The Spritz category includes some of the most well-known and popular worldwide après-dîner cocktails. In Italy, from its north to its south, the Spritz is the most common aperitivo, and most relaxing evenings with friends begin with a Spritz.
If you`re now wondering where this German name came to be associated with this aperitif, you`ll have to travel back centuries to uncover the story behind its origins. But its history is surrounded by a certain "aura of mystery" since its parentage remains uncertain. Numerous ambiguous accounts describe how it was first served, leading us back quite a long way, specifically somewhere between 1300 and 1500, during the prosperous era of the Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia - the Most Serene Venetian Republic.
The Spritz and the workers at the Arsenal of the Most Serene Republic
Don`t be confused; while the Sprits has a Teutonic name, it is totally linked to Venice - and possibly the Venetians. What is certain is that it was born in Venice and, over the centuries, has become one of the most popular aperitivi in Italy. Its popularity in modern times is due to the Venetians, who, somewhere between the 1920s and 1930s, managed to make it so popular that today it can be found in every bar, trattoria, osteria, tavern and restaurant across the country. The reasons why it is so loved are, on the one hand, its cool and fresh taste and, on the other, its "effervescent spirit".
According to the Venetians, its history begins in Venice around 1500, in the Arsenale di Venezia, the city`s colossal shipyard, which played a crucial role in the city`s dominance by enabling the rapid and simultaneous construction of many ships. At its height, Arsenale employed around sixteen thousand people daily. I could argue that it was one of the first true "industrial zones" in Europe - judging by its size, the period of its establishment, and the ingenuity of its design and operation, which included a working assembly line.
At that time, Venice, was a large and powerful state, with its territory extending over numerous islands and coastal areas of the Mediterranean. As for its economy, it was more substantial and prosperous than ever before. However, it faced a serious expansionist threat from Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the first Duke of Milan, who was already attempting to unite northern Italy in 1395 in order to create a single kingdom in Lombardy. In response, the Venetians decided they should expand inland. Their economy was based on shipbuilding, so the workers in Arsenal received preferential treatment. The state, recognising their role, rewarded them generoysly and granted them various privileges. One such privilege was their merenda-a special snack that included, among other things, gallettes (a type of dry biscuit) and wine, diluted with acqua di pozzo (cool, drinkable water from a well). This pure water, considered a luxury at the time, was, in fact a "primitive precursor" of today`s Spritz.
Spritzen! Spritz! What the Austrian soldiers claimed about the origins of this aperitivo
However, there is a second version regarding the origin of the Spritz. Given the German origin of its name, this one is probably the most reliable.
According to this alternative version, while we remain in Venice, we place ourselves chronologically in the early 19th century. The once mighty Serenissima - which had gradually fallen into decline - after Napoleon`s defeat in 1814, was returned to Austria, becoming a part of the Austro-Hungarian Kingdom of Lombardy-Venice.
Although Austrian soldiers used to drink a lot of wine in the taverns of their homeland, they had a hard time with the robust, white wines of the Veneto region. The alcohol content was too high for their tastes. Therefore, they asked for water to be added to their wine glasses - with the old soda siphons that lacked cartridges - telling them, "Spritzen!", meaning they wanted to lighten their wine. "Spritzen", means "to spray" in German. Thus, was born a first, very primitive version of Spritz. A version that, over time, evolved and changed again and again until we arrived at the current version of the Spritz as we know it today. However, this old Austro-Hungarian model is still served in some parts of northern Italy, notably in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
How to Make a Spritz: From Its Origins to Modern Variations
So far, we have seen that the Spritz originated as a long drink, diluting white wine with sparkling water, and that over time, it has evolved based on the taste preferences of different regions. In its initial version during the 1920s, some bitters were added. Thanks to this addition, the first two variants were born. In Padua they added Aperol, which was first launced in 1919. In contrast, Venice used Select, a bitter with an intense, bright ruby red colour and orange highlights made from thirty aromatic herbs. Notably, the rhubarb roots play a significant role in the composition, imparting pleasant, bitter notes, while the juniper adds its own balsamic, floral, and earthy notes. Select first appeared in 1920 in the Sestiere di Castello, the historic centre of Venice. It was created in the Distilleria of the Pilla brothers, known for their botanical liqueurs. While the bersion of Select continues to be served in Venice to this day, the Aperol variation (60 ml of Aperol|90 ml of prosecco| naturally carbonated soda or water), has dominated the rest of Italy since the 1970s, known as the Aperol Spritz.
However, Spritz Veneziano`s success is so remarkable that it has even been certified by the IBA (International Bartenders Association). It is easier to make Spritz by following the original recipe, which is why it remains popular among locals. Every place has its preferences, leading to the creations of various versions of it today.
Variations of the Spritz
The Select Spritz- The real Spritz Veneziano (50 ml Bitter Select |75 ml prosecco soda or natural sparkling water and a green olive optionally)
Bitter Spritz or Campari Spritz (60 ml Bitter Campari | 90 ml prosecco soda or sparkling water)
Pirlo (60 ml dry white wine | 30 ml Bitter Campari | sparkling, mineral water)
Hugo Spritz (80 ml prosecco | 40 ml sparkling water | 10 ml Elderflower liqueur | mint or peppermint leaves | 1 slice of lime)
Spritz Bianco (60 ml dry white wine|60 ml soda |30 ml lemon juice)
Grand Fizz (45 ml vodka | 30 ml Elderflower liqueur | 30 ml lime juice | 60 ml soda | ¼ lime garnish) Here, the vodka, instead of prosecco, gives the cocktail an alcoholic character.
Cynar Spritz (90 ml dry white wine or prosecco|60 ml Cynar |1 soda spritz). Cynar Spritz is considered the predominant competitor to Aperol Spritz. It is based on Cynar (pronounced chee-nar), a bitter, dark, and thick Italian bitter made from 13 plants and herbs, with artichoke being the primary one.
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