The Bar Journal

Recently I’ve notice an increasing interested around the Amaro category but often served in a pre meal cocktail and consider to be the right substitue of Bitter Campari or Vermouth, but what exactly is the difference between an apéritif and a digestif ?

As their names suggest, apéritifs and digestifs are meant to begin and end the meal – they actually serve a purpose! Apéritifs are meant to stimulate our appetite, preparing our system for the meal ahead, while digestifs do exactly what it is you most likely assume they’re supposed to do, help us digest the meal.

So what are the characteristics that can help you determine which drinks are apéritifs and which drinks are digestifs? Let’s start with the sweetness and alcohol content.

Because an apéritif is meant to stimulate the appetite, the drink should be very dry (low in sugar), since sugar actually limits our appetite, as well as low in alcohol, because no one wants to get sloshed before dinner and high alcohol also dulls our taste buds. Classic apéritifs are drinks such as dry vermouth, gin, prosecco, and dry white wine. If you’re looking for a cocktail to start the night, a vermouth and soda, negroni or glass of sparkling wine would be perfect, just don’t have too many, as the apéritif would lose its purpose of stimulating your appetite the more inebriated you’d become.

The digestif’s main purpose is to aid in digestion — at this point in the evening, with a full stomach, just a touch of sweetness and a higher alcohol percentage is welcomed as the drink helps our bodies settle the meal and bring everything to a close. In the digestif arena, options abound, from smooth whiskey and bourbon to brandy, port, sherry, and liqueur. Many concoctions have even been created for the sole purpose of aiding one’s digestion, such as Fernet, Quinine Amaro, Lucano or Averna. While not for everyone, Fernet and other amaros like it, are infuse or distilled with herbs and spices for the sole purpose of aiding digestion, almost like a tonic, which many people swear by. But you’ll have to be the judge as to whether or not it’s the right drink for you.

SALUTE!
GISUEPPE GALLO