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 fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then typically left unaged or briefly aged and filtered to develop a light, spiced flavor.

Sparkling Wine: This is a type of wine made with white grapes and yeast, which are fermented with the skins to produce alcohol and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a pale yellow-green color and crisp, fruity flavor.

Soda Water: This is a carbonated beverage made with water and dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which gives it a fizzy, neutral flavor.

Elderflower Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with elderflower blossoms, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a light, floral flavor.

Cucumber Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cucumber juice and sugar, which are heated and infused into a syrup with an airy, vegetal flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 BACARDÍ Superior White Rum
• 🔗 La Marca Prosecco
• 🔗 Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water
• 🔗 St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Bartending Tools

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

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Muddler: This is a handheld bar tool with a thick handle and flat or textured end that’s used for crushing ingredients to release their flavors.

Highball Glass: This is a tall, slim glass that’s used for serving mixed drinks made with a larger proportion of non-alcoholic mixers.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
• 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
• 🔗 OXO Steel Cocktail Muddler
• 🔗 Libbey Signature Kentfield Highball Glass

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.