Written by Caity Thomas and Carolyn Whiteley - Seadrift Distillery
Light, fresh, floral and wonderfully easy to drink, the Hugo Spritz is shaping up to be the drink of summer.
If the Aperol Spritz has dominated sunny evenings, the Hugo Spritz is its lighter, fresher cousin. Made with elderflower, sparkling wine, soda, fresh mint and lime, it’s crisp, aromatic and made for long lunches, summer parties and afternoons in the sun.
A 0% Hugo Spritz delivers everything we love about the original - the bubbles, botanicals, elderflower and ritual of a proper aperitif - without the alcohol.
What is a Hugo Spritz?
The Hugo Spritz originated in northern Italy and has become one of Europe’s favourite summer drinks.
Unlike the bittersweet orange flavours of an Aperol Spritz, the Hugo is all about freshness. Elderflower brings a delicate floral sweetness, while mint, lime, soda and sparkling wine keep the drink bright and refreshing.
The result is a cocktail that feels sophisticated without being complicated.
It’s also incredibly easy to make.
How to Make a Seadrift 0% Hugo Spritz
Our Seadrift 0% Hugo Spritz takes the freshness of the classic Hugo and adds fresh botanical complexity with Seadrift Coast.
Seadrift 0% Hugo Spritz Recipe
Fill a large wine glass generously with ice.
Hugo Spritz Ingredients:
- 30ml Seadrift Coast 0% Spirit
- 15–20ml elderflower cordial
- 75ml alcohol-free sparkling wine
- 30ml soda water
- A squeeze of fresh lime
Gently stir, then finish with plenty of fresh mint and a slice or wedge of lime.
For a lighter drink, add a little more soda. If you like your Hugo slightly sweeter, increase the elderflower cordial.
Simple, refreshing and very, very drinkable. To watch our bar team make this click here.
Why the Hugo Spritz Is Perfect for Summer Drinking
There’s a reason the Hugo Spritz works so well when the temperature rises.
It’s long rather than strong, packed with ice and topped with soda. Mint and lime bring freshness, elderflower adds fragrance, and the bubbles give it that summer aperitif feeling.
It's the perfect welcome drink at a summer party, lunchtime accompaniment, or beach BBQ drink.
But perhaps the biggest shift this summer, is that more of us want the experience of a great cocktail without necessarily wanting the alcohol that traditionally comes with it.
That’s where the 0% Hugo really comes into its own.
The Benefits of a 0% Hugo Spritz
Choosing a non-alcoholic Hugo Spritz doesn’t mean giving up the cocktail experience.
Quite the opposite.
With the right ingredients, you still get the beautiful glass, plenty of ice, fresh botanicals, bubbles, garnish and all-important first sip. What you leave behind is the alcohol.
That makes a 0% Hugo Spritz a brilliant option when you want to:
Feel good the next morning. Enjoy a few drinks over a long afternoon without the foggy next day.
Drink at your own pace. A 0% cocktail makes it easier to stay for another round without having to keep count.
Make moderation feel like a choice, not a compromise. You can alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks or stay 0% all afternoon.
Enjoy more drinking occasions. Lunches, Sunday afternoons, midweek catch-ups and early evening drinks all become easier when alcohol doesn't have to be part of the equation.
Stay clear and present. You still get the ritual and social connection of sharing a beautiful drink while staying completely alcohol free.
For us, that’s what modern drinking should be about: more choice, not less.
BUY SEADRIFT COAST HERE
What Makes the Seadrift Hugo Spritz Different?
At Seadrift, we don't think a great non-alcoholic cocktail should taste like something is missing.
Seadrift Coast is distilled in our Sydney distillery using fresh botanicals and traditional copper pot stills. Rather than simply removing alcohol from an existing spirit, we create our spirits alcohol free from the beginning.
In the Hugo Spritz, Coast gives the drink an extra botanical layer that works beautifully with elderflower, mint and lime.
The result is not simply elderflower cordial and soda. It has the aroma, complexity and grown-up finish you want from a proper cocktail.
Hugo Spritz vs Aperol Spritz: What's the Difference?
If you love an Aperol Spritz but fancy something different this summer, the Hugo is an easy switch.
An Aperol Spritz is known for its orange colour and bittersweet citrus flavour.
A Hugo Spritz is lighter, greener and more floral, with elderflower, mint and lime taking centre stage.
Both have that wonderfully Italian combination of bubbles, ice and aperitivo drinking, but the Hugo feels particularly suited to hot summer days when you want something fresh and easy.
Make the Hugo Your Summer Spritz
Some drinks just belong to summer.
This year, we're calling it: the Hugo Spritz is one of them.
Make a jug for friends. Mix one while you're cooking dinner. Serve them at your next summer party. Or pour yourself one, find a patch of sunshine and take ten minutes out of the day.
And when you want all the pleasure of summer drinking without the alcohol, make it a Seadrift 0% Hugo Spritz.
Fresh. Floral. Sparkling. 0%.
Summer in a glass.