If you've spent any time at a rooftop bar, a patio brunch, or an Italian restaurant in the last decade, you've probably encountered the spritz. It's the drink with the orange hue, the oversized wine glass, and the effortless cool. The Aperol Spritz, in particular, has become one of the most popular cocktails in the world — a symbol of leisure, warmth, and the good life.
Now imagine that same experience without the alcohol and with a gentle dose of THC instead. That's a THC spritz: a bubbly, botanical, cannabis-infused drink that captures everything people love about the spritz format and swaps the booze for a different kind of buzz.
Where does the spritz come from?
The spritz has its roots in 19th-century northeastern Italy, in the Veneto region. The story goes that Austrian visitors found the local wines too strong, so they asked bartenders to "spritz" (the German word for spray) their drinks with a splash of water to lighten them. Over time, that splash of water became sparkling water, and the wine gave way to bitter, herbal liqueurs like Aperol and Campari.
The classic formula is simple: three parts sparkling wine, two parts bitter aperitif, and one part soda water, served over ice in a large glass with an orange slice. It's light, effervescent, a little bitter, and incredibly refreshing. The spritz became the signature drink of Italian aperitivo culture — that golden hour before dinner when the whole point is to relax, snack, and ease into the evening.
The Aperol Spritz went global in the 2010s, and today it's one of the most ordered cocktails on Earth. It was only a matter of time before someone brought the format into the world of THC.
How is a THC spritz different from a THC seltzer?
This is an important distinction, because the two get confused constantly. A THC seltzer is carbonated water with a fruit flavor and some THC. It's simple, light, and refreshing — more like a LaCroix than a cocktail.
A THC spritz is something more. It's built on a foundation of real botanicals, fruit juices, and herbal ingredients, which gives it a fuller body and a more layered flavor profile. Where a seltzer is one-dimensional by design, a spritz has depth. There's bitterness and sweetness playing off each other. There's complexity that rewards slow sipping. It's the difference between sparkling water and a cocktail.
A good THC spritz should taste like it was made by someone who cares about what's in your glass — because the spritz tradition, at its heart, is about craftsmanship and flavor, not just convenience.
What's in a THC spritz?
The specifics vary from brand to brand, but a quality THC spritz will typically contain a botanical or aperitif base (made with herbs, spices, and citrus), real fruit juice, sparkling water for effervescence, and a measured dose of THC. Some also include CBD for a more balanced effect.
Artet's spritzes, for example, start with our flagship aperitif — the same blend of cardamom, allspice, ginger, chamomile, gentian, juniper, and grapefruit that goes into our 750ml bottles. That aperitif base gets paired with real fruit and botanical ingredients to create four distinct flavors, each with 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD per can:
Chamomile Lemon — Floral and bright, with chamomile, lemon, and a hint of honey. Calm in a can.
Grapefruit Rosemary — Tart grapefruit meets earthy rosemary. Mediterranean in a glass.
Mango Ginger — Tropical mango balanced by the warmth of ginger. Bold and juicy.
Strawberry Basil — Rich berry flavor with sweet basil and a whisper of pink peppercorn. Like a farmstand, infused and canned.
Each can is 35 calories with no added sugar, which makes it a considerably lighter option than a traditional Aperol Spritz (which can run 150 to 200 calories with the prosecco).
How much THC is in a spritz?
THC spritzes typically range from 2.5mg to 10mg per can, depending on the brand. Lower-dose options (2.5 to 5mg) are designed to be sessionable, meaning you can comfortably enjoy two or three over the course of an evening without overdoing it. Higher-dose options (10mg) are intended for experienced consumers or occasions when a single can is the whole drink.
Artet's spritzes land at 5mg THC plus 5mg CBD per can. That 1:1 ratio was intentional. The CBD helps smooth out the experience, keeping things mellow and social rather than heady. Most people feel a gentle lift within 15 to 20 minutes — enough to notice, easy to enjoy, and simple to build on if you'd like another.
If you're new to THC drinks, a spritz is one of the best places to start. The dose is pre-measured, the format is familiar, and there's no mixing or measuring required. For a deeper look at finding your ideal amount, check out our guide to the right dose of THC.
When should I drink a THC spritz?
Anywhere you'd drink a regular spritz, which is to say: almost anywhere.
The spritz was designed for low-key, social moments. It's the drink you crack open on a warm afternoon, the one you bring to a friend's patio, the one you sip before dinner while snacking on olives and cheese. THC spritzes fit all of those occasions just as naturally as the original — minus the alcohol and the morning after.
They're also perfect for hosting. If you're having people over and want to offer an infused option without setting up a full bar, a bucket of iced THC spritzes does the job beautifully. Everyone can grab one, the dosing is built in, and nobody has to play bartender.
Can I make a THC spritz at home?
Absolutely. If you have a bottle of Artet's Flagship Aperitif, making a spritz from scratch is as easy as the classic formula: pour a serving of Artet over ice in a wine glass, top with soda water (or sparkling wine if you're going all out on the format), add a splash of fresh citrus juice, and garnish with an orange slice or a sprig of rosemary.
The advantage of making your own is that you control the dose, the ratio, and the extras. Want more citrus? Add it. Want it drier? Go easy on the juice. The aperitif gives you the botanical backbone, and you build the drink around it. Check out our cocktail recipes for more variations on the spritz and beyond.
How can I try a THC spritz?
If you want to try a THC spritz without any mixing or measuring, our four canned spritzes are ready to go. Grab the Spritz Party Pack to try all four flavors, or pick up the Starter Pack, which includes our spritzes alongside the 750ml aperitif for when you're ready to start making your own.
The spritz has endured for nearly two centuries because it's the perfect format: light enough to sip all evening, flavorful enough to hold your attention, and social enough to share. A little THC only makes it better.
Cheers, and as always, keep your spirits high!
