Nobody wants to sit there bloated and miserable after a meal, yet so many do. But there is a solution. American drinking culture has been slow to accept digestivos, the tradition of after-dinner drinks. They get a reputation for being overly bitter or unenjoyable, and perhaps the fact that you have to eat first is out of line with the American need for instant gratification. But I love digestivos, and I firmly believe that with the right information, you will too. So, I set out to get the scoop on digestivos from some top bartenders who had a lot to say about the complexity of flavor and variation in this often-misunderstood beverage category.
For the “too-long-don’t-read” among us, each bartender’s takes appear as bulleted lists which you can refer to on your next digestivo tasting journey. Take these recommendations with you to the liquor store or the bar next time you’re curious about an after-dinner drink!
The Digestivo Digest: Your Guide to After-Dinner Drinks
Amaro
“Our brains are hardwired to associate bitter with poison. If you drink a very bitter amaro, your brain is like ‘this is weird.’ So, your brain sends signals to your bile duct to clear out your system,” Jason Renner of Bar Marco, an amaro aficionado, explained.
“The more full I am, the more bitter I want,” he continued. “Also…it’s a weird flex to order digestivos at the beginning of a meal.” Bar Marco offers flights of amaro and an approachable lineup of both classics like Averna, Lucano, and Nonino, as well as the more obscure items Renner finds in his amaro investigations. One of his favorite Italian amari is Braulio, which he calls an “all around perfect amaro” with its blend of bitter and sweet flavors.
He often points digestivo beginners to Lucano, which goes down smoothly. It’s sometimes hard for the American palate to adjust to the bitterness in digestivos. But there are ways to ease into it. “Lengthening an amaro with ice and soda is a classic way to tame it down. Cynar and soda is a classic way to enjoy a Cynar. It opens it up,” he added. For an after dinner cocktail for Fernet skeptics, Renner recommends a Fernet and coke or a Fernet with Red Ribbon Soda’s mint ginger-ale to add a note of refreshing zest and some carbonation.
Something to note about amaro is that unlike wine, its production isn’t regulated regionally with DOC’s—an amaro is any “bittersweet herbal liqueur.” Anyone, anywhere, can make that, whereas in wine, Chianti can only be made in Chianti, for example. “Jaegermeister could put amaro on their label tomorrow, and it would technically be an amaro,” Renner said. But he notes that many American amari he finds bitter just for the sake of bitterness, without much character or tradition behind them. Like many things in life, Italians just do it better.
Renner is always on the hunt for more amari. A recent find was Song Cai May, a Vietnamese amaro made in collaboration with a medicine woman in Hanoi, Vietnam. Renner’s first reaction was “this is offensively bitter.” Then he ordered two more bottles of it. “My favorite amaro is the one I haven’t tried yet,” he said.
To try:
- Braulio (For a classic with all the best qualities of amari)
- Lucano (For an accessible, straightforward amaro)
- Cynar and Soda (To open up more of the flavors)
- Fernet and Red Ribbon Mint Ginger Ale (For the person who thinks they don’t like Fernet)
- Song Cai May (For a pro looking to expand their palate)
Cellos
Landon Frame, who tends bar at Lilith, also has his takes on amari. “I feel that most bartenders that have been around for a while rave about Fernet. I truly do believe that ripping a shot of fernet after a busy night is a rite of passage for industry folks. But there are many other, and much better amari out there,” he said.
“Cappelletti Novasalus is extremely bitter, like aggressively so,” he explained. “I always try to save this for my last drink of the night out of fear I won’t be able to taste anything else. Definitely meant to be sipped on and I haven’t found a great cocktail use for it to this day.”
Another favorite of Frame’s is Sfumato Rabarbaro. “It’s smoky, fruity, rich, bold, and herbaceous. I enjoy its boldness, though I will admit it seems more middle ground compared to Novasalus.” He’s used it in Old-Fashioneds or as a substitute for vermouth in a Manhattan.
Lest the list be too Italian-forward, Frame also offered Underberg, a German amaro more in the style of Angostura bitters. “It is extremely pine forward, with notes of anise, clove, and gentian. It brings back memories of shaking shots out of the dasher bottle in front of a German deli on lunch break with fellow bartenders in my early days,” he remembered.
But Frame’s true love is not amari, but rather another digestivo. “As someone in the hospitality industry, I enjoy things that I feel embody hospitality,” Frame said. “For me, that is cellos. The process of making a cello is simple enough that anyone can do it, but takes long enough that it requires forethought.” A “cello” refers to an Italian fruit liqueur. You’ve likely heard of the most well-known one, limoncello, but they can also have oranges and other frutis. Frame makes varieties of his own using infusions. “I’ve had a lot of fun recently creating different seasonal varieties like a watermelon basil lemon cello during the summer and a fig and honey lemon cello during fall for example.” Cellos allow for a more complex flavor profile to come out, and are a sweeter option for a digestivo.
Frame said that “I think the number one mistake people make with amari and Cellos is simply not enjoying them. They aren’t meant to be taken as shots. Many, many years ago, I remember trying Fernet for the first time. The bartender at the Ice Plant in St. Augustine, Florida told me ‘you have to try it twice.’ I followed his advice and gave it a second shot—pun intended—and have been obsessed ever since.”
