The spritz is the perfect Malaysian climate cocktail. Low ABV, long, refreshing, served over plenty of ice in a wine glass. The template is so versatile that almost any flavour profile can be spritz-ified. Here is the working framework, then twelve recipes that hold up.

The 3-2-1 template

The original Veneto Aperol spritz formula is 3-2-1: 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, 1 part soda. Translate to ml: 90ml prosecco + 60ml Aperol + 30ml soda, served in a wine glass over ice with an orange slice.

Every spritz can be built on this template. The three parts are:

  • Sparkling wine or sparkling water (the lift)
  • Bitter aperitif or fruit liqueur (the flavour)
  • Soda water (the dilution)

The trick is in the choice of bitter and the supporting flavours. The format is dependable; the personality comes from the inputs.

The bitter base options

The most-common Italian aperitivos that work as the bitter base:

  • Aperol: orange, slightly sweet, low bitter. The default.
  • Campari: deeply bitter, herbal, red. The serious version.
  • Select Aperitivo: Venetian Campari-Aperol hybrid. Cult choice.
  • Cynar: artichoke-based. Vegetal, bitter, deep.
  • St-Germain elderflower liqueur: floral, low-bitter, sweet. The Hugo Spritz base.
  • Cocchi Americano or Lillet Blanc: aromatised wines. The white spritz category.
  • Suze: French gentian. Pale, very bitter, floral.

The sparkling base options

Prosecco: the classic. Fruity, soft, accessible. RM 100-180 a bottle in KL.

Cava: drier, more structured. Excellent value.

NA sparkling wine: for zero-proof spritzes. Lyre's Classico, Codorníu Cero.

White wine (still, then soda separately): for a wine spritz. The classic Venetian style.

Champagne in a spritz is a waste of money. Use cava instead.

Twelve working spritz recipes

1. Aperol Spritz (canonical). 90ml prosecco, 60ml Aperol, 30ml soda, orange slice.

2. Campari Spritz. Same as above with Campari instead of Aperol. Drier, more bitter, more grown-up.

3. Hugo Spritz. 90ml prosecco, 30ml St-Germain elderflower liqueur, 60ml soda, fresh mint sprig, lime wheel. Floral, fresh, low-bitter.

4. Negroni Sbagliato. Equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, prosecco. Built in a rocks glass over a large cube, orange peel. See our recipe.

5. Americano Spritz. 30ml Campari, 30ml sweet vermouth, 90ml soda. The slimmer, lower-ABV cousin of the Negroni.

6. Bicicletta. 60ml Campari, 90ml dry white wine, 30ml soda. The cyclist's spritz: lighter, easier to drink a few of.

7. Hibiscus Spritz. 60ml strong hibiscus concentrate, 30ml fresh lemon, 90ml prosecco, dehydrated lemon wheel.

8. Calamansi Spritz. 30ml fresh calamansi, 45ml St-Germain, 90ml prosecco, calamansi peel. Our Malaysian take.

9. Bunga Telang Spritz. Strong butterfly pea cold brew 30ml, lime juice 15ml, simple syrup 5ml, prosecco 90ml. Deep blue colour, magical when lime hits.

10. Roselle Spritz. Hibiscus-roselle syrup 30ml, fresh lime 10ml, NA sparkling 100ml, fresh roselle flower. Zero-proof variant of #7.

11. Bandung Spritz. Rose syrup 15ml, evaporated milk 30ml, cava 90ml, ice. Our adult bandung. Pink, slightly creamy, structured.

12. Pandan Spritz. Pandan syrup 15ml, fresh lime 15ml, gin 30ml, prosecco 75ml, pandan leaf knotted. The herbal-tropical variant.

The Malaysian climate angle

Petaling Jaya runs at 28-33°C most of the year. The spritz is structurally the right cocktail format: low ABV (no overheating), long format (extends the drink), high ice content (extends cooling), refreshing acidity. We pour more spritzes per week than any other category.

For groups: order one bottle of cava (5 glasses), one bottle of Aperol or Campari (10 spritzes per bottle), and have soda water on the table. Self-service spritz programme; works for parties of 4-12.

What to skip

Pre-mixed bottled spritz (Aperol Spritz Cans, Lyre's Italian Spritz). Convenient but flat, oversweet, and twice the price-per-serve of building from a bottle of Aperol and a bottle of prosecco.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

What is the spritz cocktail template?

The spritz is a long, low-ABV format built on a 3-2-1 ratio: three parts sparkling wine, two parts bitter aperitif or fruit liqueur, one part soda water. Served in a wine glass over plenty of ice with a citrus garnish. The original Veneto Aperol Spritz is 90ml prosecco, 60ml Aperol, 30ml soda, orange slice. The structure is dependable; the personality comes from the chosen bitter.

How do I make an Aperol Spritz at home?

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Pour in 90ml prosecco, then 60ml Aperol, then 30ml chilled soda water. Stir once gently to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange slice. The order matters: bubbles last, no shake. Cava works as a cheaper, drier substitute for prosecco; champagne is wasted in a spritz.

Which bitter should I pick as a spritz base?

Aperol is the default (orange, low bitter, slightly sweet). Campari is the serious version (deeply bitter, herbal). St-Germain elderflower makes the floral Hugo Spritz. Cynar is artichoke-vegetal. Cocchi Americano and Lillet Blanc give the dry white-spritz category. Suze is pale gentian, very bitter. Pick by how bitter and how sweet you want the finished drink.

Can I make a non-alcoholic spritz?

Yes. Use NA sparkling wine (Lyre's Classico, Codorníu Cero) in place of prosecco, and swap the Aperol for a strong hibiscus or roselle concentrate, butterfly pea cold brew with lime, or a non-alcoholic aperitif like Lyre's Italian Orange. Same 3-2-1 ratio. The Roselle Spritz (30ml hibiscus-roselle syrup, 10ml lime, 100ml NA sparkling, fresh flower) is our reference build.

Where can I drink spritzes in PJ?

Dissolved Solids (43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607) and Soluble Solids (50-1 Jalan SS2/24, WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651) both run spritz programmes year-round, including Aperol, Campari, Hugo, Calamansi, Bunga Telang, and Bandung variants. For groups, order a bottle of cava and a bottle of Aperol for a self-service spritz table; works for parties of 4 to 12.