The drink to quench all thirst. Born by the turquoise lakes of Northern Italy, bottled by your team at Black Lines. A serve with all the allure of a sundrenched Mediterranean summer. The latest addition to our bottled and on-tap portfolio: it’s time to take a look below the surface.
A short history of the Hugo Spritz.
A drink on the lighter side of the cocktail spectrum: the Spritz. In their book, Spritz: Italy’s Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau travel the unofficial ‘Spritz Trail’ of Italy. “We discovered that the Spritz’s biggest secret is that it really is much more than a recipe or a category of drinks. The Spritz is a regional perspective on the aperitif”, signifying a cultural way that particular Northern regions approach aperitifs.
Enter the Hugo Spritz, emerging on the scene in 2005 - one such regional spritz. According to Difford’s Guide, The Hugo (pronounced ‘Ugo’), was invented by bartender Roland Gruber in the Northern Italian town of South Tyrol. Seeking an alternative to the ubiquitous Aperol Spritz, Gruber combined elderflower syrup, sparkling wine, and soda water to create a light, aromatic cocktail.
By forgoing the bitter element of the Aperol or Campari Spritz - the Hugo’s floral base offers a refreshing, lighter, gently sweeter alternative. A drink of timeless charm, it spread quickly in popularity through the Alps and across Europe and iscelebrated for its delicate balance of sweetness and effervescence.
The Black Lines Bottled Hugo Spritz.
A cocktail so delicious - we had to bottle it. The Black Lines Hugo Spritz: Sapling Gin, Sparkling Wine, Elderflower, Mint, Lemon, Soda. Gently sparkling, refreshing to sip and ever so easy on the palate. Expect crisp notes of elderflower, rounded by lightly sparkling wine and London Dry Gin, with zest of lemon for a refreshing finish.
Serving the perfect Hugo Spritz.
Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you. Here’s how to serve the Hugo at home:
- Pop the Hugo Spritz bottle in the fridge. The colder the better.
- Generously fill a wine glass with ice.
- Pour 150ml of Hugo into the glass.
- Simply garnish with a lemon wheel, a fresh sprig of mint and enjoy.
An extra tip for your garnish: firmly slap the mint on the palm of your hand before garnishing. Releasing the oils to make the mint more aromatic.
The Black Lines Hugo Spritz Illustration.
We believe that every cocktail has its own personality: a personality that deserves to be articulated. Meet the latest of the Black Lines family of illustrations, the Hugo Spritz - characterised by our friend Waldemar Stepien. Alluring and dynamic, the fluent lines and abstract nature of the illustration reflect the energy of our Hugo. Waldemar’s unique combination of hand-drawn and digital solutions to approach each of his projects made him the ideal artist to bring the Hugo Spritz to life.
The Hugo Spritz Moment.
Aromatic, crisp and deliciously easy to drink, the Hugo Spritz is finally having its moment in the limelight and for good reason. In our books, Aperol has met its match - this will be the drink of the summer. The sexier sibling of the Italian spritzes. Our perfect Hugo moment? The first day of the holiday: ever so slightly sunburnt, freshly showered after the perfect post-beach nap. Sat on the terrace overlooking the sea, you’re served the Hugo as an aperitif with pre-dinner olives and bread. Now that’s the dream.
Where can you find the Black Lines Hugo Spritz?
We’re excited to deliver the Black Lines take both in bottle and on-tap in London and beyond. You can find the Hugo Spritz on our online store, served to you in our Little lines bar or The Standard Hotel, or pick up a bottle at Lumberjack, Salthouse and other stores.
Buy the Hugo Spritz.
