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The Dirty Spritz is here to play.
If you’re feeling dirty this summer, you aren’t alone. Meet the dirty spritz, the spritz-meets-dirty martini leaving its savory sparkle on cocktail menus this season.
Before blowing up social feeds, the classic spritz found its origins in prosecco motherland Veneto, Italy, where visitors would dilute heavier Italian wines with a “spritz” (German for “splash”) of ’secco or soda water to make the drink lighter. While the dirty version of the bubbly bev can’t be credited to a single inventive bartender, sultry variations of the sipper are here to play.
Ahead of the trend, we tapped Killjoy for a mod spin on the OG recipe—usually a combo of olive brine, gin or vodka, and prosecco or white white—that promises to, well, fulfill your dirty cravings.
“Yes, moscato is weird,” Killjoy owner Josh Gagne admits of his tantalizing ’tail recipe, “But so is a dirty spritz, and when trying to find a wine that pairs well with a salty brine, I was stumped.” The bartender landed on moscato thanks to a rec from Wine Authorities, and, surprisingly enough, it was spot on.
“Before you go, ‘I hate moscatos, they are so sweet,’ this was anything but,” says Gagne, noting how the Moscato plays well with the silky Castelvetrano olive brine. And pro tip from GM Kat Binkley: Request a splash of lemon juice if you want to cut the sweetness even more. So if you like the savory kiss of a dirty martini, head to Killjoy this summer to sample this perfect-for-the-patio sipper—or start talking dirty at home.
Killjoy’s Dirty Spritz
1.5 oz. olive oil dill-washed vodka*
1/2 oz. Castelvetrano olive brine
Moscato as needed
Lemon
Add vodka and olive brine to a shaker tin and shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Top off with moscato and garnish with skewered olives and expressed lemon.
*Olive Oil Dill-Washed Vodka
1 bottle vodka
4 oz. olive oil
1 small garlic clove
2 grams cracked black peppercorn
Small bunch fresh dill
Lightly crack peppercorns and heat in a saute pan until fragrant, being sure not to overheat. Combine all ingredients together in sealed container. Give a light shake and let sit upside down at room temp 24–72 hours. Gently move container to freezer and let sit overnight for olive oil to harden. Remove lid and slowly pour vodka through coffee filter to strain out all solids. Bottle and date.
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