Aperol Americano Cocktail

Name: Aperol Americano Cocktail
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 2 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 ½ Ounce Aperol; 1 ½ Ounce Sweet Vermouth; Club Soda, to top; Orange Peel or round to garnish

Jump to Recipe

A classic cocktail and a great sipping drink. Our Aperol twist on a traditional Campari cocktail gives this version a sweet kiss and Summer vibe. This drink is a great Saturday sipper or great for drinking all afternoon. Try this Aperol Americano today!

Aperol Americano Cocktail with a white napkin and flower on the table.

What makes this recipe special?

This is a simple cocktail with very few ingredients. Aperol, sweet vermouth, club soda, and an orange slice or peel to garnish. One of the great things about this cocktail is none of the ingredients are high in alcohol content, so it is an excellent drink for sipping all day long.

There is no strong spirit in this recipe. There is nothing like a gin that you will find in its more potent cousin, the Negroni cocktail. We also use Aperol in our classic Paper Airplane recipe and our Sam Ross sour recipe.

Ingredients

Campari is the traditional alcohol of choice in the Americano cocktail, but I use Aperol. Both are classic Italian bitters, but Campari is the flashier and louder relative. Maybe the drunk Uncle of the two?

Campari is more potent in alcohol (about double), darker in flavor, and quite a bit more bitter than Aperol. The bitterness is what sold me on using Aperol for this drink.

I think there is a time and place for strong bitter flavors, but I want something a bit sweeter for tall sipping drinks. Campari is a spirit that I can take in limited quantities.

The sweeter, more subtle flavors of Aperol make it perfect for a toned-down version of the classic Americano... the Aperol Americano cocktail. The ingredients in this drink are as follows:

Aperol
Sweet Vermouth
Club Soda
Orange Peel, round, or slice

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This is about as uncomplicated as it can get. Add Aperol and Sweet Vermouth to a glass with ice. Top with club soda and garnish. Finally, drink it up!

Substitutions and variations

I think the obvious substitution would be to use Campari instead of Aperol. I choose Aperol, as it isn't quite as bitter and has a more excellent flavor.

If you want to kick the punch up a notch, maybe add a shot of gin or vodka. Instead of club soda, maybe prosecco or champagne would be good!

A lemon slice instead of, or in addition to, the orange could be lovely. This shouldn't be complicated. Go sit by the pool, make what tastes good, and roll with it.

History tidbit

This cocktail originated with Campari, which was created in 1860 by a man named Gaspare Campari. He opened up a cafe in front of the Duomo in Milan, Italy (which is a beautiful place) and served drinks from there. Sweet Vermouth, a fortified herbal wine, had already been established as a spirit and would be something familiar in drinks, particularly in Italy.

Originally called a 'Milano-Torino' for the location of the origin of Campari and the brand of Vermouth used. The cocktail would later become popular among Americans, and later the name would alter into Americano. Interestingly, the Americano would later become a Negroni after patrons would ask for an Americano with gin.

FAQ

What goes in an Americano Cocktail?

Traditionally, it is Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda. Aperol is like a less bitter version of Campari and works great for this drink, as well.

What is the difference between a Negroni and an Americano?

A Negroni contains gin, but an Americano is lighter and does not.

What is the difference between Campari and Aperol?

Campari is a bit more bitter and less sweet than Aperol.

Aperol Americano in a glass on a white table with a flower.

Tips and tricks

Choose a nice sweet vermouth for this drink. The flavor depends on it.
A highball glass is recommended, but this will work in any glass as long as you have enough club soda to fill the glass
For the Orange garnish, either use a twist or just the orange peel.
Lemon can be used in substitution for the orange.

Products used in this recipe

Did you make this recipe?

If you liked this recipe, you could do me a real solid by taking some time to let me know how it went in the comment section below and rating it. If you want to see more from me, make sure to subscribe to get updates via email. Most of all, thank you for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.