Marz Malort Spritz 4Pk

Marz Malort Spritz 4Pk is a ready-to-drink canned spritz at 4.75% ABV, blending Jeppson's Malört wormwood liqueur with grapefruit, hibiscus, and lime. Born from a collaboration between Marz Community Brewing and CH Distillery — both rooted in Chicago — this spritz translates one of the city's most polarizing spirits into a carbonated, sessionable format that retains authentic wormwood bite.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.75%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Canned Bitter Spritz  |  Producers: Marz Community Brewing & CH Distillery

Production & Heritage

Jeppson's Malört, the notoriously bitter wormwood liqueur synonymous with Chicago drinking culture, provides the backbone of this spritz. CH Distillery — the brand's current producer — distills Malört from an organic rye and wheat base sourced from nearby Kane County, Illinois, incorporating wormwood from Skåne, Sweden, among other global sources. For this collaboration, Marz Community Brewing worked with CH Distillery to balance the liqueur's intensity within a carbonated, lower-ABV formula, adding grapefruit, hibiscus, and lime to create a drink that softens Malört's signature aggression without erasing it.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Grapefruit pith and dried herbs lead, followed by subtle floral hibiscus and a faint medicinal wormwood undertone. The overall impression is citrus-forward with an earthy, herbaceous depth.

Taste: The entry is bright with pink grapefruit and effervescent carbonation, which quickly gives way to Malört's defining wormwood bitterness on the mid-palate. Bitter citrus peel, rhubarb-like tartness, and sliced cucumber hints weave through the body. The hibiscus contributes a dry, slightly tannic quality alongside a dusty salmon-pink hue.

Finish: Medium in length, closing with lingering wormwood bitterness and a dry, herbaceous character. The carbonation provides a clean, palate-cleansing lift that resets the tongue and invites the next sip.

How to Drink Marz Malort Spritz

Drink it straight from the chilled can or pour over ice in a wine glass or rocks glass to let the aromas open up. At 4.75% ABV, it functions as a standalone sessionable bitter spritz and does not require additional mixing. That said, it can anchor a few creative builds: use it as the sparkling component in a Negroni Sbagliato in place of prosecco for added wormwood complexity; lengthen it over ice with a splash of tonic and a grapefruit wheel for a Bitter Paloma Highball; or pair it with a measure of mezcal for a smoky, bitter Oaxacan Spritz riff.

Best For

• Introducing a Malört-curious friend to the spirit in an approachable format
• Warm-weather cookouts or rooftop gatherings where sessionability matters
• A gift for a Chicago expat who misses the city's signature drink
• Bitter-spirit enthusiasts looking for a low-ABV alternative to an Aperol Spritz

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Marz Malort Spritz taste like? It leads with bright grapefruit citrus and effervescent carbonation before delivering Malört's signature wormwood bitterness, tempered by hibiscus dryness and lime acidity. The result is noticeably bitter but far more approachable than neat Malört.

How does Marz Malort Spritz compare to an Aperol Spritz? Where an Aperol Spritz leans sweet, orange-forward, and gentle, the Marz Malort Spritz is drier, more aggressively bitter, and herbaceous due to the wormwood base. Drinkers who find Aperol too sugary will likely prefer this Chicago-made alternative.

Is Marz Malort Spritz good for beginners? It is significantly more approachable than drinking Jeppson's Malört neat, but the wormwood bitterness remains prominent — those new to bitter spirits should expect an assertive flavor profile rather than a sweet, fruit-forward spritz.

Where is Marz Malort Spritz made? It is produced in Chicago, Illinois, through a collaboration between Marz Community Brewing and CH Distillery, the current producers of Jeppson's Malört. The base spirit uses organic rye and wheat from Kane County, Illinois.

What foods pair well with Marz Malort Spritz? Its bitterness and carbonation complement rich or fatty foods well: grilled bratwurst with mustard, a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, smoked fish dip, sharp aged cheddar, or a citrus-dressed arugula salad with shaved Parmesan.

What sizes does Marz Malort Spritz come in? The standard retail format is a four-pack of cans at 4.75% ABV, designed as a ready-to-drink offering.

Is Marz Malort Spritz worth the price? It positions in the premium ready-to-drink spritz tier, which is reasonable given the collaboration pedigree and the use of genuine Jeppson's Malört rather than a generic bittering agent. For fans of bitter drinks seeking a convenient, sessionable option, it delivers real character that many mass-market canned cocktails lack.

Why Marz Malort Spritz?

What makes this spritz genuinely unusual is the base spirit: Jeppson's Malört is not a typical bittering liqueur but a wormwood-driven product with a cult following and a flavor profile unlike anything else in the American spirits landscape. By combining Malört with grapefruit, hibiscus, and lime in a carbonated, low-ABV can, Marz and CH Distillery managed to preserve the spirit's essential identity while making it something you can drink across an afternoon. The sourcing is credible — organic Midwestern grain, globally sourced wormwood — and both producers bring legitimate craft credentials from their respective sides of brewing and distilling. In a crowded canned cocktail market flooded with bland, overly sweetened spritzers, this one has a genuine point of view.