Hugo Mojito

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Cocktail History

The Hugo Mojito is a modern cocktail that was created in 2023 by John Langner at Helix Wine, Craft Bar, & Café in Altoona, Wisconsin. The recipe cleverly takes the Hugo Spritz’s familiar ingredients, elderflower and Prosecco, and marries them to a Mojito. It then takes them a step further by adding house-made cucumber syrup for an extra bit of coolness and refreshment.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

White Rum: This is a type of rum made with molasses or sugar cane juice and alcohol that is filtered and bottled right away without the aging process. I used BACARDÍ Superior White Rum.

Elderflower Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with elderflowers, citrus, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur.

Cucumber Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cucumber juice and white sugar. I made mine using this sous vide recipe.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Sparkling Wine: This is a carbonated wine made with white or red grapes. I used La Marca Prosecco.

Soda Water: This is a type of water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. I used Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water.

Mint Leaves: This is an herb. I used Mojito mint leaves.

Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used Mojito mint.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. I used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Fizzy light green-ish yellow hue

• Aroma: Invigorating mint, cucumber, and floral notes

• Taste: Cool cucumber and mint followed by the floral sweetness of elderflower, the tangy brightness of lime, and the slight spice of rum

• Finish: Dry and effervescent wine

Kendall’s Take
“The Hugo Spritz was everywhere in the summer of 2023, so I thought it was pretty clever when one of my favorite local bars, Helix Wine, Craft Bar, & Café, combined that trend with the classic Mojito. Although I ordered another seasonal cocktail off their menu at the time, I knew I had to recreate this recipe at home so I could try it myself. One sip in, and I immediately understood the hype. The elderflower and cucumber add a fresh, floral twist to the rum and mint template that makes the whole drink feel incredibly crisp and refreshing. Overall, the Hugo Mojito is an inspired riff on both classics and a cocktail I’m always excited to mix up again during the warm months.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found on the summer 2023 menu at Helix Wine, Craft Bar, & Café.