Skip to main content

Learn to love Fernet-Branca with these shot recipes

Bitter, dark, and herbal, let yourself into the world of Fernet-Branca gently with these shots

fernet branca shot recipes screenshot 2024 09 12 at 3 56 55 pm
Fernet-Branca

Fernet-Branca is an ingredient that bartenders love and almost everyone else seems to hate. This dark, moody, anise amaro is one of a selection of unusual liqueurs that you’ll frequently see tucked away at the back of bars, often brought out by the bartenders as shots for the staff at the end of the night.

Though Fernet-Branca is bitter and takes some getting used to, though, this isn’t pure masochism on the part of bar staff. It is beloved for its complex, rich flavors as much as its bracing bitterness, as its herbal complexity packs a lot of flavor into a small space.

Recommended Videos

If you’re warming up to the idea of Fernet-Branca but aren’t ready to knock it back straight just yet, one way to get into it is to start with its more minty and approachable cousin, Branca Menta. That has a heft of menthol flavor that reminds some people of toothpaste but which I personally love, and it’s amazing when added to a coffee.

But another way to easy yourself into the bitter world of Fernet is to try it mixed into simple shots. These half and half shots ease up on the bitterness by combining it with sweeter options like coffee liqueur, letting you enjoy the herbal nuance whilst being a bit more gentle to your palate.

Hard Start

Ingredients:

  • ¾ oz. Fernet-Branca
  • ¾ oz. Branca Menta

Method:

Add all ingredients to a shot glass and enjoy!

Forghetti Start

Ingredients:

  • ¾ oz. Fernet-Branca
  • ¾ oz. Borghetti

Method:

Add all ingredients to a shot glass and enjoy!

Ferrari Start

Ingredients:

  • ¾ oz. Fernet-Branca
  • ¾ oz. Campari

Method:

Add all ingredients to a shot glass and enjoy!

Georgina Torbet
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
I tried the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe—here’s how it handled real recipes
Even if you make mistakes you can create crowd-pleasing meals with Kamado Joe Konnected Joe
Pre-heating the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe guarded by with Happy.

I jumped at the chance to test the Kamado Joe's Konnected Joe Digital Grill and Smoker. Like most members of our extended family of avid cooks and eager eaters, I enjoy grilling year-round. Still, my experience has been limited to conventional charcoal grills and three-burner propane grills. I was curious about what it would be like to cook with a ceramic grill, and grew even more excited by the prospect of precise temperature control promised by the Konnected Joe.
Why cook with a kamado-style grill

Kamado-style ovens, stoves, and grills use heated stone or ceramic to provide radiant heat that cooks the food. The Kamado Joe brand of kamado grills cooks with radiant heat, with thick ceramic sections in the cooker. It can take some time to reach the desired temperature, but the grill's heavy insulation retains the heat for a long time.

Read more
Love tropical cocktails? Try these fresh takes on summer classics
Elevated twist on classic summer cocktails
Tropical pina colada

Nothing says summertime like tropical coconut, pineapple, yuzu, and more flavors. We're putting a new twist on classic cocktails like a mai tai, pina colada, and margarita this summer. These elevated tropical cocktails will have you returning for more all summer long, inspiring you to try new variations of your favorite classics. From the Coconut Bahama Mama to the Stiggin's Daiquiri, these cocktails are perfect for making at your summer beach house, sipping on at a poolside party, or cooling down after a long summer day. Here's how you can make these distinguished tropical cocktails at home.

Coconut Bahama Mama

Read more
We asked bartenders to tell us the best tips for crafting cocktails at home
A handful of well-known bartenders told us tips to crafting great cocktails at home
Bartender

There hasn't always been as much enthusiasm about mixology. We can thank the cocktail renaissance of the early aughts for the rise in cocktail culture. Not only did it give way to a new wave of innovative, creative bartenders all over the US (and the world), but it also returned classic drinks to prominence and paved the way for a new age of home cocktailing. And while I could write about all of the exciting things the cocktail renaissance brought with it, today, I'm most interested in the art of crafting cocktails at home.

Like many of you, I'm not (and never have been) a bartender. But, in my work, I've spent much time in cocktail bars and around bartenders. I've created a simple, workable home bar featuring tools, ingredients, and bottles of various spirits. But I didn't start with a fully functional home bar on day one. And neither will you.

Read more