The 3-Ingredient Drink that’s Tastier (and Cheaper) than an Aperol Spritz

A few years ago, while pre-gaming for a night out, one of my friends plopped a bright orange Miller High Life in front of me. I paused. Sure, I’d had the “Champagne of Beers” before, but never one that looked like this. Seeing my confusion, she explained that she’d found the hack on TikTok: add Aperol and a squeeze of lime juice to transform the beer into a cocktail.

I took a sip and was stunned by its refreshing flavor. The High Life’s crisp, sparkling base pairs well with Aperol’s herbaceous, sweet-bitter complexity, which is brightened even more by the spritz of lemon. Before long, I was making this drink at home whenever I hosted guests and didn’t feel like fussing with ingredients or fancy glassware for an Aperol Spritz.

As a food and drink writer, I’ve seen plenty of viral flops, but this one’s a clear winner—an easy to make and less-complicated riff on the Aperol Spritz.

What is a Spaghett?

After I fell in love with the citrusy, sweet, and bitter characteristics of a Spaghett, I had to do some digging to figure out how it even came to be. Turns out, Reed Cahill, a bartender at Wet City Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland, conceptualized this beer upgrade by adding a pour of Aperol and a squeeze of lemon juice to a Miller High Life.

“We named it Spaghett because it’s a [remix of] Aperol Spritz, which is an elegant Italian cocktail,” PJ Sullivan, co-owner of Wet City Brewery, said in an interview a few years back. The name sounds like ‘spaghetti’ if you say it fast enough, and it was inspired by a marinara-obsessed character from ‘The Tim and Eric Awesome Show’ on Adult Swim. “We did think the idea was a bit ridiculous at conception, but the outcome was amazing, so the rest is history.”

Since then, Spaghett has found its place in the broader category of beertails, cocktails that combine beer with spirits. Think Micheladas, which lean on tequila and lager, or drinks that mix stouts with coffee liqueur to mimic an espresso martini. For those new to mixology, these drinks are a win-win, offering the complexity of yeasty beers alongside the layered flavors that spirits bring.

How to Make a Spaghett

Ingredients:

• 1 Miller High Life (12-ounce bottle)
• 1 ounce of Aperol 
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Sip a swig or two from the Miller High Life bottle to leave room for about an ounce more liquid.
2. Add an ounce of Aperol and a squeeze of lemon juice to the Miller High Life, then gently swirl to combine all the ingredients and enjoy.

How to Upgrade Your Spaghett 

This Spaghett cocktail leans on Aperol, an amaro or Italian bitter that adds complexity and depth to drinks. But you don’t have to stick with Aperol. Try swapping it for another amaro, such as Montenegro, which brings citrusy and warm notes, or Campari, known for its bold, bitter, and slightly cinnamon-like profile. Naturally, the flavor of your Spaghett will shift depending on which amaro you use, but feel free to experiment until you land on a version you love.

If you’re hosting, the presentation can be just as fun as the drink itself. For an easy touch, add a lemon wedge right onto the spout of the bottle so guests can spritz in the juice themselves. Or go all out: Make the Spaghett, then flip the beer bottle upside down into a margarita glass so it hangs over the edge and refills the glass as you sip. Cheers!