BOOKS & BOOZE WITH TOMÁŠ MOZR

alcronprague books and booze suchy unor main
Bar
29. 04. 2025

Ahead of us is another session in the series of regular meetings with bar literature expert Tomáš Mozr!

On April 29th, the next Books & Booze event will kick off, this time on the theme Spritz: With the Lightness of Bubbles.

There’s no spritz like spritz. While the English journalist Tom Standage, in his book A History of the World in 6 Glasses, points to the ancient Greek custom of diluting wine with water to keep the course of a given feast within proper limits, the modern Spritz has a somewhat different connotation. To some extent, it is necessary to start with wine and water, which brings us to the Austrian soldiers of the Habsburg Monarchy. However, the modern interpretation of the spritz is inextricably linked to Italian aperitifs. Thus, we will look at the history of the spritz, its current forms and its future development at the next Books & Booze meeting in April.

Although we could date the first beginnings of mixing white wine and water back to antiquity, when the Romans gradually adopted this custom from the ancient Greeks, the origins of the modern spritz date back, according to countless estimates, to the time when the Habsburg monarchy ruled the northeastern part of Italy, the centre of which is Venice. Legend has it that this is where the spritz originated among Austrian soldiers, merchants and diplomats who, during their stay in northern Italy, drank wine in the local taverns. However, as it was too strong for them, they allegedly had to adjust it with a splash of water to better suit their tongue, which was used to Riesling. Newcomers suddenly started ordering so-called spritzen wine, or wine with a splash, although the official Spritzer designation was not recognised until 1961.

By far the most famous and successful representative of the entire category is Aperol Spritz, which has successfully made its way around the world and has taken its place as a modern classic. However, it is not often mentioned that it is in northern Italy that most people drink it. This is evidenced by Gruppo Campari’s estimate that up to 300 000 Spritz are reportedly drunk in the Veneto region per day, meaning that local people consume more than 200 Spritz per minute.

How to prepare and drink Spritz? After all, the recipe for Spritz is not fixed. Despite this, it is generally recommended to maintain a ratio of three parts prosecco, two parts bitters and one part soda to preserve the bitterness, which is, after all, what the Aperol manufacturer also states on its labels. On the other hand, on the other hand, we can find a recommendation that the cocktail should consist of prosecco or any other sparkling wine and at least 30-40% sparkling water, with the remaining 30% going to some other alcohol, usually complementing the typical red colour.

Did you know that according to IBA standards, Spritz should be served in an old fashioned glass? Nowadays, however, it’s considered standard to be served in stemmed glasses filled to the brim with ice, which is said to be the work of Bar La Capannina, located in Lido di Jesolo, which was also the first to replace plain still white wine with prosecco in the mid-1990s.

An orange, a lemon, or perhaps an olive? A somewhat lesser-known fact is that the garnish is also guided by the bitter and the overall profile of the cocktail. In the case of the Spritz, we can find, for example, a slice of lemon, orange, but also an embedded olive, which is also used in its combination with prosecco by the Italicus liqueur, which stands out for its bergamot flavour.

You will also have the opportunity to taste some cocktails supported by the brands: Aperol, Sarti, Campari.

You will learn about this and much more when you join us on April 29, 2025!

Tomas and the Alcron Bar team will always welcome guests in two waves. The first from 17:00 and the second from 19:00, when guests can join at any time.

Everyone who wants to explore the secrets of the world of cocktails and bar culture is cordially invited, and this unique event is open to everyone for FREE! And that’s why you really shouldn’t miss this event!

Will you take part in six of the twelve themed evenings? You will then become a unique member of the “Friends of Alcron” group and look forward to surprises.

For more information, please contact Alcron Bar at: alcron.bar@almanachotels.com or check out: BOOKS & BOOZE with Tomáš Mozr | Alcron (alcronprague.cz)