A Heavyweight Favorite
Fans of James Bond are sure to recognize the Americano cocktail. If you’ve never tried one for yourself, take a note from one of our favorite action heroes and give this cocktail a try. The Americano is built on a Vermouth and Campari base before being spiced up with club soda. Some critics will tell you that the only true way to drink an Americano is with Perrier soda, but we will let you make that decision for yourself. The cocktail is traditionally served over the rocks in an Old-Fashioned glass. It was created as an homage to Primo carnera, who was the first Italian boxer to win the world heavyweight championship.
If you’ve tried an Americano before, perhaps you’re under the impression the recipe cannot be improved. You would be incorrect! Fans of the Americano have tweaked the recipe many times to create countless delicious variants that are sure to please just as much as the original. We have collected a few of our favorite Americano cocktail recipes and have listed them below to pique your interest. Next time you are looking for an after dinner drink, pull up this list and mix yourself up a delicious Americano.
Traditional Americano – 1.5 oz Campari, 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth, Club Soda, Orange Twist
Before we begin introducing you to all of the Americano remakes, we thought it best to bring things back to the beginning. The Americano is a very sweet, very appealing cocktail that is perfect for settling in after dinner. It is also beginner friendly due to the limited amount of ingredients. To create this drink:
- Fill a highball glass with ice
- Pour in campari and vermouth
- Top with a splash of club soda
- Garnish glass with an orange twist, then serve
Negroni – 1 oz Gin, 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Sweet Vermouth, Orange Twist
Arguably the most well-known variation of the traditional Americano, the Negroni replaces the club soda with gin for an added kick. This cocktail has become a powerhouse all on its own and is both delicious and impactful. If you think a traditional Americano may be too sweet for you, give the Negroni a try. To create this drink:
- Fill an Old-Fashioned glass with ice
- Pour all liquid ingredients over ice
- Stir thoroughly
- Garnish glass with orange twist, then serve
Americano in Paris – 1.5 oz Aperol, 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth, 3 dashes Bitters, 2 oz Soda Water, Orange Slice
This version of the Americano replaces the Campari with Aperol and adds in bitters. The results are a lighter, citrus cocktail that becomes a before dinner treat. If a traditional Americano is too heavy for you, consider this as an alternative! To create this drink:
- Fill a highball glass with ice
- Pour Aperol, vermouth, and bitters over ice
- Stir thoroughly
- Top with a splash of club soda
- Garnish glass with orange slice, then serve
Broken Americano – 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Sweet Vermouth, 1 oz Prosecco, Orange Twist
This recipe substitutes bubbly Prosecco for the traditionally-used club soda. This lightens the flavor of the cocktail while still paying homage to its routes. If you want a bit more bite to your Americano without a fuller body, opt for this approach instead. To create this drink:
- Fill a highball glass with ice
- Stir in Campari, prosecco, and vermouth until thoroughly combined
- Garnish glass with orange twist, then serve
Contessa – 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Dry Vermouth, 1 oz Aperol, Lemon Twist
This cocktail has a strong citrus flavor that will wake you up and create an energizing jolt. It is not as sweet as the traditional Americano, which may appeal to those who avoid sugary cocktails. It is still delicious, however, and very bright. To create this drink:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
- Add Aperol, vermouth, and Campari to shaker
- Shake vigorously and strain into chilled old-fashioned glass
- Squeeze lemon garnish into drink
- Garnish glass with lemon twist, then serve
Spiced Apple Americano – 2 oz Apple Brandy, 1 oz Sweet Vermouth, 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Club Soda, Lemon Twist
If you are craving the spiced apple flavors of fall, look no further than this take on the Americano cocktail. Adding in apple brandy really takes this drink to a new level. It is also very easy to up the portions and make a few extra servings to impress your friends. To create this drink:
- Fill an Old-Fashioned glass with ice
- Pour in apple brandy, vermouth, and Campari
- Stir thoroughly
- Top with a splash of club soda
- Squeeze lemon twist over drink
- Garnish glass with lemon twist, then serve
Tequila Americano – 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Sweet Vermouth, 1 oz Tequila, Club Soda, Orange Twist
The sweet butterscotch flavors of tequila really amp up this Americano recipe. This cocktail has a savory-sweet appeal that is filled with rich, full flavors and just a hint of citrus. You will want to share this one with company for sure! To create this drink:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
- Add Campari, vermouth, and tequila to shaker
- Shake for at least 15 seconds
- Fill an Old-Fashioned glass with ice
- Strain cocktail shaker into glass
- Add a splash of club soda and squeeze orange twist over drink
- Garnish glass with orange twist, then serve
Drunk Uncle – .75 oz Sweet Vermouth, .75 oz Campari, 1.5 oz Scotch, Grapefruit Soda, Grapefruit Twist
Adding in scotch and grapefruit brins a very bright, very unexpected twist to this Americano that will delight and entice you. It has a smoky edge to its flavors that will leave you wanting more. If you know someone whose a fan of scotch and swears no cocktail will win them over, serve them one of these. To create this drink:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
- Shake vigorously
- Strain into chilled glass
- Top with a splash of grapefruit soda
- Garnish glass with grapefruit twist, then serve
Hopefully one of these delicious Americano recipes caught your eye. We believe each of the recipes listed above should be tried at least once. The Americano is a truly versatile cocktail that will add a pop of excitement into your everyday life. If you need that excitement today, recreate one of these recipes and prepare to enjoy the experience! And don’t forget to invite your friends over; perhaps you can all recreate at least one of the recipes above and see whose is the tastiest.