Consider the spritz, a versatile summer drink

At one time, the term “spritz” felt outdated, a throwback to the 1980s, associated with the elderly boozy aunt at a family gathering. Or maybe that’s just how I viewed it, partly due to an 80th birthday party for my husband’s grandma, where the vast majority of guests were alive during the Eisenhower administration and absolutely crushed gallons of white wine spritzers, aka Pinot Grigio and Sprite. Then I had my first Aperol spritz at The Livermore (now the Lorelei cocktail bar) in East Liberty. The combination of bitter, sweet, and bubbly excited my taste buds as no other cocktail had ever done, a major compliment given my general distaste for booze. Now, every summer, my house always has a bottle of Aperol, cheap prosecco, and bitters on hand, just in case. While certainly not new, spritzes, which have European origins, have become increasingly popular with Americans. The Aperol spritz emerged in the 1950s as a daytime drink and aperitivo favored by Italians. During a summer in Portugal, I saw many bars touting the cocktail, seemingly to lure thirsty tourists desperately seeking refreshment. While I usually go for the classic Aperol, I’ve become increasingly intrigued by spritz fans experimenting with different flavor profiles. My husband has swapped Aperol for Cynar , a comparatively more syrupy experience. Influencers and lifestyle publications have also started introducing wild spritz combinations just in time for summer. My Instagram saves are now full of spritz-related Reels, including a recipe for a Pickle Spritz from Food and Wine and a caffeinated Coffee Spritzer in case I want to relive my early-aughts Sparks days and choose violence. Local bars and restaurants have also banked on spritzes to attract crowds during this especially hot summer. Recently, Aperol hosted a Camp Spritz experience at the Biergarten at Hotel Monaco, and menus at various Pittsburgh bars and restaurants feature at least one variation on this easy, bree