The Perfect Drink To Order When You Want A Lighter Buzz And Bitter Flavors

There are few things better than a refreshing cocktail on a hot afternoon, so much so that the biggest problem is that you can't drink more of them. There are plenty of beloved and refreshing alcoholic drinks, like daiquiris and margaritas, but as thirst quenchers, they all suffer from the fatal flaw of people not wanting to get hammered by downing four or five of them. But as luck would have it, that's just what spritz-style drinks exist for. Usually made with a mix of a liqueur or aperitif, wine, and sparkling water or soda, these low ABV recipes give you that little bit of a buzz you're after while being light enough that you can quaff a few of them with little worry about losing your faculties. And while the Aperol version remains the most famous, there is an even older, very underrated drink you can order in that spritz style: the Americano.

As cocktails go the Americano is as simple as it gets: equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth topped with soda water. Both Campari and vermouth are lower in alcohol than liquor, and the mix of the two, diluted by soda water, will only have about half as much as your standard cocktail. The mix of sweet red vermouth brings balance to the bitter Campari, making it easy drinking, even for those with an aversion to herbal aperitif flavors. It's bright and effervescent while being lightly sweet and complex. In other words, it's perfect.

If you're unsure about an Americano, know that it's endorsed by someone who knows their alcohol better than anyone: James Bond. The Ian Fleming character made it his first ever order in the original Bond book, and in a later entry, he explains how the lighter Americano is perfect for sipping at French cafes where harder drinks are less appropriate.

Despite being named after Americans, the drink originated in Italy in the 19th century, where Italian drinkmakers created the cocktail to appeal to growing American tastes for vermouths and bitters. The Americano evolved from the Milano-Torino, which was just a mix of Campari and sweet vermouth without the soda water. In fact, the Americano actually predates the now more famous negroni, which didn't appear as a variation on the drink until the 1920s.

While the bittersweet taste of a classic Americano is hard to beat, the basic formula of the drink is also ideal for trying out different liqueurs and aperitifs. If the deep flavor of Campari is too much, Aperol can be a lighter swap that still has some bitterness. Beyond that, there is a whole world of aperitifs like Ramazzotti or Contratto that are similar to Campari but have unique tasting profiles. Or the vermouth can be swapped out for aromatized wines like Cocci Americano. While the original recipe is a classic, Americanos can be a whole style of drinks unto themselves.