Put away the Aperol and raise a glass to Hugo spritz, the drink of the summer

Pub gardens and bar terraces have been awash with a sea of orange in recent years as Italy’s love of Aperol spritz spread to the UK. But this year the cocktail’s cousin, a Hugo spritz, will be the drink of the summer, according to supermarkets and bars.

It is already being served across the country, including at Sea Containers on the banks of the Thames and Mayfair’s swanky Claridge’s hotel in London, 20 Stories bar in Manchester and the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle. Wetherspoons has the cocktail on its menu nationwide.

“In the past year, we have noted that there has been a wider shift among our guests towards drinks with lower alcohol percentages, particularly during the day – a Hugo spritz fits rather neatly into this space,” said George Raju, director of bars at Claridge’s.

Created in Italy, and very popular in France, the Hugo is sweeter than an Aperol spritz and is made with elderflower liqueur such as St-Germain, prosecco, soda water and mint.

The drink, created in 2005 by the Italian bartender Roland Gruber in South Tirol, Italy, was initially called an “Otto” spritz but he changed it to “Hugo” because he thought it would be catchier.

Ashley Palmer-Watts, who co-owns the Devonshire pub in Soho, central London, said customers had been asking for Hugo spritzes. But the pub, a popular spot for Guinness, is sceptical the trend will endure and has no plans to serve it.

“The Hugo started to be popular last year and is becoming more so, but I think the elderflower craze won’t last for ever,” he said. “It is so sweet, I can’t drink more than one. I prefer orange.”

Supermarkets have clocked on to a rise in people wanting to make their own to sip at home. Searches for “Hugo spritz” have more than quadrupled on the Waitrose website, while its sales of St-Germain are up by nearly 30% compared with the same time last year.

“While the Hugo spritz continues to grow in popularity, many of our customers are also seeking out bitter and complex flavour profiles,” a Waitrose spokesperson said. “Traditional apéritifs like Vermouth, Campari and Lillet are having a renaissance as we gear up for a European-inspired summer, with sales of Martini Bianco having nearly doubled and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino up by 75% compared to this time last year.”

Aldi is also now selling a ready-to-drink bottled Hugo spritz.