A cocktail having Aperol is always ambrosial. But what is the Aperol alcohol content and why does it make such divine servings either as shots or in mixed drinks?
In this article, we will together explore the alcohol percentage (proof) of Aperol and compare it with other aperitifs such as Campari. Moreover, we will explain why Aperol makes excellent cocktails and the calories you will get from these drinks. Furthermore, we will give you tips on how to make the most tantalizing cocktails with our Hopsters Brewing Company’s proprietary recipes.
We have also previously given you the Campari cocktails and their alcohol content. Let’s dive into the Aperol alcohol content before going into the cocktails.
What is the Aperol alcohol content?
Aperol is an Italian bright orange bittersweet Apéritif liqueur containing 11% alcohol content by volume (22 proof) in most countries except in Germany where the ABV is 15%. Compared to Campari which has between 20.5% to 28.5 ABV, Aperol is low in alcohol content but has the same alcohol content as most Prosecco.
Aperol liqueur has a typical vibrant Orange-red Hue. You will love its characteristic bittersweet taste has been extracted from plants, herbs, and oranges. Some of the secret combination ingredients are gentian, rhubarb, cinchona, and orange, along with other herbs.
Aperol is consumed before meals since it is an aperitif. However, it is taken any time and for every occasion these days, the reason being it has a light alcohol content and sweeter taste compared to Campari.
You should note that making cocktails with Aperol with soda water and ice, knocks the ABV down significantly. For example, Aperol Spritz contains only about 9 percent alcohol.
Is Aperol high in alcohol?
If you are trying to moderate your drinking, you may need to choose Aperol. It is lighter in alcohol content compared to distilled liquors (spirits) such as whiskey, gin, vodka, or rum whose ABV is 40% on average. Moreover, Aperol has a lighter alcohol content compared to most wines (12% on average) and Campari (20.5% to 28.5 ABV).
Therefore, Aperol is not high in alcohol but has a moderate alcohol content of 11% ABV similar to most Prosecco. Moreover, if you are taking Aperol with freshly squeezed orange juice, soda water, and ice, you reduce the alcohol content significantly.
You can take Aperol straight as shots. This means that it is not compulsory to use Aperol with a mixer since its light flavor makes it perfect for drinking alone.
Moreover, the taste is not as bitter as in Campari. It is also not as overpowering as taking other distilled liquor straight up meaning there is no harsh bite when taking Aperol.
Aperol aperitivo alcohol content
Aperol aperitivo is the Italian name for Aperol Aperitif. Therefore, Aperol aperitivo has 11% ABV in all the markets except Germany where the ABV is 15%.
An Aperitivo is a meal taken before meals (pre-meal drink) whose purpose is to specifically whet your appetite and can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Some of the common aperitifs are fortified wines and herbal liqueur.
Due to the lower alcohol content compared to fortified wines such as 15–18% ABV Vermouth Alcohol Content and Campari, Aperol Aperitivo is the ideal drink any time of day thanks and thus is not limited to being an aperitif.
Aperol and soda alcohol content
The Aperol and soda cocktail is an easy-to-make homemade cocktail. It is a wonderfully light and delicious Aperol cocktail whose ingredients are available right in your home.
Even though the alcohol content of Aperol is 11%, when you add soda water, and ice, you’re knocking ABV down significantly. You will love the Aperol and soda water cocktail or when mixed with sparkling water since the traditional Aperol Spritz is a little bitter for me.
The cocktail described below will give you 139kcal per glass.
How to make Aperol and soda cocktail
The ingredients to make Aperol and soda cocktail are as follows:
- Two ounces of Aperol
- Three to four ounces of soda water or tonic water
- One splash of fruit juice or simple syrup (made from heated one cup of granulated sugar and one cup of water)
- One lemon quarter
- Ice
Instructions
- Fill the highball glasses that you want to make the Aperol and soda with ice.
- Pour two ounces of Aperol into each glass.
- Top the glasses with three to four ounces of soda water followed by a splash of syrup or fruit juice
- Squeeze your lemon quarter into the drink
- Stir the Aperol and soda cocktail gently to combine.
- Then, add an orange slice or lemon slice for garnish.
- Serve immediately while the Campari and soda cocktail is still bubbly and cold. Enjoy!
