A surprisingly delicious Aperol beer cocktail that’ll have you toasting its name all night.
Despite being a part of the Adult Swim generation that Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! was made for, I can count on one hand how many episodes I’ve seen, and still have a few fingers left over. In fact, I’m pretty sure the last time I saw anything from it was well over fifteen years ago.
Anyway, there’s a character from Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! named Spagett. A spokesperson for Cigarette Juice, this annoying and awkward spaghetti-loving manchild tries his hand at office pranks in the sketch I was just watching. After less than one minute, I turned it off and went back to listening to the soothing sounds of traditional Tahitian drumming. There are just some places in the universe you don’t go alone. Or maybe I’ll just always be a Don Knotts and Bill Murray guy, I don’t know. It’s a little disconcerting when you’re the target audience for something that goes right over your head.
Some folks are much savvier than I am. Take bartender Reed Cahill for example. Back in 2016, he was working at the Wet City Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland. One day he takes inspiration from a certain pasta-loving weirdo that’s on a particular late-night comedy show, and creates a new cocktail. Taking a bottle of Miller High Life and adding Aperol and lemon juice to the suds, Cahill invents a beverage he christens the Spaghett.
While the mixture became a cult favorite amongst drinkers who knew of its existence, it still remains a relatively rare sight on cocktail menus. If you were to ask any random barkeep to make you one, I’d say you’d have a 50/50 chance of them having to google it. But over the last few years, its online presence has grown, appearing on many recipe and drink blogs where the praises of this tasty tipple are sung. I was unfamiliar with the Spaghett, until I started to write about it. And after I tried one out today, I know I’ll definitely be sharing a few bottles with my friends at our next poolside barbecue.
While I myself may not “get” the humor in Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, I’m beyond grateful that its creators were able to express their bizarre sense of humor to the world the way they wanted to. Reed Cahill understood, and we have a not-so-hidden gem of a drink thanks to him. Cheers!
What is Aperol?
Taking its name from the word apero, which is French slang for “apéritif”, Aperol is a bitter and bright orange colored Italian spirit. A tad sweeter and lower in alcohol than Campari, Aperol is a little more approachable and palatable for those who are leery of bitter-tasting drinks.
What is the Best Beer to Use for a Spaghett Drink?
While the original Spaghett was made with Miller High Life, any bottle of your preferred lager will do. For a rounder and more robust drinking experience, try making this cocktail with a stronger ale, like PranQster, or some of your local craft beers, too.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Miller High Life or your choice of light beer chilled
- 1 1/2 ounces Aperol
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Pour the light beer into a pint glass.
- Add the Aperol and squeeze in the lemon juice.
- Stir gently to mix the ingredients together.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
- For an alternative presentation, pour the Aperol and lemon juice directly into the bottle (you will need to take a couple of sips of the beer in the bottle first).
Nutrition
What type of glassware and garnish is used?
You can take a few slugs from your beer bottle and add the Aperol and lemon juice to it, or pour everything into a chilled pint glass and stir gently with a bar spoon. Garnish with an orange slice if you so desire.
What can you use instead of Aperol?
You can swap out the Aperol with Campari for a stronger and more bittersweet version of this cocktail. Skip the lemon juice when going with this variation.
Similar Drinks to the Spaghett
I’ve become a pretty big fan of beer cocktails lately. And beer isn’t necessarily a favorite libation of mine, either. I enjoy them on a hot day, but they fill me up pretty quickly and I run out of room for pizza. But an inventive combination of an oat soda with a spirit is always a delicious surprise. And when they’re really good, you can’t wait to make them again. Try some of these at home this weekend.
- Corona Sunrise – A sudsy spin on the iconic Tequila Sunrise.
- Beer Paloma – Like its name suggests, this drink is a grapefruit-flavored and bubbly treat.
- Boilermaker – Some days, nothing beats a shot and a beer.
- Michelada – A hot and spicy refreshing beverage awaits you with this Mexican classic.
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