Aperitif hour with a spritz

With the increasing interest in Australia around the European tradition of drinking apéritifs, St-Germain has been educating bartenders about the tradition.

While alcohol heavy aperitif classics have been on the radar for some time – think the Negroni – St-Germain is focusing on the spritz and educating the trade on lower alcohol, high volume serves that stimulate the appetite and are perfect for drinking in the Australian summer.

Hand-crafted from wild elderflowers, St-Germain is an artisanal French liqueur inspired by the iconic 1920s Parisian bar scene. Despite only recently entering the market, the brand has made distinct headway into the back bar of the best cocktails venues the world over.

In particular, the brand has focused on the practice of l’apéritif and enjoying a cocktail before a good meal as a way of stimulating one’s appetite. The liqueur’s signature concoction is the St-Germain Cocktail, a simple blend that is a twist on a classic spritz serve. It is made by filling a glass with ice, and adding on and a half parts St-Germain, two parts sparkling wine (or prosecco), two parts ice-cold sparkling water and a twist of lemon. A refreshing palate-cleanser, the spritz is tipped to be a huge trend this summer season.

In order to promote the drink, the St-Germain European ambassador, and bartender extraordinaire, Camille Vidal, has also been in the country hosting a series of events to introduce Australians to the aperitif potential of the spritz.