Fernet Branca

Notes - Fernet Branca is a popular brand of amaro or Bitters. It is a bitter, aromatic spirit made from over 40 herbs and spices, including myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron, with a base of grape alcohol. The recipe is a secret, and was created by the young Maria Scala in 1845 in Milan as a medicine. Scala's name became Maria Branca through marriage, and the product's name was born. Fernet Branca is still produced in Milan by the company Fratelli Branca, overseen by the Branca family. The secret of its unique, unmistakable taste lies in its secret recipe which includes 27 herbs picked in 4 continents and aged in oak casks for over a year. Among these are - Aloe, Gentian root, Rhubarb, Gum Myrrh, Cinchona bark and other exotic spices such as Colombus, Galanga and Zedoary. Fernet Branca is usually served as a digestif after a meal, but may also be enjoyed with coffee and espresso, or mixed into coffee and espresso drinks. It may be enjoyed neat at room temperature or on the rocks (with ice). It is widely drunk in Argentina where it is often mistaken as a national beverage. The most common preparation is with Coca-Cola. To make a Fernet and Coke, use a tall glass filled with ice (tubo), then pour the Fernet up to 1/3 of the glass, top off with Coke. Serve with the can of Coke and a straw! More recently, it has become very popular in San Francisco where it is often served as a shot followed by a ginger ale chaser.
 
     

Enter your e-mail address and click the button to opt into the Fareham Wine Cellar mailing list: