Spaghett
A beer cocktail reimagining the Italian Aperol spritz.
The Spaghett (first called Spagett) is a beer cocktail that mixes Miller High Life, Aperol, and lemon juice, served in the Miller High Life bottle. Some versions substitute the more bitter Campari for Aperol. The drink was created in Baltimore in 2016 and is often seen as an American take on the Italian Aperol spritz.
Bartender Reed Cahill invented the Spaghett at Wet City Brewery in 2016. The original name, "Spagett," came from a spaghetti-eating character on the TV show *Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!*. Wet City manager PJ Sullivan explained the name as a nod to the drink being a "bastardized" version of an elegant Italian cocktail, much like the weirdo character in the show. For three years, the Spaghett remained a local specialty. In 2019, journalist Alex Delany tried it at Wet City and wrote about it for *Bon Appétit*, calling it his favorite summer drink. That article became the magazine's top-performing cocktail story that year. The drink then spread to local bars and house parties. Wet City Brewing celebrates "Spaghett Day" each year on August 6, the date the article was published. Delany described the Spaghett as an "everyman's drink" with a low barrier to entry, needing no special equipment and only three simple ingredients.
Critics have noted its appeal. *The Washington Post*'s M. Carrie Allan called it "essentially a beer spritz," with the Miller High Life bottle acting as a wink at its high-brow/low-brow mix. Lena Abraham of *The Kitchn* said it was her go-to summer cocktail, comparing its texture to an ice cream float. Stef Ferrari of *The Daily Meal* highlighted how the beer's hop notes complement the Aperol's orange and vanilla character. Samantha Maxwell of *Paste* pointed out the drink's simplicity and its lower alcohol content compared to most cocktails.
Quick Facts
- Base
- Beer
- Ingredients
- 10 oz. Miller High Life / 1 oz. Aperol / 1/2 oz. lemon juice
- Served
- Straight up: chilled, without ice
- Garnish
- Lemon wedge (optional)
- Prep
- Drink or pour roughly two oz. of beer from the bottle. Add the remaining ingredients directly into the bottle.
- Drinkware
- Miller High Life bottle
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Spaghett was invented in 2016 by bartender Reed Cahill at Wet City Brewery in Baltimore. Originally spelled 'Spagett', the drink was named after the spaghetti-eating character from the television series Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. As Wet City Brewery manager PJ Sullivan described: 'We named it Spagett because it's a bastardized Aperol spritz, which is an elegant Italian cocktail. And the character in the Tim and Eric skit is a weirdo eating spaghetti.' From 2016 to 2019, the Spaghett was mostly a Wet City Brewery specialty and not very well known.
Reader's Guide
The Spaghett gained wider recognition in 2019 when New York-based journalist Alex Delany happened to be at Wet City Brewery and ordered one from the specialty menu out of curiosity. Loving the drink, he enthused about it in a Bon Appétit article, calling it his favorite summer drink. The article became Bon Appétit's best-performing cocktail story that year. The drink soon appeared in local bars and house parties. Every year on August 6, the date the Bon Appétit article was published, Wet City Brewing celebrates 'Spaghett Day'. The Spaghett has garnered a cult following. Delany said 'It's an everyman's drink. The barrier to entry is almost nonexistent.' No special equipment is required to make it, and it is composed of three simple and easily acquired ingredients. In some variations, the more bitter Campari is used in place of Aperol. Reception has noted its presentation in a Miller High Life bottle as 'a bit of a wink at its high-brow/low-brow fusion,' and its low alcohol by volume compared to most cocktails.
Did You Know?
- The Spaghett was originally spelled 'Spagett'.
- The Bon Appétit article about the Spaghett became the magazine's best-performing cocktail story in 2019.
- Wet City Brewing celebrates 'Spaghett Day' every year on August 6.
More in Bubbly cocktails 1-21
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced