The Day After Amaro

One strange brew continues to entrance die-hard barflies. But is there life beyond Fernet?

If you live in San Francisco and don’t know what Fernet Branca is, you either a) don’t get out enough, b) don’t drink enough or c) have friends who care enough to shield you from shots of sludge-colored, syrupy, medicinally bitter beverages. While the Bay Area’s ongoing love affair with Fernet has been well-chronicled, no one’s gotten to the heart of the mystery. Why do so many people here insist on torturing themselves with this strange Italian substance?

One answer to this might be that Fernet Branca, reputedly good for digestion and a cure for hangovers, is considered a cure-all tonic among certain sets. Shots unfailingly arrive after dinner, before the party leaves the first bar of the night and then before the party leaves the final bar and heads home. Hard-core users often also take a “ginger back”—a glass of ginger ale to help the medicine go down.

The R Bar is ground zero for Fernet fans in SF, and its co-owner, Tod Alsman, reports that bartenders drink a little throughout a shift to deal with the stress. It’s said to even bring a burst of energy. “It also looks like coffee when it’s in an espresso cup,” he muses. While I do believe in Fernet’s salubrious qualities (especially the strange clarity it seems to bring), I’ve found that two or more shots of this 80-proof spirit—on top of a night of drinking—is like taking the carpool lane to the Big Hurt.

Fernet belongs to the category of Italian spirits known as amari (singular: amaro), also known as bitters, of which there are many, all basically made by infusing a neutral-base spirit with a proprietary recipe of roots, rinds, spices and herbs. The elixir is commonly sipped after dinner to aid digestion. “The bitterness causes you to salivate,” explains Darrell Corti, owner of Corti Brothers in Sacramento and expert in all things obscure and Italian. “And your saliva has enzymes that help digestion.”

When you’re surrounded by all the Fernet hype, it’s important to remember that Fernet is just one—and one particularly bitter—example of an amaro. My personal favorite is Averna, which happens to be the biggest selling amaro from Italy. Made in Sicily, it’s almost identical in color to Fernet, but its flavor is much different, with aromas of tart orange rinds and a rich, sweet finish of caramelized sugar balanced by just a hint of bitter. Then there’s Ramazzotti, from northern Italy, which is gentler than Fernet and less viscous, with a flavor of aromatic spices. Amaro Nonino is lighter in color than any of them and laden with flavors of exotic baking spices. It finishes with a sweet glow. From here, it’s up to you to choose.

WHERE TO DRINK

R Bar
Holding the largest Fernet Branca account in San Francisco, this TenderNob bar has empty bottles of Fernet lining the bar. You’ll find devotees here, taking their medicine straight or with a ginger back. 1176 Sutter St., 415-567-7441

Rye
Owner Greg Lindgren’s obsession with amari has compelled him to assemble a unique collection, some of which he’s brought back from Italy in his luggage and some of which, such as Stock and Nardini, he manages to find in town. 688 Geary St., 415-474-4448

À Côté
In the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, this established restaurant offers eight different amari, including Nardini, Carpano Antica and Cynar. Plus, you can get a good dinner, which makes it worth the trip. 5478 College Ave., 510-655-6469

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