Game-changing way to drink Aperol Spritz in winter will be your new guilty pleasure

You can keep the colder months, I thrive in spring. Always have done.   

That twinge of elation when I see my first daffodil, the thought of the days getting lighter by a couple of minutes every morning, the idea of stripping off layers and not feeling like Joey when he puts on all of Chandler’s outfits and says, “could I BE wearing anymore clothes?”  

And the sunrise-coloured Aperol Spritz represents that very time of year, especially when you pour it into a glass full of so much ice that it rattles like a windchime in a hurricane, and garnish it with an oversized slice of orange you have to manoeuvre past to even get to the liquid.

Now, that’s my idea of bliss, but please keep that to yourselves.

Is it sugary? Massively. Is it a guilty pleasure on a par with watching the new season of Emily in Paris when you’re home alone? Absolutely. And have I been missing them greatly? 100%.

So, imagine my joy once I discovered that there was a warming way of drinking Aperol in the trenches of winter…

I know for a fact that winter markets in Germany and Austria sell mulled versions of the vibrantly-coloured aperitif. And I’m not a skier, but they’ve probably been necking mulled Aperol on the slopes for years, too.

We’ve already mulled the living daylights out of white, red, rosé wine, even Negronis, to be able to consume them during January’s icy blast, so why not Aperol?

The great thing about adding a warm element to the drink is that the bitterness rounds out, and the orange component becomes marmalade-adjacent.  

How to make a mulled aperol spritz

So, how in the Glühwein replacement do you make it, then? 100ml Aperol, 300ml dry white wine, 300ml apple juice or orange juice and two tbsp honey, brewed with winter mulling spices; one cinnamon stick, three to four cloves, one star anise and orange slices.

The white wine replaces the bubbles, and there’s even the option to add a whipped cream topping. Something I won’t be doing.

But while this is a tasty winter recipe, mulled Aperol just didn’t cut it for me.

Why? Because one of the best bits about an Aperol Spritz is the bubbles, so I’m voting to keep them in. Frustratingly, the minute you heat up anything fizzy, it loses its carbonation quicker than people doing Dry January take up drinking again on February 1.

So, controversially then, I’ve come up with another hot spritz recipe, and this one involves a different kind of heat; an overnight infusion of chilli.

The bitterness is still there, but now it’s followed by a warming kick of heat that grows in your mouth like a radiator firing up. Heck, Aperol Spritz purists might even approve, it’s sweet and spicy, aka, ‘swicy’.

Imagine it: Bitter-sweet Aperol, spiked with chilli and topped up with crisp Cava, not Prosecco. The reason for the last part is that we already have tablespoons of sweetness coming from the Aperol, we don’t need even more coming from the, typically off-dry, Prosecco.  

And I get it, Aperol is from the piazzas of Venice, right next to the sweeping vineyards of Prosecco. That’s why they traditionally use them in the same drink, but I’m all for a melting pot of cultures.

In all fairness, you could use most sparkling wines, and it would still be banging. I wouldn’t bother with soda water, though, as the ice is already diluting the drink, nor do they use it in certain parts of Italy. But by all means, include it if you’re looking for something lighter.

If you’re intrigued, here’s a closer look at my Spicy Aperol Spritz recipe for winter, and I promise you, it’s a game-changer…

How to make a Spicy Aperol Spritz

1. Cut the chillis length-wise to expose the seeds, place them at the bottom of a large jar. You can use Serranos, Habaneros or Scotch bonnets depending on how hot you want it. (if you’re using ‘regular’ chillis, remember to add more than one, I learnt that the hard way)
2. Pour the Aperol over the chillis and fill up the jar. Whack it in the fridge overnight, or wait two to three days for more heat.
3. Take out of the fridge and strain out the seeds into the Aperol bottle.
4. When you’re ready to assemble the drink, build the Aperol Spritz as you would usually, topping off with the sparkling of your choice. If you’d like extra heat, rim the glass with Tajin, salt and sugar, equal parts in advance.
5. Garnish with a wheel of orange and enjoy.  

And remember, always put the ice in last. Go ahead and thank me later.

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