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The Americano is one of the great aperitivo drinks and the direct ancestor of the Negroni. Sweet vermouth and Campari are poured over ice, topped with soda water and finished with a twist of lemon. It is light, bittersweet and refreshing, built for sipping slowly before dinner.
The drink started life in Milan in the 1860s as the Milano-Torino, named for its two ingredients: Campari from Milan and sweet vermouth from Turin. A splash of soda later turned it into a long drink, and the story goes that it was renamed the Americano because American tourists loved it. It even has literary credentials. In Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, the very first drink Bond orders is an Americano.
This version leans on a 2-to-1 ratio of vermouth to Campari, which makes it rounder and gentler than the equal-parts version many bars use. Either way, it is low in alcohol and big on flavor, with bitter orange, herbs and spice all stretched out by the bubbles.
Glass: Highball glass | Strength: Light | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 2 minutes
Bartenders tip: For a more bitter, classic balance, use equal parts vermouth and Campari at an ounce and a half each. Pour the soda last and stir gently so it keeps its fizz. An orange slice is a common alternative to the lemon twist and plays up the Campari’s orange notes. Swap the soda for gin and you have a Negroni.
Steps
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add the sweet vermouth and Campari.
- Top with soda water and stir gently.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon and serve.
