A review of some of my favorite non-alcoholic aperitivos to replace Aperol
I used to down Aperol Spritz's like it was my part-time job. The bittersweet, herbaceous, syrupy aperitif is one of my favorite low-alcohol ingredients, especially combined with crisp bubbles on a warm summer day. While it can be a polarizing ingredient (people tend to either love it or hate it), I am firmly in the love camp. And while I don't drink much of the real stuff anymore, there are some amazing non-alcoholic Aperol alternatives on the market today. Let's check out the best aperitivo dupes I was able to find.
What is Aperol?
Aperol is a botanical liqueur that’s been made in Italy for over a hundred years. It's a type of aperitivo, but is so well-known and unique that people know its definition much better than the category of 'aperitivo' itself. I think of it like the Grey Goose of aperitivos. It can often be confused with Campari, which is much more bitter and also has twice the alcohol content at over 20% ABV, compared to only 11% ABV of Aperol.
With its unmistakable orange hue and distinct flavor, it's a very unique ingredient. It's very high in sugar content (15g per ounce) and has a slightly syrupy consistency. The dominant flavors are bittersweet orange peel, rhubarb, and a hint of vanilla with herbal undertones.
Novara Aperitivo
Best For: 1:1 Aperol Replacement
Price: $40 Found at Bark & Bitter
A complex, non-alcoholic alternative to the traditional Italian bitter aperitivo, Novara is an award-winning product made with a base of non-alcoholic citrus distillate, lightly sweetened and finished with a maceration of eight aromatic herbs and botanicals, including rhubarb root and bitter orange peel. It has a higher sugar content (8g per ounce) and similar viscosity to Aperol, along with that brilliant color. It’s well-balanced, subtly bitter with a sweet and citrusy finish that makes it one of the closest dupes to Aperol that I've found.
Free Spirits Spirit of Milano
Best For: A Lighter, More Citrus-Forward Spritz
Price: $35
Found at Free Spirits (link includes $7 discount & free shipping)
Spirit of Milano is a vibrant, bittersweet non-alcoholic aperitivo with notes of bitter citrus, cinnamon, clove and rhubarb. It's the lightest of the replacements listed here, coming in at 10 calories and 2g of sugar per ounce, and because of that it doesn't have the same syrupy consistency or sweetness of Aperol. I love how much flavor they've packed in for so few calories - I tend to avoid sugary replacements so this one is perfect for the health-conscious (and as you can see I've enjoyed the entire bottle in many recipes). It's still well-balanced with a nice sweetness and bitter undertone, and also infused with vitamins B3 & B6 to aid in all kinds of good stuff, including helping your overall mood. Cheers to that!
Lyre's Italian Spritz
Best For: Those Who Like It A Little Less Bitter
Price: $35
Found at The Zero Proof (Discount code: Soberishmom for 10% off your cart)*
With that perfect red-orange hue and an aroma of sweet orange (and even a touch of fruit punch on the nose), Lyre's is a crowd-pleaser. It's got a smooth flavor of orange, grapefruit and a slight herbaceous finish, though it's not as bitter as Aperol. With a light-to-medium body it's well-balanced and delicious mixed with bubbles on the rocks.
Lapo's Aperitivo
Best For: A More Floral Spritz
Price: $32
Found at The Zero Proof (Use code "Soberishmom" for 10% off your cart*)
Modeled after a bitter-orange liqueur, Lapo's sits right in between Aperol and Campari. It's got a delicious, complex flavor of orange peel, juniper and rhubarb root. It's bittersweet with a slight sourness and floral notes of hibiscus. While not an exact dupe for Aperol, the flavor is killer and it's a delicious aperitivo replacement.
Non-Alcoholic Aperitivos I Also Tasted...
Out of Hood River, OR, Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo is bitter and herbal with notes of orange citrus and grapefruit. It's a fantastic ingredient in spritz's and Negroni's, but much more akin to Campari with very little sweetness. The still deserve a nod as a very well-done, PNW ingredient.
Ghia Aperitif, $38
One of my favorite female-founded compannies, Ghia makes a delicious aperitif for summer sipping. Sweet on the intake, with notes of lemon balm, orange and rosemary extract, it has a slightly bitter and earthier finish. It doesn't have the same sweetness or flavor profile of Aperol, but it's killer with soda and orange on the rocks. Their canned spritz's are also delish - this sumac and chili one blew my socks off.
Melati Classic, $45
One of Asia's most popular non-alcoholic botanical spirits, Melati Classic is a delicious and complex aperitivo. With a deeply rich flavor of goji berries, hibiscus, orange and cacoa, it's medium-bodied with a bittersweet finish. While not a substitute for Aperol, it makes delicious and interesting cocktails and spritzs.
Ritual Aperitif, $30
Ritual is one of the most widely-distributed, non-alcoholic spirits in the US, so you're more likely to stumble upon this one in a grocery store or Walmart. This was my least favorite of the spirits sampled, much more akin to Campari with an intense bitterness that overpowered the other ingredients. I felt like I was chewing on a mouthfull of chicory, grapefruit peel and anise. However, I have used it to balance out overly sweet drinks, and 1/2 an ounce works wonders in a glass of too-sweet non-alcoholic wine or sangria recipe to add some complexity.
Happy clean drinking!
*Please note that this is an affiliate code, which means at zero cost to you I will make a couple bucks if you use my code at checkout, which helps me keep the account running. Affiliate programs do not impact my reviews and recommendations.
Watch me review these wines on my Instagram and as always, leave me a comment with your favorite alcohol-free drinks, I'd love to hear from you. Cheers!
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