Ingredients
- 2 cl Lemon Juice
- 2 cl Lime Juice
- 4 cl Orange Juice
- 4 cl Aperol
Instructions
Combine Ingredients:
- In a shaker filled with ice, pour 2 cl (20 ml) lemon juice, 2 cl (20 ml) lime juice, 4 cl (40 ml) orange juice, and 4 cl (40 ml) Aperol.
Shake Well:
- Shake the ingredients vigorously until well chilled.
Serve:
- Strain the mixture into a long drink glass filled with ice.
Enjoy:
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Aperol Schuhmann is a Charles Schuhmann cocktail from the late 1990s Schumann's American Bar in Munich. The recipe pulls Aperol off its standard Spritz duty and turns it into a long-pour citrus drink, with three citrus juices balancing the Aperol bitterness.
It sits in the Aperol-cocktail family with the Aperol Spritz, the Aperol Sour and the Garibaldi. All four lean on Aperol as the headline bittersweet flavour. The Schuhmann picks orange-lemon-lime as the citrus stack, which is what gives it more brightness than the simpler Spritz or Garibaldi.
Best ordered as a summer aperitif or as an afternoon long-pour drink. Lower in alcohol than most cocktails, sipping speed, suited to long lunches and slow afternoons.
What it tastes like
Aperol bitterness up front, fresh orange sweetness through the middle, lemon-lime brightness on the finish. The bitter-citrus balance is the headline; the lower proof keeps the drink approachable for non-cocktail drinkers.
Around 6 to 7 percent ABV in the glass once shaken and served over ice. Aperol is only 11 percent ABV to start, and the citrus juices dilute it further. Drinks like a soft summer cooler with a bitter edge.
The technique
Combine four centilitres of Aperol, four centilitres of fresh orange juice, two centilitres of fresh lemon juice and two centilitres of fresh lime juice in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled.
Strain over fresh ice into a long-drink glass or highball. Garnish with an orange slice or a lemon wheel. The cocktail is built for the long pour, so the glass should give the drink room to breathe.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Aperol
- Use
- Aperol from a fresh bottle, 11 percent ABV.
- Skip
- Campari. Different bitterness curve and higher proof.
- Why
- Aperol is the headline flavour. The orange-rhubarb-gentian bittersweet profile is what makes the cocktail an Aperol cocktail. Campari is more bitter and higher-proof; the substitute makes a different drink.
The fresh orange juice
- Use
- Fresh-squeezed Valencia or navel orange juice.
- Skip
- Cartoned orange juice. Wrong sugar curve and flat.
- Why
- The orange juice is the volume and the sweetness. Fresh juice is brighter and less sweet than cartoned, which suits the Aperol bitterness. Cartoned juice can work in a pinch but loses the cocktail's character.
The lemon and lime juice
- Use
- Fresh-squeezed lemon and fresh-squeezed lime juice in a 1:1 ratio.
- Skip
- Pre-mixed sour mix. Wrong sweetener balance.
- Why
- The two citrus juices give the cocktail its brightness and lift. Lemon carries the front; lime carries the back. Together they balance the orange sweetness and the Aperol bitterness.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Aperol Schuhmann, long over ice
- Four cl Aperol, four cl orange juice, two cl lemon juice, two cl lime juice, shaken with ice and served over fresh ice.
The Spritz hybrid
- Aperol Schuhmann, with prosecco
- Same build, topped with two ounces of prosecco at service. Adds the Spritz character; pulls the cocktail toward Aperol Spritz territory.
The dry build
- Aperol Schuhmann, with soda
- Same build, topped with two ounces of soda water. Drinks lighter and longer; reads as a summer cooler with a bitter edge.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Campari with a teaspoon of simple syrup. Loses the orange-rhubarb character; gains a sharper bitterness.
Cartoned orange juice with a small dash of orange bitters. The cocktail flattens slightly; the bitters add a lift.
Bottled lemon juice with a pinch of salt. The cocktail loses brightness; the salt helps cut the flatness.
Bottled lime juice with a small drop of lime bitters. Same trade-off; the freshness is what makes this drink work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in an Aperol Schuhmann?
Four centilitres of Aperol, four centilitres of fresh orange juice, two centilitres of fresh lemon juice and two centilitres of fresh lime juice, shaken with ice and served over fresh ice in a long-drink glass.
How strong is an Aperol Schuhmann?
Around 6 to 7 percent ABV in the glass once shaken and served over ice. Aperol is only 11 percent ABV to start, and the citrus juices dilute it further. Drinks like a soft summer cooler with a bitter edge.
What does it taste like?
Aperol bitterness up front, fresh orange sweetness through the middle, lemon-lime brightness on the finish. A bitter-citrus balance with low alcohol that suits long lunches and slow afternoons.
Who was Schuhmann?
Charles Schumann is a Munich-based German bartender, owner of Schumann's American Bar, and one of the most influential European bartenders of the late twentieth century. The cocktail is named for him.
How is it different from an Aperol Spritz?
The Spritz is Aperol, prosecco and soda. The Schuhmann is Aperol with three citrus juices: orange, lemon and lime. Different drink, same headline ingredient.
Should I use cl or oz?
The original recipe uses centilitres because Schumann is a European bartender. Two cl is roughly two-thirds of a US ounce. Either measurement system works as long as the ratios are kept.
Can I use cartoned orange juice?
Fresh is better. Cartoned juice is sweeter and flatter; the cocktail drops toward a flat citrus pour. If you have to use cartoned, add a small dash of orange bitters to help.
What kind of glass should I serve it in?
A long-drink glass, a Collins glass, or a tall highball. The cocktail is around eight ounces of finished drink and needs the volume.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
Replace the Aperol with non-alcoholic aperitif like Lyre's Italian Spritz or Martini Vibrante. Same flavour shape, none of the alcohol. The citrus stack carries the cocktail.
What other cocktails are similar?
An Aperol Spritz, an Aperol Sour, a Garibaldi, and a Negroni Sbagliato. All four use Aperol or Campari as the headline bittersweet flavour.
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