Low-ABV Spiced Fizz
A lively low-alcohol fizz built on a light aperitif, cinnamon syrup, lemon and soda.
Ingredients
- 20 ml low-abv aperitif (such as Italicus or a low-abv vermouth)
- 15 ml cinnamon syrup
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 100 ml soda water
- 1 lemon twist, to garnish
Method
- Add the low-abv aperitif, cinnamon syrup and fresh lemon juice to a shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake briefly until chilled, about ten seconds.
- Strain into a chilled flute or small wine glass.
- Top with cold soda water.
- Stir once very gently to keep the bubbles intact.
- Express a lemon twist over the surface and drop it in as garnish.
How to serve
- Glassware
- Champagne flute
- Serve temperature
- Cold
- Garnish
- Lemon twist
Not every winter drink needs to be hot. This low-abv spiced fizz lifts the seasonal palette into something brighter — cold, fizzy, lemon-led — while keeping the alcohol level conservative at around 3 per cent. It is a useful pour for the early evening, or for anyone who wants the cocktail cue without the weight that warmed drinks bring with them.
What the aperitif contributes
A light aperitif like Italicus, or a low-abv vermouth, brings botanical depth and a little colour without raising the alcohol significantly. Twenty millilitres is enough to season the drink: any more and the bitterness starts to overshadow the lemon and cinnamon. Cinnamon syrup is the seasonal hook, lemon juice keeps the whole thing taut, and soda water turns it into something genuinely refreshing. The result reads as fizzy and adult rather than sweet and soft.
Building it for the bubbles
Shake the base briefly with ice, just enough to chill and combine. Strain into a flute or small wine glass — a wider glass loses fizz faster — and add the soda last. A single gentle stir is plenty; vigorous stirring kills the carbonation. Express the lemon twist firmly above the surface so the oils land on the drink rather than at the bottom of the glass. Drink it fresh, while the fizz is still lively.
For a hot counterpart in the same winter spirit, our Hot Apple Gin covers the warmer end of the same flavour family.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of Italicus?
A low-abv vermouth or a light bitter aperitif works well. Aim for something around 15% ABV with a clear botanical profile.
Why express the lemon twist?
Squeezing the peel above the glass releases the oils onto the surface, which is where most of the aroma reaches you.
What ABV does this end up at?
With 20 ml of a 15% aperitif diluted into roughly 150 ml of liquid, the fizz lands at approximately 2 to 3 per cent.
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