If you want a stronger Aperol recipe, you can replace the soda with white wine. This will produce a Sangria-like drink. Other people also use ginger beer instead of soda or tonic water.
Aperol Spritz recipe alcohol content
The alcohol content of Aperol Spritz is only about nine percent alcohol by volume. This means that you are highly unlikely for one glass to get you intoxicated since even Aperol contains around 11% ABV before making the cocktail.
Aperol Spritz is a great choice if you’re choosing to moderate your drinking. It is the perfect choice for pre-dinner sipping since it has a bittersweet flavor that enhances the bile production, has aromatic botanicals and its alcohol content is very manageable.
The Hopsters Brewing Company’s official Aperol Spritz recipe is three parts of prosecco (three ounces), two parts of Aperol (two ounces), and one part of soda (one ounce). You can follow our recipe as indicated below:
How to make Aperol Spritz
To Make Aperol Spritz, you need the following ingredients:
- Ice
- Three ounces of Prosecco per glass
- Two ounces of Aperol per glass
- One ounce of soda water
- Orange slice (to garnish the drink)
Instructions
- Fill the glasses that you want to make the Aperol Spritz with ice. You can use the official Aperol Spritz glass if possible.
- Pour three ounces of Prosecco into each glass.
- Add two ounces of Aperol into each glass
- Then add one ounce of club soda. Stir the Aperol Spritz briefly to combine.
- Garnish with an orange slice
- Serve the Aperol Spritz when it is still cold and enjoy!
Related: Sambuca alcohol content and calories
Campari vs Aperol alcohol content
Aperol seems to be a softer, slightly sweeter (fewer bitter notes), slightly less alcoholic version of Campari. This means that Aperol is a little lighter and friendlier compared to Campari. The taste of Aperol differs from that of Campari.
Campari has a higher alcohol content of between 20.5% to 28.5% alcohol content by volume (41 proof to 57 proof) compared to the Aperol alcohol content which is 11% by volume (22 proof).
You will fall in love with the light and sweet with vibrant grapefruit and orange candy notes, and a subtle background of bitter spices in an Aperol. This differs from the deep orange peel flavor, intense herbal bitterness, and complex notes of rhubarb, dark cinnamon and spices taste that you will find in a Campari. Aperol will give you gentian and cinchona flower hints too.
A red amaro such as Knight Gabriello Rosso Amaro or Aperix Aperativo is the nearest thing to Campari though.
Is Aperol a Campari?
Even though Aperol and Campari are similar, they are pretty different. Both are Italian aperitifs but the Campari and Aperol alcohol content, taste, and presentation are different.
Campari is more distinctly bitter with an intense citrus peel and herbal bitterness as compared to the sweeter Aperol which contains hints of bitter orange and both gentian and cinchona flowers.
Even the color of the two is different. Aperol has a bright orange color which is very distinct from Campari‘s dark red color. Aperol was invented in 1919 compared to 1860 for Campari.
Aperol makes the cut as the favorite Italian light aperitif while Campari is famous the world over.
How to store Aperol
You can store Aperol at room temperature because it has alcohol and herbal components that help to preserve the aperitif.
However, since Aperol is lighter in alcohol content compared to distilled liquor which can be stored at room temperature for a very long time, you can’t indefinitely store it at room temperature. Moreover, Aperol has a higher alcohol content compared to spirits.
Therefore, for long-term storage such as when you want to store the liqueur for more than a year, you should store the Aperol in your refrigerator to preserve it and keep it fresh.
Conclusion
We have discussed the alcohol content of Aperol (11% ABV) and compared it with Campari (20.5% to 28.5% ABV), distilled liquor (40% ABV), and wine (12% ABV). It is safe to say that Aperol is a moderately high alcohol content alcoholic drink that has a bittersweet taste.
We have also gone through the different cocktails that can be made using this aperitif for your enjoyment. These cocktails may be as easy as the Aperol Spritz 3:2:1 ratio of Prosecco: Aperol: soda or more complicated.
Finally, Aperol is made using different botanicals, fruits, herbs, and spices to give you a distinct taste and aroma.
Sources
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/all-about-aperol
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/difference-between-campari-aperol
