Americano Cocktail

Before the Negroni, there was the Americano

Inspiration

Americano Cocktail

Made by Jena Ellenwood

The Americano Cocktail—so simple, so perfect, so underrated in my humble opinion. Without the Americano Cocktail, there would be no Negroni! Thankfully for us in the Tippler Nation, Gaspare Campari began whipping up these low ABV beauties in the 1860s, they owe their name to their popularity with American tourists. Fun fact: The Americano Cocktail is the first cocktail ordered by James Bond in the novel Casino Royale (he later goes on to order his signature Vesper). You can mix and match vermouths and bitter aperitivos here, there are so many delicious options to choose from!

If you love this cocktail, check out our full cocktail library or our YouTube Craft Cocktail Making playlist for home mixology lessons as you make your drink.

Let’s Get Buildin’

Serves: 1

Special Tools: Collins Glass, Jigger, Bar Spoon, Y Peeler

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 ½ oz Bitter Aperitivo, like this one

1 ½ oz Sweet Vermouth

2 oz Soda Water

Orange Twist

Steps

Combine Aperitivo and Vermouth in Collins Glass
Add ice and lightly stir
Pour club soda into glass along barspoon (the ridges on the spoon keep the soda from bubbling over!)
Garnish with an expressed orange twist

But will I like it?

Cocktail flavor profile

Getting to know your palate, what you like, and what you don’t like is a critical part of being a great craft tippler AND key to becoming a great home bartender as well!

So before you break out that barware and buy the key ingredients, here’s a little guidance on what to expect from this cocktail so you can start to hone in on exactly what elements of cocktails you enjoy and which you’d prefer to minimize. This helps you order new cocktails you love when you’re out on the town better as well!