Americano
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 12.5% ABV ∙
The Americano is an IBA official cocktail of equal parts red bitter, such as Campari, and sweet vermouth with a splash of soda, served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir the ingredients in the glass with ice: Red bitter 30 mlRosso vermouth 30 ml
- Add a splash of Soda water
- Stir gently
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a lemon twist
Tips
- The soda is only a 20 ml splash. Add more for a lighter, longer drink, or keep it short so the red bitter and vermouth stay in front.
- Fill the glass with large cubes before you pour; they melt slowly, so the drink takes longer to turn watery.
History
The Americano was first served around the 1860s at Gaspare Campari's Caffè Campari in Milan. It is a direct descendant of the Milano-Torino, a drink named for the origins of its components: Campari from Milan and sweet vermouth from Turin. Adding soda water to the Milano-Torino later lightened it into the Americano. Today, the IBA's official Americano codifies the sparkling version as the standard.
Most English-language sources say the name came later, in the 1920s, when the drink caught on with American tourists visiting Italy during Prohibition. Italian sources tell another story: that the drink was named in 1933, when Primo Carnera became the first Italian to win the world heavyweight boxing title, in New York.
The cocktail also holds a famous literary footnote: it is the very first drink ordered by Ian Fleming's James Bond in the 1953 novel Casino Royale.
FAQ
What exactly is in an Americano cocktail?
Equal parts red bitter, such as Campari, and rosso vermouth, with a splash of soda water, over ice. At 12.5% ABV it is a light aperitif.
What's the difference between an Americano and a Negroni?
A Negroni adds gin to the same red bitter and sweet vermouth and has no soda, so it is stronger and not fizzy. The Americano uses soda water instead of gin, which makes it lighter, lower in alcohol and fizzy.
What is the ratio of ingredients in an Americano?
Equal parts red bitter and rosso vermouth (30 ml each), with a smaller splash of soda water (20 ml), so the drink leans bittersweet rather than fizzy.
How do you make an Aperol Americano?
Swap the red bitter for Aperol and make it the same way: equal parts Aperol and rosso vermouth over ice, with a splash of soda water. Aperol is lighter and sweeter than Campari, so the drink is softer and less bitter than a classic Americano.
How do you make a perfect Americano?
Fill a chilled old-fashioned glass with large ice cubes so they melt slowly; with no strong spirit in it, a watery Americano has nothing to hide behind. Stir in the red bitter and rosso vermouth, add a splash of soda water, stir gently, and garnish with an orange wheel and a lemon twist.
