St. Germain Pitcher Spritzer

This light, effervescent spritzer loaded with lemon, cucumber, and mint might look a bit like spa water, but I promise it’s anything but. Bubbly from sparkling wine and floral from St. Germain elderflower liqueur, it’s a summer spritzer that’s elegant and gorgeous enough for bridal showers, but also easy enough to make for a weeknight happy hour. Here’s everything you need to know.

The original spritzer cocktail was just equal parts white wine and soda water, but its popularity as an aperitif (or pre-dinner drink) has taken off, especially with the classic Italian Aperol spritz. Instead of slightly bitter Aperol, I’ve subbed in St. Germain elderflower liqueur.

A pitcher spritzer is simply a big-batch version of a single spritzer cocktail. It’s perfect for hosting because you don’t have to make individual drinks: Simply mix everything up in the pitcher you’ll pour (and refill) out of, then relax with your guests.

With these five ingredients on hand, you can whip up a refreshing drink anytime you please.

1. St. Germain: St. Germain is sweet and floral in a lovely but not cloying way. It’s an investment worth making for your bar cart, as it plays well both gin and vodka. It’s so popular now that you can even spot it at Target if yours sells alcohol.
2. Dry sparkling wine or prosecco. A bottle of sparkling wine or prosecco adds delicate bubbles and crisp flavor. Just make sure it’s well-chilled beforehand so the cocktail doesn’t dilute too much once it’s poured onto ice.
3. Cucumber slices: Cucumber slices are refreshing and beautiful — especially when shaved into long ribbons that are coiled up in each individual glass. I like using a vegetable peeler to make the ribbons, especially a Y-shaped one. Shave the cucumber until you get to the watery, softer center, then stop and start shaving again from the other side.
4. Lemon: Adding a squeeze of lemon juice makes the St. Germain tastes especially delicious. You’ll also add lemon slices to both the pitcher and individual glasses.
5. Fresh mint: Finishing the spritzer with fresh mint sprigs balances things out with herbal notes, and adds a pretty pop of green.

Instead of adding ice directly to the pitcher, add it to individual glasses so that the base mixture doesn’t get watered down. As for the pitcher itself, you’ll need a small one that holds about 1 1/2 quarts, but you can double or even triple the recipe if you have a larger pitcher or an especially thirsty crowd to serve. Let the summer spritzing begin!