Americano Cocktail

The Americano is one of the most underrated classic Italian cocktails. Bitter, bubbly, citrusy, and incredibly refreshing, it’s essentially the bridge between a spritz and a Negroni. Made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water, the Americano is lower ABV than many spirit-forward cocktails while still delivering deep herbal and bitter flavors.

If you love Negronis but want something lighter and more sippable, the Americano is absolutely the drink for you!

How to Make an Americano Cocktail

1. Fill a rocks glass or wine glass with ice.
2. Add the Campari and sweet vermouth.
3. Top with soda water.
4. Gently stir to combine.
5. Garnish with an orange slice or orange twist.

What is an Americano?

The Americano dates back to the 1860s in Italy and was originally known as the Milano-Torino, named after its two key ingredients: Campari from Milan and sweet vermouth from Turin!

The cocktail eventually became popular among American tourists traveling through Italy in the early 1900s, leading to the name “Americano.” James Bond has also been known to sip on one of these in his time.

An Americano is a classic Italian aperitivo cocktail made with equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water. Served over ice with an orange garnish, this cocktail is refreshing, bitter-forward, herbal, and slightly effervescent.

Americano vs. Negroni

The Americano and the Negroni are super similar, with one key difference: the alcohol content. Both are equal parts cocktails and both contain Campari and sweet vermouth, but where the Americano uses soda water, the Negroni uses gin. So if you like the combination of Campari and sweet vermouth, you could switch between an Americano and a Negroni depending on how boozy you want your cocktail. Or, if gin isn’t your think, but you love a spritz, the Americano is probably right up your alley.

What Does an Americano Taste Like?

The Americano is lighter than a Negroni, but still has the same sophisticated bitter backbone. It’s bright, citrusy, and crisp, with bitter notes from the Campari and herbal and slightly sweet notes from the vermouth.

Tips for Making the Best Americano Cocktail

• Use good vermouth. Since vermouth makes up a third of the cocktail, quality matters. Once opened, keep vermouth refrigerated and ideally use it within about 1–2 months for the freshest flavor.
• Serve it ice cold. The Americano shines when served very cold with plenty of ice.
• Adjust the soda water. Some prefer a longer, lighter Americano with more soda water, while others like it more concentrated and bitter.
• Express the orange peel. If using an orange twist, express the oils over the drink before dropping it in. It makes it smell so fresh!

Batch Americani

Perfect for aperitivo hour, dinner parties, or summer hosting.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups Campari
• 1.5 cups sweet vermouth
• 1.5 cups chilled soda water
• Orange slices
• Ice

Instructions

1. Garnish with orange slices or twists.
2. Combine Campari and sweet vermouth in a pitcher.
3. Refrigerate until well chilled.
4. When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice.
5. Pour the mixture into each glass and top with soda water.

Hosting Tip

For the freshest bubbles, add the soda water individually to each glass instead of mixing it into the pitcher ahead of time.