Tej Spritz

Tej Spritz is bright, floral, and lightly sparkling, with the mellow sweetness of Ethiopian honey wine lifted by chilled soda and fresh lemon. It is easy to make, refreshing to drink, and especially appealing as a quick aperitif on a warm day.

Nutrition · per serving

136kcal

0.1gProtein

14.5gCarbs

0.1gFat

0.3gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

6 items

Spritz base

tej honey wine240 ml

sparkling water, well chilled180 ml

lemon juice, freshly squeezed30 ml

lemon, thinly sliced into rounds1 small

ice cubes240 g

Optional finish

lemon zest1 tsp

Tips

•Tej varies in sweetness and strength, so adjust the lemon juice by 5-10 ml to balance the drink to your taste.
•Use very cold sparkling water and very cold tej for the crispest result and best bubbles.
•For a lighter spritz, increase the sparkling water to 240 ml total; for a richer, wine-forward version, reduce it to 120 ml total.
•Serve with roasted nuts, spiced popcorn, or light mezze-style snacks.

Steps

1
Chill 2 wine glasses or tumblers in the freezer for 2 minutes if you want an extra-cold spritz. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice and slice the lemon thinly so it releases aroma quickly without making the drink bitter.
30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
2
Divide the ice cubes between the 2 glasses. Add half of the lemon juice to each glass, then drop in a few lemon slices. This builds the drink from the bottom and helps the citrus disperse evenly.
240 g ice cubes30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
3
Pour 120 ml tej honey wine into each glass. Top each with 90 ml sparkling water, pouring gently down the side to preserve carbonation. Stir once or twice only; over-stirring will flatten the spritz.
240 ml tej honey wine180 ml sparkling water, well chilled
4
If using, rub a little lemon zest over the rim or sprinkle a pinch on top for extra fragrance. Serve immediately while the drink is lively and cold.
1 tsp lemon zest

Origin & History

Tej is Ethiopia’s traditional honey wine, long associated with celebrations, hospitality, and tej bets, the taverns that specialize in serving it. While a spritz is a modern adaptation rather than a classic historic preparation, it suits tej’s floral sweetness beautifully and offers a refreshing, contemporary way to enjoy this iconic drink.

ethiopian spritz tej vegan drink honey-wine citrus

Do even more with Gourmate

Cook this recipe in Gourmate — your AI meal planning app.

Plan Meals

Weekly planner at a tap

Ask Questions

Chat with your AI chef

Adjust Recipe

Scale servings & swap ingredients

Cook Mode

Step-by-step guidance

Kitchen Timers

Built-in timers & alerts

Grocery List

Auto-generated shopping lists

Open in App Download Gourmate

Steps

Chill 2 wine glasses or tumblers in the freezer for 2 minutes if you want an extra-cold spritz. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice and slice the lemon thinly so it releases aroma quickly without making the drink bitter.

30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

Divide the ice cubes between the 2 glasses. Add half of the lemon juice to each glass, then drop in a few lemon slices. This builds the drink from the bottom and helps the citrus disperse evenly.

240 g ice cubes30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

Pour 120 ml tej honey wine into each glass. Top each with 90 ml sparkling water, pouring gently down the side to preserve carbonation. Stir once or twice only; over-stirring will flatten the spritz.

240 ml tej honey wine180 ml sparkling water, well chilled

If using, rub a little lemon zest over the rim or sprinkle a pinch on top for extra fragrance. Serve immediately while the drink is lively and cold.

1 tsp lemon zest

Origin & History