To try:
- Underberg (German, more in the style of Angostura bitters with pine notes)
- Sfumato Rabarbaro (A smoky, bold amaro)
- Cappeletti Novasalus (Extreme bitter, for the end of the night)
- Some of Frame’s house-made cellos—usually one is available at Lilith!
Cocktails, After-Dinner Wines, and Pairings
Not everyone just wants to drink straight Fernet or limoncello. Some prefer to celebrate the decadence of a night out through a cocktail. Just like individual spirits, some cocktails are better before or after the meal. Also, not every great after-dinner cocktail uses digestivo spirits; one New York bartender I know swears by yellow chartreuse, Prosecco, and Campari as a guest favorite. But many amari make for great cocktail bases. Mark Thomas of Fish Nor Fowl remarked that “Digestivos are some of the most interesting spirits behind the bar. They are fantastic ingredients for adding complexity when mixing drinks. The Blood Oath is a favorite on our menu that uses a touch of the smoky Amaro Sfumato to add depth to the mezcal and blood orange cocktail.”
Often, people come to bars with preconceived notions about digestivos, and cocktails can be a way to get acquainted with them. “The only mistake to make is not trying something new,” Thomas said. “Ask for a suggestion! Most bars that carry a range of after dinner drinks will be happy to show them off.”
In terms of what he gets, Thomas goes full-Italian. “My go to after dinner drinks at Fish Nor Fowl are a shot of espresso and an Amaro Nardini, side by side. The bitter kick of the coffee brings out the chocolate and citrusy flavors of the Nardini for the perfect pairing.”
Let’s say you want to finish a night with a glass of wine. Thomas also adds that “after dinner wines have had a bad reputation for being overly sweet or syrup-like in mouthfeel so it’s turned a lot of people off in the last decade.” But now we’re seeing a resurgence in their importance within the beverage community as well as more of a focus on higher quality through the world. I highly recommend starting with Ports and Sauternes. These wines are staples of after dinner wines with lots of flavor and history. If you’re looking for a dryer wine, then go for an Amontillado Sherry to end the evening.”
To try:
- Blood Oath (After-dinner cocktail at Fish Nor Fowl)
- Espresso and Amaro Nardini (A wise flavor pairing)
- A glass of Sauterne or Port (Classic sweet dessert wines)
- A glass of Amontillado Sherry (A dryer wine to finish the night)
Grappa
Speaking to Domenic Brannuzzi of Grapperia was a bit like meeting the big boss of digestivos. His bar program focuses on digestivos. You can come in simply for a nightcap or you can order in food from nearby Piccolo Forno. Though they offer a wine list, cocktails, and beer on tap, Grapperia has braved the hornet’s nest that is importing good liquor through Pennsylvania’s dracionian liquor laws to offer a solid list of grappa and amari far beyond what you can find elsewhere. It’s a gem. Grappa is special to me. I grew up seeing my grandmother drink it and to me, it truly represents satisfaction with a meal and an indulgence in the good life.
“I don’t think that there’s any wrong way to have a digestivo,” Brannuzzi said. “When I’m thinking about what grappa I want to drink, it really comes down to my mood.” He recommends people look at high-quality distilleries like Poli and Nonino. Like many other spirits, distillers barrel-age grappa, giving it a range of characteristics. Brannuzzi noted that Poli has “a lot of flavor profiles like dried fruit, roasted nut, vanilla, all these really cool things imparted from the oak.”
What many first-time drinkers don’t realize about grappa is that it shares many characteristics with wine due to shared techniques and their shared base of grapes. “One of the misconceptions about grappa is that it is all horrible lighter fluid. A lot of love and attention making goes into the grappa making. Some start with more floral white grapes like Moscato, then the finish is more floral. You can also have it start with red grapes like Nebbiolo for a little more earthiness and ruggedness,” Brannuzzi explained.
A fun experiment, which you can do at Grapperia, is to have a glass of wine, have some food, and then cap off the meal with a grappa from the same grape. For how to structure a meal with food and beverages, Brannuzzi suggests “If it grows together, it goes together.” So, you could get a dish from Piccolo Forno with a Tuscan wine, then in line with that, you could finish with Ramazzotti, a northern Italian amaro. “In Italy, my family has a bar where most people would like their Ramazzotti served hot like espresso, with a little bit of lemon in it,” he said.
Some interesting variations in grappa are Miele, grappa infused with honey, and Milla, infused with chamomile flowers. (Personally, I am an evangelist about the latter for anyone who’s skeptical about digestivos. You will not be the same person after some Milla). Brannuzzi also recommends grappa di cedro, with flavorful citrus notes. “What we can offer with our bar program is that anyone will be able to taste something enjoyable to them, no matter what,” Brannuzzi said.
To try:
- Hot Ramazzotti (An Italian spin on how to serve amaro)
- Cedro, Miele, or Milla grappa (More herbaceous, flavorful grappa)
- Grappa Nebbiolo or Moscato (Grappa you might recognize from their grape flavor profiles from wine)
- Grappa from Poli or Nonino (Two top distillers that will deliver quality)
Story by Emma Riva / Photo courtesy of Grapperia
