Americano cocktail in a highball glass — Soda water

Americano Cocktail Recipe

bitter refreshing herbal

campari, sweet vermouth, soda water

History

The Americano cocktail is Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda — no gin and no coffee. American tourists in Italy ordered the Milano-Torino (Campari from Milan, vermouth from Turin) with a splash of sparkling water, and the highball kept the name. In 1919 Count Camillo Negroni asked Fosco Scarselli to swap that soda for gin; the Americano stayed the low-proof original. If Campari and sweet vermouth are already in the pantry, this is the bitter highball to pour before you buy a gin bottle. Serve it tall over ice with an orange slice, not as an espresso Americano.

Ingredients

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How to make

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice — an Americano is built in the glass, not stirred and strained.
  2. Pour 1.5 oz Campari and 1.5 oz sweet vermouth over the ice.
  3. Top with soda water and stir once, gently, so you do not knock the bubbles out.
  4. Garnish with an orange slice.
  5. Skip the soda and you have a Milano-Torino on the rocks; swap the soda for gin and you have a Negroni.
  6. This is the Campari highball, not an espresso Americano — no coffee, no steamed milk.

Glassware

Highball

Built for long drinks with ice and a mixer — keeps the pour cold and easy to top up.

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Highball glassware

Americano FAQ

Is an Americano cocktail the same as a Negroni or a coffee Americano?

No. Build 1.5 oz Campari and 1.5 oz sweet vermouth over ice, then top with soda water in a highball — no gin and no coffee. Skip the soda and you have a Milano-Torino on the rocks. Swap the soda for gin and you get a Negroni. The espresso drink is a different order.

What ingredients are in an Americano?

An Americano is made with campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water. Amounts and pantry matching are in the ingredients list on this page.

How do you make an Americano?

Fill a highball glass with ice — an Americano is built in the glass, not stirred and strained. Pour 1.5 oz Campari and 1.5 oz sweet vermouth over the ice. Top with soda water and stir once, gently, so you do not knock the bubbles out. Garnish with an orange slice. Skip the soda and you have a Milano-Torino on the rocks; swap the soda for gin and you have a Negroni. This is the Campari highball, not an espresso Americano — no coffee, no steamed milk.

What glass do you serve an Americano in?

Serve an Americano in a Highball. Built for long drinks with ice and a mixer — keeps the pour cold and easy to top up.

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