Americano
Ingredients
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- 1 ounces Campari
- 1 ounces sweet vermouth
- 2 ounces club soda – chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
- orange slice – for garnish
Instructions
1. Fill a rocks glass with the ice cubes.
2. Pour the Campari over the ice.
3. Add the sweet vermouth to the glass.
4. Top with the chilled club soda.
5. Gently stir the drink 2–3 times to combine without losing carbonation.
6. Garnish the drink with the orange slice and serve immediately.
The Americano is a light, bittersweet Italian aperitivo cocktail built on equal parts bitter liqueur and sweet vermouth, lengthened with sparkling water. Served over plenty of ice with a bright orange garnish, it tastes refreshing and complex without being overly strong in alcohol. Its balance of herbal bitterness, gentle sweetness, and effervescence makes it ideal for sipping before a meal and for those who enjoy nuance more than potency.
Historically, the Americano emerged in late 19th-century northern Italy, evolving from the Milano–Torino cocktail that combined Campari from Milan and sweet vermouth from Turin. The addition of soda water turned it into the Americano, reportedly popular with visiting Americans who enjoyed its lighter strength. Over time it became a cornerstone of Italian bar culture and is notably the forerunner of the Negroni, which swaps the soda for gin, cementing its significance in the evolution of classic aperitivo cocktails.