Haus Apéritif Review.

When I first spotted Haus I was (without knowing anything about the brand) like OOH I want that for my bar cart. Such pretty packaging. And as I learned more about the company (and apéritif culture in general), I became immediately obsessed. I ordered a few bottles and have been tasting them all (I’m sorry it took me so long to write this review; wanted to be thorough!)

Haus Apéritif Review

OK so Haus is a new(ish) wine based apéritif, made from all-natural ingredients on a farm in California. Their apéritifs are made with only real fruits like chardonnay grapes, herbs, and botanicals and they’re low in alcohol. They use only raw cane sugar and fresh ingredients, which definitely comes through in the flavor. I will say that it has more alcohol than you’d expect. It’s got 18% alcohol, whereas wine is usually around 13-14%. Aperol, by contrast is 11%.

Wait – what even is an Apéritif?

An apéritif is a liquor that is lower in alcohol content, with complex, sophisticated flavors. Apéritifs are meant to be sipped and enjoyed. Apéritif culture is very feel good. It’s not about getting drunk, but rather on focusing on connections and being present in the moment. Apéritifs are a European tradition. The daily ritual of a drink and a small snack to mark the end of work, the beginning of play, and oftentimes… the sunset. It’s more about the feel good social tradition than anything else. I love pouring any of these over lots of ice with a little bit of soda water.

Some apéritifs you are probably familiar with could be Aperol, Campari, Lillet, or Amaro. You want to enjoy them on the rocks or in a cocktail. I like to make spritz, using three parts Haus, two parts prosecco, and one part soda. The downside of the apéritif is that they can be very sugary. But I really like that Haus apéritifs are a lot less sugary than a lot of the others.

I tried five of the flavors! I would definitely recommend starting with the sampler kit (you can choose four flavors, for $40 – it’s a great way to try the brand and make sure you like it. Also, the little bottles are cute!)

Citrus Flower –

This one is the classic, in my opinion. It’s like a less sugary Aperol. So the easiest way to drink it would be as a spritz (use 3 parts Haus, 2 parts, Prosecco, and 1 part seltzer!) The resulting drink is a (less orange!) less sugary Aperol Spritz, which you know is one of my favorite cocktails. It’s also really nice over ice with a splash of soda.

Bitter Clove –

This is probably the most sophisticated flavor profile of the bunch. I did a post about low ABV summer spritzes and a few of you have asked me for recommendations for low ABV winter cocktail ideas and this would be perfect… I’d do it on the rocks with club soda. Simple but elegant! It has clove, ginger, and cinnamon and is inspired by amaro. (You could also drink it over the rocks like a negroni – serve with an orange twist!)

Ginger Yuzu –

This is spicy and aromatic. It’s made with yuzu, ginger root, and lemongrass. To be honest, it wasn’t my favorite. I think that’s probably because I couldn’t find a mixer I love. Haus recommends tonic and I hate tonic!

Rose Rosé –

I really like this one. It has raspberry wild rose, strawberry, and juicy cherries. So delicious. This one, I love with Prosecco but you could also serve it on the rocks or with soda or tonic.

Peach Passionfruit –

This one is yummy and tropical! Passionfruit, peach, ginger, and nutmeg. This summer I served it as a spritz (with prosecco and seltzer) and it was a hit. Garnish with a slice of peach. It’s also really nice just over ice topped with soda water.

Spiced Cherry –

I love this flavor! It’s the perfect mix of fruit and earthy, so it isn’t too sweet. Rich and fruit-forward with earthy spices, this apéritif lets cherry’s natural flavor shine. I like to drink this one with sparkling water.

Storage notes –

Haus does not expire but you want to keep them in the fridge after opening to keep those natural ingredients FRESH!

Haus Memberships

You don’t have to be a member to enjoy Haus (I just placed a few different a la carte orders!) but they do offer some nice membership options if you decide you like it. You can get a 1 bottle, 2 bottle or even 6 bottle membership. The one really compelling thing about a membership is that they create members-only flavors like star anise or lemon lavender.

One Bottle Membership

With the one bottle membership, you will receive one bottle per month, free shipping, and access to member perks (like members-only flavors).

Two Bottle Membership

With the two bottle membership, you will receive two bottles per month, free shipping, 10% off all orders, and early access to member perks.

Six bottle Membership

Lastly, for the six bottle membership, you will receive six bottles per month, free shipping, 20% off all orders, and first access to member perks.

*Right now, Haus only ships within the US (they are still waiting on Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Rhode Island, North Dakota, Mississippi, and Utah.)

The Verdict

I really like this brand. I don’t drink it often enough to need a membership. But I think this makes a perfect gift (especially the sampler set!). I like having a few bottles on hand… they’re great if you’re going over a friend’s place and feel like bringing something different to drink.

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photo by Allie Provost.