Drinks Cocktails Brunch Cocktails Bitter Lemon Spritz Be the first to rate & review! This take on an Italian aperitivo spritz swaps sparkling wine for light lager, which pairs perfectly with amaro and lemon juice. By Lucy Simon Lucy Simon Lucy Simon is a New York-based wine, spirits, and food writer has been with Food & Wine since the spring of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 20, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Photo: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 serving There’s nothing more satisfying than an amaro spritz at 5 p.m. on a warm summer evening. A cross between a beer cocktail and a spritz, this drink combines amaro with freshly squeezed lemon juice and an American-style lager like Miller High Life. The result is a balanced bittersweet, tart, and fizzy cocktail. To go a step further, channel Italian aperitivo hour vibes and serve this drink in a large goblet or wine glass with plenty of ice and a straw for easy sipping. Made with just three ingredients, the Bitter Lemon Spritz comes together in seconds and is sure to please. Amaro, a bittersweet Italian liqueur made by infusing grape brandy with various herbs, citrus peels, and other aromatic ingredients, gives this cocktail its depth and complexity. After the brandy infuses with flavorings, it gets sweetened, which gives amaro the ability to age for a long time. While amaro is delicious on its own or poured over ice, it also pairs well in cocktails with a variety of flavor profiles. But because each amaro is composed of unique ingredients, choosing which amaro you use in a cocktail is key. The Bitter Lemon Spritz leans on Averna, which is a richer, sweeter style of amaro that has been produced in Sicily for nearly 150 years. Compared to less sweet, more herbaceous amaros, like Fernet Branca or Cynar, Averna pairs well with the slight bitterness of the lager. Averna has a silky texture that gives this drink a surprisingly luxurious mouthfeel for a spritz, a typically lighter style of cocktail. While the classic Italian aperitivo spritz is made with prosecco or another sparkling wine, American-style lager brings an interesting dimension to this drink. Light lagers like Miller High Life have a gently bready and savory bitterness, which helps create depth. While lager is a versatile ingredient in cocktails, it lacks the brightness and acidity of sparkling wine, so adding a hefty squeeze of lemon to this drink is crucial to achieving balance. Finish the cocktail with a lemon peel for a hit of aromatic freshness. Ingredients 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 ounce Italian amaro (such as Averna) 6 ounces lager 1 tbsp lemon peel Directions Combine lemon juice and amaro in a large wine glass. Fill glass with ice and beer; stir well, about 30 seconds. Garnish with lemon peel, and serve. Rate It Print