Non Alcoholic Aperol Spritz

 

The Aperol spritz isn't just a drink. It's a signal.

That orange glow in a wide-rimmed glass says the evening has officially begun. You're not going anywhere. Whoever you're with matters more than whatever's waiting in your inbox.

Taking alcohol out of the equation doesn't change any of that.

Whether you're pregnant, training for something, taking a break, on medication, or simply want to wake up tomorrow feeling like a functional human, you shouldn't have to miss the ritual. The ice clinking, the bubbles rising, the first sip that tastes like a sunset over the Mediterranean even if you're sitting on your back porch in the midwest. You can have all of it.

This guide covers three ways to make a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz. We'll start with the easiest (bottle substitutes), move to the most flexible (DIY builds), and finish with what we think is the most interesting: a from-scratch approach using botanical tonic syrups that captures the spirit of the spritz without trying to copy Aperol exactly.

What Makes an Aperol Spritz Work

Before we rebuild this drink without alcohol, it helps to understand what we're actually chasing.

The magic is in the balance. Aperol brings bittersweet orange, hints of rhubarb, and a gentle herbal complexity. It's not aggressively bitter like its cousin Campari. The Prosecco adds effervescence and a touch of sweetness. The soda water lightens everything and makes the whole thing dangerously sessionable.

When you remove the alcohol, you're not just removing ethanol. You're removing body, a bit of warmth, and some of that bittersweet depth. A good NA version needs to add those things back in some other way.

Method 1: The Bottle Swap (Easiest)

The fastest path to a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz is swapping in a purpose-built NA aperitivo spirit. Several companies have spent serious R&D money trying to crack this code.

What you'll need:

• 2 oz NA aperitivo spirit
• 3 oz NA sparkling wine (Gruvi, Surely, or similar)
• 1 oz soda water
• Orange slice for garnish
• Ice

The best NA Aperol substitutes (in order of how close they get):

Lyre's Italian Spritz remains the benchmark. It's been around since 2021 and still delivers the closest approximation to actual Aperol. The balance of Valencia orange and bitter herbs hits right, and it has a gentle warmth that mimics the soft bite of low-ABV aperitivo without any alcohol burn.

Free Spirits Milan runs a close second. A bit more complexity in the herbal notes, slightly less sweet than Lyre's.

Undone No. 5 offers something a little different. More bitter, closer to the Aperol/Campari middle ground. Good choice if you find regular Aperol too sweet.

Wilfred's Bittersweet leans more toward Campari territory with prominent clove and rosemary. Not an exact Aperol match, but makes a beautiful spritz if you prefer your drinks on the drier, more herbaceous side.

How to make it:

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Pour in your NA Aperol alternative, then the NA sparkling wine, then top with a splash of soda. Give it one gentle stir. Slice of orange. Done.

The whole thing takes under a minute and tastes remarkably close to the original. This is the route to take when you want the classic spritz experience with minimal effort.

Method 2: The DIY Build (Most Accessible)

Maybe you don't want to invest in specialty NA spirits. Maybe you're making drinks for one evening and don't need another bottle taking up shelf space. Fair. You can build something spritz-like using ingredients you might already have.

What you'll need:

• 2 oz fresh orange juice
• 1 oz grapefruit juice
• 0.5 oz tart cherry juice (for color and depth, optional)
• 4 oz tonic water
• NA bitters (optional but helpful)
• Orange slice for garnish
• Ice

How to make it:

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add the orange juice, grapefruit juice, and cherry juice if using. Top with tonic water. If you have NA bitters, add a few dashes. Stir gently. Garnish with orange.

Here's the truth: this won't taste exactly like an Aperol spritz. It tastes like a citrus spritzer, which is a perfectly good thing to drink on a warm afternoon. The grapefruit provides some of that bitter edge, and the cherry juice helps with color and a hint of complexity. But it lacks the herbal depth and the particular bittersweet character that makes an Aperol spritz feel like an Aperol spritz.

Think of this as the emergency option when you want something cold, fizzy, and in the right neighborhood.

Method 3: The Botanical Tonic Build (Most Interesting)

But here's the thing. There's a better way.

This is where things get interesting.

Instead of trying to replicate Aperol exactly, what if you captured the idea of an Aperol spritz? The bitter-sweet-citrus-herbal profile. The ritual of building something in a beautiful glass. The feeling that you're drinking something crafted, not just assembled.

That's the thinking behind Jo's Orange Fennel tonic syrup.

About Jo's Orange Fennel

Jo's Tonics are botanical tonic syrups designed to work in both cocktails and alcohol-free drinks. The Orange Fennel variety combines orange, lemon, fennel, anise, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom into a concentrated syrup that you mix with sparkling water to create something that lives in the same flavor universe as a spritz without pretending to be Aperol.

The orange and lemon bring citrus brightness. The fennel and anise add the herbal complexity and slight licorice note that aperitivo drinks are known for. The warming spices create depth. It's not trying to copy anything. It's doing its own thing, and that thing happens to make a fantastic non-alcoholic spritz.

This is the concentrate approach. You buy the flavor, not the filler.

