Fernet Branca

[Bill Spencer Jr]

Anyone had this? Tried it for the first time yesterday and it was delicious. Has a medicine-like taste. Reminds me a little of Moxie (for you New Englanders) and Tab mixed together.



From Wiki:

Fernet Branca is a bitter, aromatic spirit from Italy.
It was invented in Milan in 1845 by the Italian Maria Scala as a stomach medicine. She became Maria Branca through marriage, and the product's name was born. Since then, the Fratelli Branca distillery produces the drink according to a secret family recipe with 27 herbs from five continents. According to the manufacturer Fernet Branca includes aloe from South Africa, rhubarb from China, gentian from France, galangal from India or Sri Lanka, chamomile from Italy and Argentina, saffron, myrrh and elderflower. It is aged at least one year in oak barrels. The alcohol content is 39 or 40% in Italy and 43% in Austria.
The same manufacturer offers also a sweeter bitter, Brancamenta.

 

[talibeard]

I like it a lot, from time to time. If you like Branca you should also try Fernet Stock from the Czech republic. Not identical but also very good.

 

[Shaving_CHENG]

It is very good, especially as a digestive. In Argentina it's mixed with coke as an aperitif.

 

[clubman]

A while ago, I remember reading somewhere that between the two of them, San Francisco and Buenos Aires account for a staggering majority of the world's Fernet sales - make of that what you will. Great on its own or with a ginger ale back.

 

[Icarium]

so many amaros to try
so little time
practically every town in italy has their own digestivo
so many more elsewhere too
if i had to guess, germany's jagermeister is probably the most well known
i tend to buy sicilian ones, my wife those from abruzzo
each favoring our family roots
things they all have in common to me is tasty, herbally flavour and high alcohol

 

[mattdenicola]

Fernet Branca is awseome. You can sip it as a digestivo. You can use it from a dropper as a nice change-of-pace to your usual bitters in a cocktail. You can mixed it with cola or sparkling water for an apertivo. You can blend it in a cocktail like the Toronto. Or you can feature it in its own cocktail. Just a great all-around amaro.

 

[Jeff C]

Fernet is quite strong. I like Rossbacher from Austria. After a hiatus, Hungarian Unicum is now back in some US cities, great stuff if you can find it.

http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2013/8/8/das-ist-ein-unicum.html

 

[Bill Spencer Jr]

A while ago, I remember reading somewhere that between the two of them, San Francisco and Buenos Aires account for a staggering majority of the world's Fernet sales - make of that what you will. Great on its own or with a ginger ale back.

Fernet is very popular in Argentina, where the production is around 25 million liters, 35% sold in Buenos Aires province and Federal District and 30% in Córdoba province (with a population of 3 million people).[SUP][2][/SUP][SUP][3][/SUP] It is commonly mixed with cola, but it is also drunk with soda water (in an "old fashioned way"), or even pure.
The drink has been popular in the San Francisco Bay Area since before Prohibition.[SUP][1][/SUP] In 2008, San Francisco accounted for 25% of US consumption.[SUP][4][/SUP] San Francisco bars usually serve fernet as a shot followed by a ginger ale chaser.[SUP][1][/SUP]

 

[djh]

Fernet Branca and Coca Cola is the barman's breakfast.

 

[jesseix]

A while ago, I remember reading somewhere that between the two of them, San Francisco and Buenos Aires account for a staggering majority of the world's Fernet sales - make of that what you will. Great on its own or with a ginger ale back.

Oddly enough San Francisco was the first place I ever had Fernet...

 

[ackvil]

My mother and father used to put a bit of it in their espresso every night. It was a tradition among people who came from their town in southern Italy.

One funny story about Fernet Branca. This goes back many years ago. My sister's ex was entertaining some fellows when my sister was having a baby shower. After the meal the espresso pot was put out and Fernet was placed on the table. One fellow, who was not of Italian background, really liked the taste of Fernet and after putting it in his coffee polished off a few shots. Within 20 minutes he was in the bathroom. Fernet in addition to being an aperitif, has properties of a laxative.

 

[Daytodaze]

I love Fernet Branca. Try pairing it with an anchor steam beer. There's a nice bar in Scottsdale that I frequent called Mabels on main, and they call this combo "the San Francisco treat." Sip one, sip the other, repeat.