Compare
Aperol Spritz vs Alcohol-Free Spritz
The same long, bitter, sparkling shape with and without alcohol — and an honest account of what the zero-proof version does differently.
Which should you make?
The alcohol-free version keeps the shape — long, bitter, sparkling, over a lot of ice — and loses the faint warmth alcohol gives the finish, which is what makes a spritz feel like a drink rather than a soft drink. Serve it colder and with more ice than you think, and the gap narrows a lot.
| Attribute | Aperol Spritz | Alcohol-Free Spritz |
|---|---|---|
| In a word | off-dry, gentle, very light, sparkling — a bitter aperitif drink served long, over ice. | off-dry, balanced, very light, sparkling — a long and lengthened drink served long, over ice. |
| Structure | Bitter aperitif | Long and lengthened |
| Family | Spritz | Highball |
| Smells of | Citrus peel | Citrus peel |
| Technique | Building in the glassThe drink changes as you go: strongest at the first sip, longest and most diluted at the last. That drift is a feature of a long drink and a fault in a short one. | Building in the glassThe drink changes as you go: strongest at the first sip, longest and most diluted at the last. That drift is a feature of a long drink and a fault in a short one. |
| Base spirit | liqueur led | alcohol free |
| Strength | light | light |
| ABV | 8.5% | 0% |
| Calories | 150 kcal | 40 kcal |
| Sweetness | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Sourness | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| Bitterness | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Prep time | 3 min | 3 min |
| Difficulty | easy | easy |
| Equipment | Jigger, Bar spoon | Bar spoon |
| Occasions | aperitif, summer, party | aperitif, summer, party |
| Alcohol-free option | Yes | Yes |
Choose the Aperol Spritz if you want something more spirit-forward.
Choose the Alcohol-Free Spritz if you want something alcohol-free and you'd rather keep the calories down.
Can you make both?
Both need: Soda water.
- Only the Alcohol-Free Spritz
- Alcohol-free aperitif, Orange wheel
What actually separates them
base spirit
Aperol Spritz is built on liqueur led, Alcohol-Free Spritz on alcohol free. If you only own one of the two, that settles it.
alcohol
Aperol Spritz is alcoholic; Alcohol-Free Spritz is alcohol free.
how much alcohol you are drinking
At 8.5% against 0%, the Aperol Spritz is roughly 85.0 times the strength in the glass — 1.74 UK units against 0.
Effectively identical on: sweetness.