Famously known as a drink that is consumed to ward off eating meals and digestive problems, fernet is often offered these days after heavy meals to prevent fatigue, relieve indigestion, and cure a hangover.
There is not much on this earth like fernet and for that reason it has earned a legendary reputation around the world.
To say that fernet is an acquired taste is an understatement. Italian waiters and restaurateurs alike will tell you that their customers either don’t tire of this mint herbal amaro or loathe it outright.
The creation of this aperitif dates back to Milan in 1845, where Bernardino Branca founded his Fratelli Branca distillery and created his own fernet, Fernet-Branca. The drink was initially conceived as a cure for cholera, as Italians believed that the herbs in the drink would stimulate hunger in sick people. Even local hospitals administered fernet to their patients, hoping they would want to eat and drink.
Fernet-Branca’s specific ingredient list remains a family secret, however current Fratelli Branca CEO Edoardo Branca shares that his current recipe contains ingredients with global influences such as aloe from South Africa, rhubarb from China, and chamomile from Italy. Today, this liquid panacea is still served in its home country (and in many Italian restaurants in the United States) alongside coffee and ice cream on dessert menus as a digestif.
The drink became so popular in the 90s that rock band Vilma Palma e Vampiros came out with a theme song: Fernet con Coca. Despite its Milanese origins, Argentina is currently the largest consumer of fernet. The dark bitter is so popular that Argentina is home to the only other Fratelli Branca distillery outside of Milan.
In the United States, San Francisco made an exception for the consumption of fernet due to its alleged medicinal properties during Prohibition. When the drink was first sold, it was announced that fernet did the following:
- aid digestion
- decrease fever
- alleviate pain
The first versions contained text that said: “[Fernet] it benefits the stomach, promotes digestion, strengthens the body, overcomes cholera, reduces fever and cures those who suffer from nervous weakness, lack of appetite, disease or tapeworms.
While the effectiveness of these benefits is up for debate, a more health-conscious audience will appreciate its low sugar content and abundance of herbs normally only seen in juice bars and wellness studies.
With a ginger ale chaser in hand, fernet fans flock to the West Coast to experience the best their mixologists have to offer. Often referred to as “the bartender’s handshake,” a request for a fernet outlet indicates insider status among those working in the food and beverage industry. Fernet is still very popular in San Francisco, covering 25 percent of the fernet consumed in the United States as of 2008.
Today, the supposed healing power of fernet still holds true for many devoted drinkers.
If you’re trying spirited bitters for the first time, try an Industry Sour or Hanky Panky – these cocktails incorporate bright acidity or added sweetness to ease the edge. And if you’re brave enough, take the shot. Your bartender will have a new respect for you, and you will (probably) feel better in the morning than usual. Greeting!