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The St Germain Spritz is a delightful blend of elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine, and club soda. It’s perfect for sipping on patios, enjoying at brunch, or anytime you crave a lightly sweet and bubbly cocktail!
Why you’ll love this cocktail
The first time I tried St Germain liqueur years ago is still a strong memory—the delicate, floral sweetness immediately captivated me! After testing countless St Germain cocktail recipes, the St Germain Spritz has become my absolute favorite way to showcase this elderflower liqueur.
What makes this cocktail so special? Well, it’s so refreshing without being too sweet, sophisticated without being pretentious, and—maybe best of all—it takes minutes to prepare. I love other spritzes (like the popular Aperol Spritz), but I would pick this version every time! The light, effervescent quality makes it perfect as a brunch drink, but it’s equally great to make for a summer barbecue.
The essential spritz ingredients
The St Germain spritz is variation on the popular Aperol spritz, an Italian aperitif. This variation simply swaps in this elderflower liqueur in this classic formula! With just three main ingredients, the quality of each component really matters. Here’s what you’ll need:
- St Germain: I’m a big fan of St-Germain, a popular elderflower liqueur tastes light, sweetly floral, and fragrant. It’s quite popular and easy to find at most liquor stores. Despite its vintage-looking bottle, St Germain was actually created in 2007—though its popularity makes it feel like a classic that’s been around forever.
- Sparkling wine: Traditional spritzes use Prosecco, which has delicious fruit-forward notes and is typically more budget-friendly than Champagne. But if you prefer, feel free to use Champagne.
- Soda water: Just a splash of club soda or unflavored sparkling water adds dilution and effervescence. I use our SodaStream at home for the freshest bubbles, but any club soda or unflavored sparkling water works great.
🍾 Tip: A 750 ml bottle of Prosecco is 25 ounces, enough for 8 drinks. If you’re making 2 drinks, a mini bottle is perfect—it holds 187 mL or about 6 ounces!
How to make a St Germain spritz
I’ve refined this recipe to be as simple as possible while maintaining perfect balance. The good news is that unlike many cocktails, this one requires no special equipment or techniques—just a gentle stir and you’re done! Here are the basic steps (or skip to the full recipe):
Step 1: Chill the St Germain
- Pour 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of St Germain into a wine glass or spritz glass filled with ice. Give it a quick stir to chill the liqueur.
- Why this matters: Starting with the liqueur allows it to properly chill before adding the bubbly ingredients.
Step 2: Add the bubbles
- Add 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of chilled Prosecco or Champagne, followed by 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of soda water.
- Technique tip: Pour the sparkling wine slowly down the side of the glass to preserve as much effervescence as possible. The soda water should be added last as a finishing touch.
Step 3: Final touch and garnish
- Squeeze in a lemon wedge and give everything a gentle stir. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme, lavender, or rosemary.
- Pro tip: The herb garnish isn’t just decorative—the aromatic qualities enhance the floral notes in the drink with every sip. I like using thyme in spring and summer, and rosemary during cooler months.
Variation: the Hugo spritz
After falling in love with the St Germain Spritz, I discovered its cousin—the Hugo spritz cocktail. This variation is incredibly popular in the Alpine regions, where fresh mint adds a refreshing dimension that complements the elderflower. To make a Hugo Spritz, follow the same recipe but add:
- 3-4 fresh mint leaves, gently muddled
- Replace the lemon wedge with lime
- Garnish with an additional mint sprig
The perfect spritz ratio
The perfect spritz ratio (yes, it’s a thing) is 3-2-1: three parts sparkling wine, two parts liqueur, one part soda water. This formula works for virtually any spritz variation and creates the ideal balance of flavor and effervescence.
Once you’ve mastered this with St Germain, you can apply it to create endless spritz variations with different liqueurs! Try these spritz ideas:
Step it up: try clear ice!
Want to really impress your guests? Clear ice elevates this simple cocktail to craft cocktail bar status. Here’s my simplified method: all you need is 24 hours and a small cooler! Go to How to Make Clear Ice.
Frequently asked questions
The name is French, so say “Sahn-jer-MAHN” with your best French accent. I’ve heard plenty of pronunciations over the years, but this is the authentic one!
Club soda adds a refreshing touch and essential fizziness. However, if you don’t have it, a splash of plain seltzer water will work too.
A lemon or lime wedge is the classic garnish. For a more floral touch, add a sprig of fresh elderflower (if available) or lavender. A slice of cucumber can also be a refreshing addition.
Absolutely! For a group of 8, use:
2 cups St Germain
1 750 ml bottle Prosecco
1 cup soda water
But remember—add the Prosecco and soda water just before serving to maintain maximum bubbles.
St Germain Spritz
Bubbly and floral, this St Germain Spritz is the ideal refreshing cocktail! An easy way to use this elderflower liqueur, it takes only 3 minutes to make.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) St Germain
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) sparkling wine, such as Prosecco or champagne, chilled
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) soda water
- Ice (try clear ice!)
- For the garnish: lemon wedge, fresh thyme, lavender or rosemary, and a straw if you’d like
Instructions
- Add the St Germain to a glass filled with ice and stir. Top with the sparkling wine and soda water.
- Squeeze in the lemon wedge and stir gently. Serve with fresh herbs, and if you’d like, a straw to minimize dilution!
More ways to use that bottle of St Germain
One of my favorite things about St Germain is its versatility. Once you’ve invested in a bottle, here are some other delicious St Germain cocktails to use it:
- French Gimlet: A sophisticated take on the classic, combining St Germain with gin and lime
- St Germain Cranberry Cocktail: A fun bright pink variation
- St Germain Champagne Cocktail: An elegant twist on the French 75!
- Skeleton Key Cocktail: A surprising pairing with bourbon that works beautifully
We just made this spritz… delicious