Best Americano Cocktail

How to Make the Best Americano Cocktail! Sparkling and refreshing, this classic three-ingredient cocktail features Campari and vermouth.

Here’s a classic light and refreshing cocktail perfect for summer afternoons: the American cocktail! It’s the original Negroni inspiration and even better in our opinion. It is bitter, complex and sparkling at the same time! With Campari and vermouth, it’s both sophisticated and carefree. In this recipe, we’ve made a few tweaks to the “classic” definition of an americano to make it even better. Here are all our secrets!

PS If you don’t like bitter flavorsTry some of our sweeter fizzy drinks: Tom Collins, Southside Fizz or Classic Mojito.

What’s in an Americano cocktail?

Despite its name, the Americano cocktail is a classic Italian cocktail! Equal parts Campari and vermouth with sparkling water, it actually dates back to the 1860s. It was invented in a bar called Caffe Campari in Milan, Italy: the owner of which was the inventor of Campari himself – the same! Apparently, the drink was dubbed “Americano” due to its popularity with American tourists around the turn of the 20th century.

The Americano is a classic cocktail that is on the International Bartender Association’s list of official IBA cocktails. This means that there is an “official” definition, which is:

what does it matter better Americano… more sparkling water!

The official definition of an Americano is equal parts Campari and Vermouth (2 tablespoons each) with a splash of sparkling water. Alex and I tried this formulation and it worked very bitter! So bitter that we decided we didn’t like the americano.

But after a little more research, we found that some versions of the Americano have this a lot more sparkling water. So it’s more of a fizzy drink that has a nice bitter Campari undertone. We tried this ratio and loved it! Rather than drinking a cup of plain bitters (Blech!), it’s light and refreshing. Here’s the ratio we liked:

• 2 tablespoons of Campari and vermouth
• ½ cup sparkling water

Cousin drinks Americano

The Americano is closely related to some drinks:

• The Negroni: the Americano is indeed the base! Apparently, in the 1920s, a guy named Count Negroni in Florence, Italy, ordered a stronger version of an Americano: “an Americano with gin.” Full Disclosure: Alex and I aren’t big Negroni fans because it can be so intensely bittersweet. Instead we prefer the Mezcal Negroni, or…
• the boulevard! It’s a variation on the Negroni that uses whiskey instead of gin. I usually prefer gin to whiskey, but here the sweet notes of the whiskey balance the drink perfectly! Instead of a two-note flavor, you get a full, rich roundness. Or use dry vermouth in this drink and make it an Old Pal.

Find out more about Campari

Campari makes a Negroni and an Americano. But what is it? Campari is an Italian bitter with a bright jewel red colour. Campari tastes bitter, fruity and spicy at the same time. It is enriched with various herbs and fruits (part of a secret recipe). Fun Fact: Campari was originally so bright red because a dye was made from crushed insects! It’s no longer in the modern recipe, so don’t let that stop you from picking up a bottle. It’s easy to find at most liquor stores.

Learn more about vermouth

What is vermouth? Vermouth is a fortified wine, meaning alcohol has been added (usually brandy). There are two main types of vermouth: sweet (usually red) and dry (usually white). The sweet vermouth is subtly sweet and tangy, with a hint of bitterness at the back.

Sweet vermouth is used in many classic cocktails: the most famous are the Manhattan and the Negroni. It’s also in this Hanky ​​Panky, another 1920s-inspired gin cocktail. You can also drink it pure as an aperitif. Dry white vermouth is used in martinis such as the Classic Martini, Dirty Martini, and Cucumber Martini.

Be sure to store vermouth in the refrigerator. It stays good for up to 3 months! Here are all of our favorite vermouth cocktails to use in a bottle.

When to serve an Americano cocktail

The Americano cocktail is sparkling and refreshing, making it perfect for summer occasions. It’s perfect for sipping as: