Mezzo Amaro

A name of my own creation, describing a titan of the cocktail world. Mezzo amaro has a double meaning.

Halfway Bitter

The first meaning describes its makeup. Classic mezzo amaro is equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth (I prefer Carpano Antica). Campari is bitter, sweet vermouth is sweet (although it has some bitter notes as well). So the combination is half bitter, half sweet, hence halfway bitter.

Mezzo amaro can also be made with other matched pairs of amari and vermouths. Some that I’ve enjoyed:

• Averna and Amaro D’ella Etna: both from Sicily, this is a more citrus-y and almost tropical combination
• Campari and Punt e Mes: while Punt e Mes is technically a vermouth, this is really bitter and bitter. Potent, but for the bitter flavor lover, delicious

The Bitter Half

The second meaning describes its use. Certainly, it can be drunk on ice, or even neat, but it also forms the bitter accent for a range of cocktails. Ratios below are mezzo amaro first, other ingredient second. Garnishes are suggestions, any citrus works for any of these, and at home I usually drink them without a garnish at all. They are traditionally a wedge, but I prefer a twist of zest for aroma.

• Negroni (2:1 with gin, orange garnish): the star of the group and one of the cocktail immortals, much more could be said but doesn’t need to be.
• Americano (1:1 (or whatever you prefer) with soda water, lemon garnish): the granddaddy of the group, underappreciated, but lovely on a hot summer day.
• Negroni Sbagliatto (2:3 with prosecco, orange garnish): recently very popular and another great choice on a hot day, a fun alternative to an aperol spritz.
• Boulevardier (1:1 with bourbon or rye whiskey, orange garnish): richer, thicker and boozier than a negroni, perfect by a fire in the winter when you still want a bitter punch instead of an old fashioned or something similar.
• Mezcal Negroni (2:1 with mezcal, lemon garnish): funkier and bolder than a standard negroni, one of my personal favorite cocktails, but certainly less of a crowd pleaser.
• Kingston Negroni (2:1 with dark, funky rum, orange garnish): somewhere between a negroni and a mezcal negroni on the weirdness scale, another fun alternative to try.
• Agavoni: (2:1 with tequila, grapefruit garnish): my least favorite personally, loses the botanicals of the gin without the funk of the rum or smokiness of the mezcal to replace it, but people love tequila and its a solid drink.