Americano Cocktail Recipe

AMERICANO COCKTAIL RECIPE INGREDIENTS 

45ml Campari

45ml Sweet Vermouth

Top Soda

HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICANO COCKTAIL

Add the Campari and Sweet Vermouth to a Collins glass filled with cubed ice and briefly stir the ingredients to mix them. Top with soda water and garnish with an orange wedge. 

For a truly traditional Americano, use a lemon wheel for garnish.

GARNISH

Orange Wedge

TELL US ABOUT THE AMERICANO COCKTAIL RECIPE

The Americano cocktail – not to be confused with the incredibly popular Americano coffee – is an aperitif that’s great for introducing people to Campari, a sweet yet bitter liqueur. 

This cocktail was first was invented in the 1860s at Caffe Camparino in Milan, Italy.

People believe the name originated from the American tourists who favoured this drink and visited Europe on-masse during the Prohibition era.

From this point on the drink came to be known as the Americano. 

Made from equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth, the balance for an Americano comes from the soda to top. 

Due to the low ABV and lighter palette, the Americano cocktail is great for daytime drinking or for a pre-evening meal and the drink can be amended based on the glassware used.

For a more bittersweet drink, use an Old-Fashioned/lowball glass with minimal soda or for a more refreshing long drink, use the Collins/highball glass with more soda.  

DID YOU KNOW

The far more popular Negroni is thought to have been based on the Americano cocktail recipe. 

It is said that Count Camillo Negroni who often frequented the bar had asked the bartender for an Americano with more ‘kick’ which led to the soda being replaced with yet more alcohol – in the form of gin. 

Further to this, while James Bond films are widely known to have had the Martini cocktail as the drink of choice, in the original James Bond novels, the Americano was the first cocktail to be mentioned. 

As you can see, the Americano is a cocktail with some history and influence and is still a drink that’s going strong to this day. 

EXPERT TIP

This cocktail is incredibly simple to make, however, as the Americano only has three ingredients, we’d recommend using only premium products to enhance the flavour profile of the cocktail. 

Campari is a standalone ingredient but ensure that the sweet vermouth is fresh and refrigerated.

You’ll also want to opt for premium soda water to ensure the end product isn’t flat (carbonation is a key component of this drink to complement the bitterness).

WHAT TO DRINK NEXT

It simply has to be the classic Negroni recipe.