Elderflower syrup from freshly picked blossoms
Alpe Pragas Elderflower Syrup is a South Tyrolean blossom syrup made from freshly picked, white elderflowers, extracted through a gentle cold-maceration process. No artificial floral flavoring, but true elderflower scent that can be diluted 1:7 with water or Prosecco to make a Hugo.
Alpe Pragas Elderflower Syrup is a fragrant floral syrup from South Tyrol, made from the white umbels of the black elderberry. Starting in May, the shrub blooms along paths and forest edges; on bright summer days, the umbels are harvested by hand, full of beguiling pollen. This creates the syrup that began its triumphal march from South Tyrol years ago as the Hugo.
Floral, fine, a hint of nutmeg
From the glass rises the unmistakable, sweet scent of fresh elderflowers, floral and delicate, with a hint of nutmeg.
In water, it remains fine and fragrant, never overpowering, with a subtle citrus freshness in the background. The syrup likes it cool and sparkling, which is when the full floral aroma opens up—floral, fresh, summery.
What makes elderflower so special is this balancing act between sweet and tart, which never tips into the perfumed. A splash is enough to turn still water into a summer drink.
The black elderberry, botanically Sambucus nigra, has accompanied humans for a long time; in the past, many farmhouses had a shrub in front of them that was said to bring good luck. Its creamy white umbels only smell this intensely for a few weeks in early summer; after that, the harvest is over.
As a Hugo, as blossom lemonade, in sorbet
Mixed 1:7 with Prosecco, mint, and ice, it becomes the classic Hugo; with mineral water, it makes a clear blossom lemonade.
But it likes more than just the bar. It works just as well in a creamy elderflower sorbet, drizzled over fresh fruit salad, or in a champagne flute for a toast. A splash over strawberries with yogurt, and a simple dessert gets a summer scent.
If you prefer herbal over floral, pair it with the mountain mint syrup; the entire range can be found among the Alpe Pragas syrups. Once opened, the scent remains preserved for weeks in the refrigerator.
The Hugo began its triumphal march from South Tyrol and in some places even displaced the Aperol Spritz because it is lighter and more floral.
Cold extraction pasteurized at 65 degrees
For the syrup, Stefan Gruber's team first removes the larger stems, as they would bring bitterness into the glass.
Soaked in simple syrup with lemon juice, the blossoms macerate for a few days and slowly release their aroma. The cold extract is strained and briefly pasteurized at 65 degrees—gentle, vegan, and gluten-free—so that the fresh floral scent is preserved.
In the manufactory's fruit boutique, you can taste the syrups and spreads on-site; around a dozen pairs of hands stand behind every jar. From this small operation in the mountains comes a syrup that is appreciated far beyond South Tyrol.
Stefan Gruber founded the manufactory in the Prags Valley at an altitude of around 1,250 meters in 1997, and to this day, elderberry remains one of the classics from the Dolomites. You can find more from South Tyrol in the Alpe Pragas assortment.
The South Tyrolean Hugo in a wine glass
Two tablespoons of elderflower syrup go into a large wine glass, along with a few leaves of fresh mint and plenty of ice. Fill it with well-chilled Prosecco, a splash of soda water, and a slice of lime.
It also adds its floral scent to cake batter for a lemon cake or over fresh strawberries with mascarpone—fine and summery. A creamy elderflower sorbet can be made easily with syrup, water, and some lemon, stirred into the freezer overnight.
That is how the Hugo was once born in South Tyrol, and that is how it is still drunk there today. Alcohol-free, it is just as refreshing with mineral water. That’s what summer is all about.
