With the transition jackets, an orange drink reliably finds its way back to the tables of downtown cafes: Aperol Spritz. Hardly any other drink has built up such a loyal fan base in recent years as the Italian aperitif. The Dresden music group 01099 devoted his own song to him with “Aperol in the glass”. Schlager singer Vincent also sings: “I drink today, that’s not a joke, Aperol, Aperol, Aperol Spritz.” There are fan articles, such as T-shirts or floor mats with the imprint “Life in the Aperolspur”. And even at Christmas markets, the drink has spread – as a “hot aperol”. At the same time there have always been voices that want to declare it for “out”. “The New York Times” was already titled in 2019: “The Aperol Spritz is not a good drink”. “Does it always have to be aperol?” Asked the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” last year. “Harper’s Bazaar” has written off the drink several times since January 2025, including with the heading: “Forget Aperol Spritz!” What is behind these summoning voices? If we will soon be a bittersweet farewell to us despite all the drink’s pop cultural recycling of the drink? The aperol is a good product, and the aperitivo culture is still on the rise. Only creative bartenders would find the drink too suitable for mass and therefore a bit boring. Schöllmann started working in the catering trade at the age of 15, and at the age of 18 he started his own business. Today, the fifty -one -year -old runs several localities in his hometown Offenburg, including two hotels, two bars, a restaurant and a café. His connection to home is also evident in his bar art. In 2006, Schöllmann had the idea of mixing classic cocktails with domestic fruit brandies: “It took a while for people to get it, but then it was well received.” According to Schöllmann, Aperol is not only so popular because of the successful marketing of Campari. “People simply drink less high -proof spirits – or more targeted,” says Schöllmann. The aperitif as a lighter, alcoholic drink has therefore gained incredibly in recent years. This is exactly why Schöllmann worked on an alternative to the Aperol for a year. His own creation called Amerouge is now his signature drink. Based on the Black Forest Ryebrandt, the Amerouge contains black currants as a fruit pier that ensure color and taste, as well as dried grapefruit for the bitterness and mint for a herbal back. In the meantime, Schöllmann has the Amerouge produced in a distillery and sells it to other restaurateurs and private customers. External content Activation The aperitif boom is also reflected in the numbers of the Campari Group from 2024. Although sales increased by 2.4 percent to 3.1 billion euros, net profit collapsed by 39 percent. On the contrary, the aperol was not to blame: While the aperitifs continued to add, whiskey and rum. In 2020, the Germans consumed an average of ten liters of pure alcohol – seven percent less than in 2010. Compared to 1985, consumption even decreased by more than a third. A trend that will continue, as a study by the Federal Center for Health Education from 2022 suggests. Accordingly, more and more young people aged twelve to 25 do without alcohol – significantly more than in earlier generations. “Away from sugar, to freshness” one who has chosen a non -alcoholic life is sommelière and author Nicole Klauss. “I’ve never actually drunk alcohol because I can’t take him,” she says. “Here is a wine or an autna – but I was always drunk quickly because my body breaks down the alcohol very slowly.” In the past, the only non -alcoholic alternative was often juice spritzer: “I only drink it after sport!” Fortunately, she says, you can also drink today without drinking. The author has completed wine training at the German Wine and Sommelier School and describes herself as “Mindful Sommelière”. This means that it only offers drinks with less than 0.5 percent of alcohol content at her events. Nicole Klauss with her second book, in which it explains the basics for the alcohol -free menu. Neuetrinkkultur. The non -alcoholic offer in Germany has grown in parallel to increasing demand in recent years, its own trends. Right in the industry is: “away from sugar, to freshen”. Sparkling tea, i.e. a sparkling alternative to foam wines on a tea basis, is currently very popular. Fermented drinks, for example with Kombucha, kefir or vinegar, are also required. Klauss says: “With the alcohol -freeness, the imagination comes.” “Happy for the German palate” your recommendation for a summer drink without alcohol, which you are guaranteed in every restaurant, is simple: “Simply refill and tonic for a dark juice, for example.” In most restaurants, you can now get a non -alcoholic aperor spray. Klauss is a big fan of bitter notes: she takes a bottle with bitter drops to pimp the juice in case of doubt-to the displeasure of her husband, who finds it embarrassing. Where does the non-alcoholic aperol version of Campari? Picture Alliance Beast and sweet-that also helped the aperol to be so popular. Inan Öztürk is a bartender in Berlin. He says this taste is “digestible for the German palate”. In any case, there are good and better alternatives, such as Mondino. This aperitif combines bitter-fruity orange notes with spicy encocinaries-“super tasty and adult”, says Öztürk.Kürk for thirteen years as a bartender, for three years in the Velvet Bar in Berlin-Neukölln. The card is changed there every week – based on the regional plants that grow in and around Berlin. For this, he and his team also like to get rid of themselves and collect themselves. “Foraging”, that is, food searches, this is called. If other bars serve aperol, there is a drink of robinia flowers from Tempelhofer Feld in the Velvet Bar. The special, floral note works wonderfully in a summer spray. On the early evening, Öztürk estimates the early evening from a social perspective: “People have not want to be outside for so long since Corona. Maybe for habit, maybe for financial reasons.” And that is exactly where he sees the potential of the aperitif. A slight drink in the early evening, plus a snack – that is an opportunity for social cohesion. “This is how people come together,” he says. “Today, many have forgotten to talk to strangers.” Activate external content and at this point the Aperol could come back into play as a classic aperitif. Campari has developed a kind of scale with three stages: In the number one expansion phase, the Aperol Spritz is enjoyed on summer bar afternoons. In phase two there is Aperol all year round, for example in ski resorts. In phase three, Aperol Spritz is part of lunch, such as in Italy. Last year, the then Campari CEO Matteo Fantacchiotti said that Germany was only between phase two and three, so the maximum of the aperol consumption could still be imminent. What does the growing non -alcoholic community say? In view of the ambitious three-phase plan and in the sense of social coexistence, it would actually be the highest time for Campari to combine the best of both worlds: Where is an aperol that in the best case like the original-but is alcohol-free?
