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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.
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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 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “The Hugo Spritz was all the rage in the spring and summer of 2023 so it was very astute of Helix, one of my favorite local bars, to create this blend of both that popular recipe and the beloved Mojito. My friends had them several times while visiting and insisted that I recreate it for the blog so I could try one before the weather turned colder. My exact reaction upon first sip was to exclaim, ‘Motherf@!#%$, five stars.’ So yeah… I am definitely a convert. This is hands-down one of the tastiest riffs on the iconic rum and mint template that I have ever tried thanks to the elderflower and cucumber. I will definitely be adding this to my rotation.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from the summer 2023 menu at Helix Wine, Craft Bar, & Café.
Hugo Mojito
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.
Ingredients
Method
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Add mint leaves and cucumber syrup to a shaker.
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Muddle gently and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
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Add rum, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and cubed ice to shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Double strain into a highball glass filled with fresh cracked ice.
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Top with Prosecco and soda water.
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Garnish with mint sprig.
Notes
John's original recipe muddles and builds the drink in the glass with mint leaves; however, I prefer my Mojitos shaken and fine-strained, so that's why this recipe is slightly different.
