Lyre’s is one of the top non alcoholic spirit producers out there and the sheer variety of their range makes them a stand out.
There are plenty of gins, some whiskeys but there are not many if any other “Italian spritz” type non alcoholic spirits.
If you don’t know what one is then you really need to be reading my review of Lyre’s Italian Spritz and why you should be trying it.
What type of spirit is Lyre’s Italian Spritz?
There is a classic cocktail in Europe (and all over the world” called an Italian Spritz. There is usually one main way to make this but in essence, it is a tall cocktail made with a citrus, orange, bitter aperitif.
The main alcoholic version of this drink is the famous “Aperol” which then is the star ingredient in the “Aperol Spritz”
What is Aperol?
Aperol make the aperitif you want for an alcoholic spritz.
It has many ingredients but the main ones are citrus oil from both sweet and bitter oranges, rhubarb, gentian root (from Angostura bitters fame), and something called cinchona bark.
It is basically a sweeter, lighter and less alcoholic version of Campari.
Which glass to serve Lyre’s Italian Spritz in?
You should serve these drinks in a highball glass. The one in my pictures is by far my favourite from just about the best glassware producer, Riedel.
You can check out this particular highball glass on Amazon here
Lyre’s Italian Spritz Ingredients
With a lot of non alcoholic spirits you don’t get much from the ingredients list. The secret sauce is often secret!
Lyre’s Italian Spritz include…
- Water
- Sugar
- Flavouring
- Colouring
As predicted, you can’t really tell much from the ingredients which is a pity.
Lyre’s Italian Spritz Nutrition
Many of the pure non alcoholic spirits have next to no calories, carbs or sugar. By pure i mean a direct alcohol free or non alcoholic equivalent of a gin, whiskey, vodka etc.
However, the new craft non alcoholic spirit, with many fruit flavourings, usually have a bit of a higher sugar and therefore calorie component.
Below is the outstanding nutrition profile of a 30ml serving and 100ml for comparison.
| | Per 100ml | Per 30ml serving |
| Alcohol | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Calories | 83kcal | 24.9kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 20g | 6g |
| Sugars | 20g | 6g |
20g of sugar and 83kcal per 100ml is on the very high side for a non alcoholic spirit.
The likes of Three Spirit Nightcap or Martini Vibrante have around 13g per 100ml of sugar so 20g is another 50% higher again.
This is something to bare in mind but with the reduced serving suggestion of 30ml compared to most at 50ml means you probably get a similar sugar load.
For a full review of calories in non alcoholic and alcohol free gin, you can read my article on it here
The Look
In terms of colour and comparing it to an Aperol, they have got it nearly spot on. It is a vibrant orange red, perhaps slightly more red than a true Aperol.
In the glass, with soda or tonic and ice, it looks extremely appealing.
The Aroma
Oh my, where to start with this one. You can smell citrus notes, sweetness and the all important bitters coming through. I’m not sure im picking out the rhubarb which is apparently lurking.
It does put you in mind of an Aperol and the look and smell only add to the anticipation
The Taste
Much like the smell, it is very hard to initially describe what you taste.
Whereas the dominant smell was probably citrus, the dominant taste is the bitters and herbs.
It is one of those drinks that keeps you going back for more and more as you try to place tastes and smells. I would best describe it as a complex bitter tastes with citrus.
The rhubarb still mostly alludes me. Perhaps with hindsight tastebuds it is there but it is rather academic.
There is some sweetness there, it has to be to balance the bitterness, but the drink never tastes overly sweet. It does tastes like an adult drink and a proper alcoholic spritz.
The Verdict
Imagine yourself on Lake Como, Lyre’s Italian Spritz in hand, on your exclusive speedboat. It oozes class and sophistication and I just love it.
If they somehow could have done it with a touch less sugar it would have been heading for top marks.
The Score
9/10
This is a winner all over. Delicious, adult, refreshing and complex. There is much to love and little to hate. You need to be trying this
Where to buy Lyre’s Italian Spritz?
You can buy this on Amazon, if you would like to see the live price then click on this link.
I can’t really find it in any supermarkets at the minute.
You can buy via the Lyre’s website
*Affiliate Disclosure – if you click on the links and buy from these providers, i might receive a small commission*
Is Lyre’s Italian Spritz really alcohol free?
Not quite.
There is a distinction between non alcoholic and alcohol free. You can read all about it on my article here, including how to read the labels.
Lyre’s products have 0.5% alcohol by volume which classifies it as “non alcoholic”. An alcohol free drink has to have less than 0.05%.
However, 0.5% ABV is still extremely low and many foods and drink have similar alcohol contents.
For context, an orange juice will have about 0.5% alcohol by volume as can some breads.
To read about the surprising alcohol in common foods and drink, click here
Can you get drunk on Lyre’s Italian Spritz?
To get drunk, you need to drink x320 1.5fl oz shots of Lyre’s Italian Spritz in less than 2 hrs.
This equals 480fl oz of Lyre’s Italian Spritz, 3.5 gallons of Lyre’s Italian Spritz or 14.2 litres of Lyre’s Italian Spritz in 2hours.
Anther way to look at it is you will have to drink x8 1.5fl oz shots of Lyre’s Italian Spritz, every 3mins, for 2 hours, to get drunk.
It is not possible to drink 480fl oz of Lyre’s Italian Spritz in 2 hours, so it is not possible to get drunk on ANON English Garden.
Is Lyre’s Italian Spritz gluten free?
Yes, Lyre’s Italian Spritz is gluten free. No grains are used and if they were, the gluten would not survive the distillation process.
I have an entire article on non alcoholic beers and gluten if you want more information on gluten in drinks
Is Lyre’s Italian Spritz vegan?
Lyre’s confirm their Italian Spritz is indeed vegan.
For more on vegan gins see my article on the matter. Why gins may or may not be and how to check.
| Score |
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SUMMARY
This is a winner all over. Delicious, adult, refreshing and complex. There is much to love and little to hate. You need to be trying this |
4.5
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