Balsam Spritz – Vinegar Bar

Balsam Spritz, the non-alcoholic aperitivo in orange

The Mussini Balsam Spritz is a vinegar preparation from Modena that is reminiscent of the orange Aperitivo Spritz in flavor. Based on concentrated white grape must and wine vinegar, with 4% acidity and zero alcohol – a bright orange, sweet-tart shrub for aperitifs, cocktails, and the kitchen.

Balsam Spritz is part of the Vinegar Bar collection by Acetaia Mussini, a series of non-alcoholic mixology ingredients. This orange vinegar preparation combines cooked white grape must and wine vinegar with a bitter orange note, bringing the feeling of the aperitivo hour to your glass. Its color alone glows like a sunset. Plenty of ice in the glass keeps the bitter orange fresh and balances the sweetness.

Bitter orange, herbs, and a glowing orange hue

The aroma offers bitter orange, orange zest, and fine herbs, underscored by the typical tart freshness of an aperitivo. Balsam Spritz glows bright orange in the glass, as warm as the hour before dinner.

It tastes sweet and tart at the same time: fruity, bitter, and zesty. With 4% acidity, it remains light and lively; based on concentrated grape must, it has a syrup-like consistency—an ingredient that adds structure and color to any drink.

Non-alcoholic aperitivo, spritz, and summer salads

For a spritz with alcohol, add a splash of Balsam Spritz to Prosecco and soda water. For a completely non-alcoholic mocktail, mix it with orange juice and soda—garnished with an orange slice and a little mint, you have a non-alcoholic aperitif that demands to be taken seriously.

For a non-alcoholic spritz, fill a wine glass with ice, add 4 cl of the vinegar preparation, and top up with 100 ml of non-alcoholic sparkling wine and a splash of soda. When guests arrive, mix up a whole carafe: 8 cl Balsam Spritz, 400 ml orange juice, a bottle of soda, plus orange slices and plenty of ice—an aperitivo for the whole group, made in two minutes.

It works just as well in the kitchen: with Greek salad featuring feta and olives, with grilled duck breast, or stirred into a carrot salad, where its bitter orange balances the sweetness of the carrots. Its bar siblings are the Balsam Limoncino and the Balsam Amaretto.

Vinegar Bar, a shrub from Magreta near Modena

The Vinegar Bar series comes from the Acetaia Mussini in Magreta near Modena, where cousins Giorgio and Gabriele run the manufactory. They re-founded the business in 2001 based on their grandmothers' legacy, and today it employs 15 people and manages around 15,000 barrels.

A shrub, a fruit syrup with a vinegar base, brings the aromas of Italian aperitifs to your glass—completely without alcohol. The family has been reducing their grape must since 1909; the idea that it would one day become an orange aperitivo for the bar is one of their latest innovations. In Italy, the aperitivo hour is as much a part of the culture as an espresso in the morning, and Mussini is now translating this into the non-alcoholic world. Tradition that dares to try something new.

Four centiliters over plenty of ice, with orange and soda

Here is how to do an aperitivo: serve the Balsam Spritz properly chilled, 4 cl over plenty of ice, with equal parts orange juice and soda, plus an orange slice and a sprig of mint—this is what summer tastes like, non-alcoholic and light. A good aperitivo doesn't always need alcohol. Stored in a cool, dark place, the 250 ml bottle will keep for a long time. You can find more from the series at Acetaia Mussini.