This Hugo Cocktail is made of prosecco, elderflower syrup and sparkling water. At only 3 ingredients and no special equipment needed, it's one of the easiest (and most delicious) cocktails to make!
This drink makes a perfect aperitivo (pre-dinner cocktail) - serve it alongside a snack or appetizer like focaccia with olives and onions, or this asparagus and broccolini tart.
I talk about aperitivo a lot on this blog (like in this campari and soda post or Americano cocktail post), and this Hugo cocktail is no exception.
Italians have this thing called aperitivo where they have a cocktail, along with a few snacks before dinner time. It's meant to help unwind after a long workday and whet the appetite for dinner. This elderflower cocktail is one of the many Italian aperitivi.
What is it?
It's a cocktail that originated in northern Italy in Alto Adige, by a bartender named Roland Gruber. He originally mixed prosecco, lemon balm syrup and sparkling water to create the drink.
But since lemon balm syrup is so rare and hard to find, it was replaced with elderflower syrup, producing a slightly different flavor, but delicious nonetheless!
It is also know as a Hugo Spritz, or an elderflower spritz.
What is a spritz?
If you order a spritz at a bar or restaurant, you may expect an Aperol spritz to be served to you. And while you're not wrong (an Aperol spritz is definitely a spritz), it's not the only one that exists.
A spritz was originally made with white wine, and adding sparkling water to make it fizzy, along with a bitter liquer. Then bartenders in Northern Italy started using prosecco instead of white wine, and upping the bitter liqueur content. The modern spritz was born.
So a spritz is just a cocktail made with prosecco, usually a bitter liqueur and sparkling water. Another example is the campari spritz. While the Hugo spritz doesn't include a bitter liqueur, it's still classified as a spritz due to the prosecco content.
What's in it?
Only 3 ingredients! One of the best things about this recipe in my opinion.
- Prosecco
- Elderflower syrup
- Sparkling water
- Garnishes: lime wedge and mint leaves
What is elderflower?
They are flowers that grow on the elder tree which are found throughout the U.K., northern Europe as well as in parts of North America, and bloom from late May to early June. They are clusters of creamy white flat-topped flowers. To many people, they smell fresh and summery.
Elderflower syrup is made by flavoring a simple syrup with the elderflowers. Elderflower syrup is relatively easy to find. It's available at IKEA, on Amazon, and other online retailers. I used the Giffard elderflower syrup.
What does elderflower taste like?
It has a delicate, slightly herbal flavor, it's also quite sweet and musky. It is actually quite similar in flavor to lychee.
It is crisp and palate-cleansing, which makes it a great choice for an aperitivo drink.
Cocktail Variations:
The recipe provided is the original recipe, which uses elderflower syrup along with the prosecco. There are variations of this drink that use elderflower liqueur like St. Germain instead of the syrup.
The liqueur variation is still delicious, but the elderflower flavor will be less pronounced, since the liqueur isn't as strong in flavor as the syrup. The final cocktail will also be less sweet. It will have a higher alcohol content as well.
How to make it:
Fill a wine glass with ice cubes (about 5-6 medium ice cubes) (photo 1)
Add elderflower syrup to the glass (photo 2)
Top with prosecco (photo 3)
Add a splash of sparkling water (photo 4)
Stir to combine (photo 5)
Garnish with mint and lime wedge (photo 6)
Top Tips:
- To get the exact measurements, it's best to use a shot glass to measure out the liquids.
- This cocktail is a bit on the sweeter side due to the elderflower syrup, so if you prefer less sweet, you can start with .5-.75 oz of syrup, and add more if you'd like
- Make sure your prosecco has been chilled in the fridge for at least a few hours. This will ensure the Hugo is extra cold (and taste better!)
- Serving: This drink is traditionally served in a wine glass. But you can serve it in a stemless wine glass, or even highball glasses.
More Aperitivo Cocktails:
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Recipe
Hugo Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz elderflower syrup
- 5 oz prosecco
- splash of sparkling water
- 2 mint leaves for garnish
- lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a wine glass with ice cubes (about 5-6 medium ice cubes)
- Add elderflower syrup to the glass. Top with prosecco. Add a splash of sparkling water.
- Stir to combine. This is an important step - or else the syrup will stay at the bottom of the glass.
- Garnish with mint and lime wedge.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- To get the exact measurements, it's best to use a shot glass to measure out the liquids.
- This cocktail is a bit on the sweeter side due to the elderflower syrup, so if you prefer less sweet, you can start with .5-.75 oz of syrup, and add more if you'd like
- Make sure your prosecco has been chilled in the fridge for at least a few hours. This will ensure the Hugo is extra cold (and taste better!)
- Serving: This drink is traditionally served in a wine glass. But you can serve it in a stemless wine glass, or even highball glasses.
- Be sure to stir the cocktail well, or else the syrup will remain at the bottom and not mix in well.
Kristine says
I added tonic water instead of seltzer, as we don’t like too-sweet drinks, and also didn’t want to cut back on the delicious elderflower liqueur. . It was perfect!