You’re traipsing downtown on a humid summer evening when you pass a group of friends gathered on a restaurant patio. As they clink their chilled glasses, you realize that their sloshing bevvies aren’t an eye-catching bright orange — there’s not an Aperol Spritz in sight. Instead, these revelers are all sipping pale, bubbly concoctions that look a bit like something you’ve seen on Instagram.
In 2025, you may have noticed that a new, refreshing libation has taken restaurants, beach bars, and your TikTok feed by storm: Meet the light, fresh, and floral Hugo Spritz. We’ll cover the appeal of the drink, why its star is rising, and how you can make one for your next happy hour.
What is a Hugo Spritz?
So what’s actually in a Hugo Spritz? Our very own Katie Couric couldn’t have explained it better. In a recent post on her Substack, she wrote, “a Hugo is billed as a ‘refreshing, floral, and slightly herbaceous Italian aperitif,’ made with Prosecco, elderflower liqueur, soda water, and mint, with a jaunty lime wedge and a sprig of mint for good measure.”
If you aren’t a fan of Aperol, the Hugo is a much more crowd-pleasing alternative: St-Germain, the elderflower liqueur that Katie mentions, is gently floral, rather than bitter. Prosecco contributes a mildly fruity aroma with a crisp finish, while mint adds a cool, refreshing quality to the drink. A splash of soda water keeps it light and sessionable, making it the ideal aperitivo for long summer afternoons — elegant, easy-drinking, and effortlessly charming.
Why is the Hugo Spritz trending in 2025?
Despite its recent popularity, the drink isn’t exactly a new invention; it dates back to 2005, when Italian bartender Roland Gruber mixed it up as a fun alternative to an Aperol Spritz. So, during those early days in South Tyrol, it was more of an “if you know, you know” situation, and its international spread was slow.
“I learned about this cocktail when somebody ordered it a few years back,” veteran bartender Johan Hagstrom tells us. “I only made one or two after that.”
But this summer, things have changed: “A few months ago, I started getting more and more orders.”
Hagstrom points out that the Aperol Spritz made a mega-splash after being featured in the second season of The White Lotus. Although the Hugo hasn’t been name-dropped in a hit show or splashed across the big screen, it’s benefiting from the spotlight that has been shining on its more divisive friend.
As Aperol became a pop culture fixture — from Euro-summer scenes in prestige dramas to influencer posts on Italian coastlines — many drinkers sought a similar but more approachable alternative. The folks at Business Insider also suspect the Hugo tagged along on Aperol’s rise to stardom — it seems like the two bubbly, European bevvies may be perpetually linked as alternatives to each other, in a Britney-Christina or Coke-Sprite fashion.
But the Hugo isn’t completely riding its relative’s coattails: It’s also hugely attractive to influencers. The drink has striking visual appeal — it’s delicately pale, fizzy, and garnished with fresh herbs, which makes for a pretty perfect Instagram post.
St-Germain has leaned into that vacation-ready aesthetic: In 2025, they featured Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner in a campaign emphasizing the easy, breezy, Euro sensibilities of the drink. In the ad, Turner mixes up the cocktails on short notice for a romantic rendezvous, emphasizing effortless elegance all the while.
Business Insider also spoke to Paige Leyden, associate director of foodservice, flavors, and ingredients reports at marketing agency Mintel. Leyden told them that the Hugo’s ease and elegance is a relatively cheap reprieve from everyday life: “Travel is expensive, but there is that level of escapism when you can just go to a nice bar and sit outside and have this drink. You might not be on the picturesque Mediterranean coast, but you’re still kind of emulating that.”
Want to embark on your own getaway? Check out Hagstrom’s straightforward TikTok tutorial for the drink. He also includes some professional cork-popping advice that you may need.
And if the ingredients aren’t really your jam, don’t worry about feeling left out of some worldwide St-Germaine craze: “People aren’t asking for St-Germain cocktails — just the Hugo,” Hagstrom clarifies.
In fact, despite the Hugo Spritz’s newfound popularity, most bar patrons aren’t afraid to stick to what they know. “The espresso martini is still the constant order at our bar,” Hagstrom explains. Hey — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
