A spritzer is a tall, chilled drink, usually made with white wine and carbonated water or sparkling mineral water.
Origin
Spritzer is derived from the variant of the German language spoken in Austria, where the drink is very popular. It is used alongside the equally common form Gespritzter (mostly pronounced G'spritzter, a noun derived from the past participle of spritzen, i.e. squirt), a term also found in some German regions, such as Hessen (e.g. Süssgespritzter, i.e. a "sweet spritzer" using fizzy lemonade instead of soda water (Sauergespritzter)). In most of Germany, the word "Schorle" is used to denote a Spritzer. Some where it is seen that wine spritzers which makes poets sing and nations come together.
Alcoholic spritzers
The word comes from the German spritzen "spatter, squirt, spray, sprinkle", i.e. adding water and thus diluting the wine so that it can be consumed in larger, thirst-quenching amounts.
Alcoholic spritzers are increasingly available ready-mixed in cans; their relatively low alcohol and calorific content means they are often marketed at women.
In Hesse, "gespritzt" usually refers to a mixture of soda water or lemonade and Apfelwein (in Central Hessian dialect, Ebblwoi), an alcoholic drink from fermented apple juice somewhat similar to dry hard cider.
In Hungary spritzer, called 'fröccs', is very popular. There are dozens of different types of spritzer. They are distinguished by the proportion of wine and carbonated water or the type of other liquids added.
Other variations include: şpriţ de vară (or "summer spritzer") in Romania (1 part white wine to 2 parts sparkling water), "špricer" or "gemištek" in Slovenia (wine and the popular domestic mineral water Radenska), "špricer" in Serbia as well as in Bosnia (white wine or rosé, mixed with sparkling water, half of glass of each). In Croatia, a popular drink called gemišt is mixed with white wine and sparkling water to taste.
In north-eastern regions of Italy, especially Venice and surroundings, a spritz is a popular light cocktail, a mix of sparkling white wine (e.g., Prosecco), sparkling water, and Aperol, Bitter Campari, or other colored alcohols.
Non-alcoholic spritzer
In the United States, some non-alcoholic carbonated juices are sold as spritzers. The same type of carbonated juice (actually made with juice and carbonated mineral water) is known in Germany as Saftschorle or Fruchtschorle. (Both short for rarely used Fruchtsaftschorle.) Particularly Apfelschorle (apple juice spritzer) is one of the most popular soft drinks in Germany. In Austria Apfelschorle is called Apfelsaft g'spritzt. ... g'spritzt can be combined with every juice, e.g. Orangensaft g'spritzt or Pago/Cappy g'spritzt (producers of juices).
See also
- Alcoholic beverage
- Shandy
- Wine cooler
References
External links
- Media related to Spritzer at Wikimedia Commons
