While gatherings may be smaller and look different lately, that’s no reason to skimp on the fun. Creating a spritz bar for your next gathering can be a great way to allow guests to have a personalized experience while sipping on something delicious.
It may seem like a lot of work to build your own spritz bar from scratch, but according to Jimmy Bruton, brand director of Mionetto, it’s really pretty simple. Start with all of the Prosecco you think you are going to need and then add more, of course.
“There’s nothing worse than running out of supplies, especially the bubbly. Typically, you should always estimate around six glasses of Prosecco per bottle. However, for spritzes, you might get eight to 10,” he says, adding that two spritzes per hour per guest is an appropriate number to help ensure you have enough to imbibe without stressing.
Once the important stuff is taken care of, Bruton says that mixers are next on the list. While the Aperol spritz is one of the most common sippers to create, he says that putting a unique spin on the booze selection will encourage your guests to try different combinations.
“We also really enjoy St-Germain liqueur, Galliano Autentico, Limoncello, and Pimms. Many gins can also make a fabulous addition to the spritz,” Bruton notes.
But, he says, your mixers don’t always have to other alcoholic beverages. Adding fresh fruit juices into the spritz bar, like fresh-squeezed orange, cranberry, pineapple, grapefruit, pineapple and blood orange juice, are also great options, especially for mixing with bubbles.
“For your fresh-squeezed juice, keep fruit in the refrigerator and juice right before serving for optimal temperature and freshness. You can even get seasonal — serve citrus fruits in the winter months and fresh muddled berries in the summer,” he says.
Now that you’ve got the goods ready to go, a few fun and funky touches will ensure your guests will be building, sipping and Instagramming their drinks throughout the entire gathering.
Bruton says to mix up the glassware a bit. Not only will this help bring out the flavor and aroma of the bubbles and the juices, but it will also allow your guests to grab a glass they love instead of a uniform or traditional tableware item.
“The character of Mionetto, for example, features complex fruit flavors and aromas that show remarkably well in a wide mouth balloon glass, which provides more room for aromas to develop in contact with the air,” he says.
And, he adds, having an array of fruit garnishes such as lemon and orange wedges, or even frozen garnishes like raspberries and blueberries, will make a splash when entertaining. But there is also one more thing that is an easy and stunning accompaniment to an at-home spritz bar — upscale ice.
“Make ice cubes with [Prosecco] and berries — blueberries, raspberries — or mint ahead of time. They’ll keep your drink cool without diluting it, not to mention how beautiful and Instagrammable your drinks will be,” says Bruton.
