start, we have the Wiener Spritz. This one is made with dry white wine, Aperol and sparkling water. It’s a light and refreshing drink that goes down easy on a hot day. Similar to an Aperol Spritz, this is a great starter choice for those that don’t know what to choose.
Recipe: Wiener Spritz
Ingredients:
-60 ml dry white wine
-30 ml Aperol
-120 ml sparkling water
Instructions: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with an orange slice if desired. Enjoy!
Tiroler Spritz
If you’re looking for something a little more potent, then you’ll want to try the Tiroler Spritz. This one is made with ungassed, dry red wine and Prosecco. I was surprised at how much flavour the red wine brought to this drink – it’s a good balance of sweet and sour flavours!
Recipe: Tiroler Spritz
Ingredients:
60 ml (or two ounces) dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir, Blauburgunder or Zweigelt)
120 ml (or four ounces) ungassed, dry Prosecco
Instructions: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
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Kaiserspritzer
The Kaiserspritzer is a classic Austrian cocktail that’s perfect for those hot summer days. It’s refreshing and light, but packs a punch! Made with white wine and vodka, you can see why. The recipe below makes one drink, but feel free to multiply it as needed.
Recipe: Kaiserspritzer
Ingredients:
30 ml (or one ounce) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) ungassed, dry white wine
30 ml (or one ounce) elderflower syrup
Instructions: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
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Hugo Spritz
Similar to the Kaiserspritzer, a Hugo Spritz takes the concept of Austrian spritz cocktails and kicks it up a notch by adding prosecco. The addition of champagne makes this cocktail light, bubbly and effervescent—perfect for celebrating or just enjoying on its own!
Recipe: Hugo Spritz
Ingredients:
60 ml (or two ounces) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) prosecco
15 ml (or one ounce) elderflower syrup
Instructions: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
Sommer Hugo Spritz
For a little twist on a Hugo Spritz, why not try a Sommer Hugo? The addition of elderflower syrup, orange and lemon make this cocktail feel both light and refreshing. I had a couple of these while enjoying the views of Lake Constance at Pier69 and honestly, it was the best way to spend the afternoon.
Recipe: Sommer Hugo Spritz
Ingredients:
60 ml (or two ounces) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) prosecco
15 ml (or one ounce) elderflower syrup Ingredients 55ml (two fluid ounces or half an imperial pint of orange juice
60 ml (two fluid ounces or half an imperial pint) of lemon juice
a dash of grenadine syrup
Instructions: To make the prosecco cocktail dissolve the sugar with three tablespoons of hot water then add the elderflower syrup and vodka, stir well to combine. In a separate jug mix together the orange juice, lemon juice and grenadine until the grenadine has dissolved. Add some ice cubes to each glass then fill halfway with prosecco mixture, top up with orange juice mixture and serve immediately.
Sachertorte Spritz
Have you ever heard of Sachertorte? It’s a BEAUTIFUL chocolate cake that is popular in both Austria and Hungary. The rich, dark chocolate flavour pairs perfectly with the sparkling wine in this cocktail, making it the perfect dessert drink!
Recipe: Sachertorte Spritz
Ingredients:
60 ml (or two ounces) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) sparkling wine
15 ml (or one ounce) apricot liqueur
Instructions: Add all of your ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
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Sangria Spritz
If you love sangria, this may be the spritz for you. This drink is a great balance of fruity and dry, with sparkling wine to add some bubbles. It’s definitely one you should try while enjoying Austria in the summer!
Recipe: Sangria Spritz
Ingredients:
40 ml (or one ounce) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) sangria
30 ml (one ounce or two tablespoons) simple syrup
Instructions: Add all of your ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
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Rosenpritzer
The Rosenspritzer is another Austrian classic that’s perfect for summertime sipping. Made with rosé wine and Campari, it’s a beautiful deep red colour and has a slightly bitter taste. The recipe below makes one drink, but multiply as needed (believe me, you’re going to want to).
Recipe: Rosenspritzer
Ingredients:
30 ml (or one ounce) Campari
120 ml (or four ounces) ungassed, dry rosé wine
Instructions: Add all of the ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
Gespritzter Apfelwein
If you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, then try out the Gespritzter Apfelwein. This drink is made with apple cider, sparkling water (or lemonade) and a sweetener of your choice. I like to use honey, but agave or simple syrup would work too.
This is definitely the perfect drink for hot summer days and I can’t wait to make it for my next garden party with friends!
Recipe: Gespritzter Apfelwein
Ingredients:
240 ml (or eight ounces) apple cider
120 ml (or four ounces) sparkling water (or lemonade)
30 ml (or one ounce) honey, agave or simple syrup
Instructions: Add all of your ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Enjoy!
Verbena Spritz
This is a wonderful summertime spritz cocktail. I love the hint of ginger in it and everything about this drink screams refreshment! It’s made with fresh verbena leaves, which give it a nice lemony touch as well as vodka, ginger ale and cranberry juice.
Recipe: Verbena Spritz Cocktail
Ingredients:
30 ml (or one ounce) vodka
120 ml (or four ounces) pomegranate juice or cranberry juice, chilled
60 ml (or two ounces) ginger ale, chilled 60 ml (or two ounces)
lemon verbena nectar
Instructions: Add all of the ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into glasses filled with crushed or cracked ice. Enjoy!
Cherry Schnapps Spritz Cocktail (In An Old Fashioned Glass)
Austrians absolutely LOVE schnapps (they even have a schnapps museum) and cherry schnapps is no exception. This is my favourite cocktail on the list and it’s very easy to make. It has an alcohol content of only twenty per cent so you might want to think about having more than one!
Recipe: Cherry Schnapps Spritz
Ingredients:
60 ml (or two ounces) cherry schnapps/liqueur
30 ml (or one ounce) vodka
60 ml (or two ounces) cranberry juice
120 ml (or four ounces) sparkling water
Directions: Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into glasses filled with crushed or cracked ice. Enjoy!
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Vienna Spritz
The Vienna Spritz is another classic Austrian spritz that’s perfect for summer sipping. It’s even better in a copper mug! This cocktail is quite strong so you might want to just have half.
Ingredients: Vienna Spritz (In A Copper Mug!)
60 ml (or two ounces) vodka
30 ml (or one ounce) pear liqueur
30 ml (or one ounce) cranberry juice
120 millilitres sparkling water
Instructions: Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into glasses filled with crushed or cracked ice. Enjoy!
So, there you have it! Lots of incredible Austrian Spritz cocktails for you to try at home! I know I’m going to be trying them all over the summer (especially if we’re still in a lockdown or another travel ban hits). Let me know if you try any of them in the comments!