What you'll need:

• 1 oz Jo's Orange Fennel tonic syrup
• 3 oz NA sparkling wine (or sparkling grape juice)
• 2 oz sparkling water
• NA bitters (optional)
• Orange slice for garnish
• Ice

How to make it:

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add the Jo's Orange Fennel syrup. Pour in the NA sparkling wine. Top with sparkling water. Add bitters if using. One gentle stir. Orange slice.

Why this works:

The concentrate format gives you control. Want it more bitter? Add a splash less sparkling wine. Want it sweeter? Use grape juice instead of dry sparkling. Hosting people with different preferences? Set out the syrup and let everyone build their own.

This is ritual over routine. You're not cracking a can or pouring from a premade mix. You're building something. That matters, even when there's no alcohol involved.

Low-ABV Option: The Wine Spritz

Jo's Orange Fennel also works beautifully in wine spritzes. If you're not avoiding alcohol entirely, just looking to drink less:

• 2 oz dry white wine
• 0.75 oz Jo's Orange Fennel syrup
• 3 oz sparkling water
• Orange slice

You get a lower-ABV drink with more flavor complexity than a regular wine spritzer. The botanicals in the syrup complement the wine rather than competing with it.

Tips for the Best NA Spritz

Now for the details that make the difference.

Chill everything first. Cold ingredients mean less ice melt, which means less dilution. A watery spritz is a sad spritz.

Use good sparkling water. San Pellegrino or Topo Chico have enough minerality to add interest. Generic club soda works but doesn't contribute much. See our guide on tonic water vs club soda for more on carbonated water options.

Don't skip the orange slice. It's not just decoration. As you drink, the oils from the peel release into the glass. That citrus aroma is part of the experience.

Make it in a wine glass. Part of what makes a spritz feel special is the presentation. A wide-rimmed glass lets you smell the drink as you sip. A highball glass works technically but loses some of the magic.

Batch it for parties. Everything except the sparkling water can be mixed ahead and kept in the fridge. Add the bubbles and ice right before serving.

Other Uses for Botanical Tonic Syrup

Once you have a bottle of botanical tonic syrup, the applications multiply:

Gin and Tonic upgrade: Mix 1 oz syrup with sparkling water, add your gin (or NA gin alternative). The botanicals create complexity you'd never get from plain tonic.

Wine spritzer: As mentioned above. Works particularly well with Grüner Veltliner, Vermentino, or dry rosé.

Sparkling lemonade: 1 oz syrup, juice of half a lemon, sparkling water. Grown-up lemonade with herbal depth.

Morning tonic: Just the syrup and sparkling water over ice. A sophisticated way to start the day that isn't coffee.

For more spritz variations, see our guides on Hugo Spritz, Limoncello Spritz, and St-Germain Spritz.

The Ritual Matters

A good drink isn't really about the alcohol. It's about the pause it creates.

Taking a few minutes to build something beautiful in a glass. Watching the bubbles rise. Holding something cold and fizzy as the light changes. None of that requires ethanol.

What it requires is intention. Good ingredients. A willingness to treat yourself like a guest worth impressing.

The NA spritz isn't a substitute for the real thing. It is the real thing. The ritual stays intact. The feeling of summer, of late afternoons, of gathering with people you actually want to spend time with. All still there.

We're just making it so everyone can have it.

FAQ

What does a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz taste like?

A good NA Aperol spritz tastes bittersweet and citrusy with herbal undertones, light effervescence, and a refreshing finish. The best versions capture that distinctively Italian aperitivo character without the alcohol warmth. Using quality NA aperitivo spirits like Lyre's Italian Spritz gets you closest to the original, while botanical tonic builds like Jo's Orange Fennel offer similar satisfaction through a different flavor profile.

Does Aperol make a non-alcoholic version?

Aperol itself doesn't make a non-alcoholic version. However, several brands make NA aperitivo spirits specifically designed to mimic Aperol in spritz recipes. Lyre's Italian Spritz is the most widely available and closest match. Other options include Free Spirits Milan, Undone No. 5, and Wilfred's Bittersweet. These are sold online and in specialty liquor stores with NA sections.

How do I make a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz for a crowd?

Combine your NA aperitivo spirit (or Jo's Orange Fennel syrup) with NA sparkling wine in a pitcher, keeping the classic 2:3 ratio. Chill in the refrigerator but don't add ice to the pitcher since that causes dilution. When serving, fill individual glasses with ice, pour the mixture, and top each glass with a splash of soda water. Garnish with orange slices. For 8-10 servings, plan on roughly 16 oz NA aperitivo and 24 oz NA sparkling wine.

Is a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz sweet?

Traditional Aperol spritzes are bittersweet rather than sugary sweet. Most NA versions maintain this balance. If you find yours too sweet, use a drier NA sparkling wine, reduce the syrup or aperitivo spirit slightly, and add more soda water. Conversely, if it's too bitter for your taste, try a sparkling grape juice instead of dry NA wine, or add a small splash of orange juice.

What's the difference between Aperol and Campari for spritzes?

Aperol is sweeter, lighter, and less bitter than Campari, with more prominent orange and rhubarb notes. Campari is intensely bitter with a bolder, more medicinal herbal profile. Most NA aperitivo spirits are designed to mimic Aperol since it's more approachable. If you prefer the Campari end of the spectrum, look for Ghia or Wilfred's, which trend more bitter and complex.

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