Within the cocktail community, bartenders often greet friends and colleagues with what's know as the “bartender's handshake,” a shot of booze on the house, served upon arrival or sometimes with the check.
Fernet Branca
Practically synonymous with the term, Fernet is the handshake of choice for many a bartender — and some non-industry laypeople might say that the taste is not for the faint of heart, but then again, neither is the bartending industry.
In the Chicago drinking world, the Chicago Handshake is slang for a drink special involving a shot of Jeppson's Malört paired with an 'old-school' Midwestern beer, most typically Old Style Beer. Although Old Style originated in Wisconsin, it became Chicago's beer after crossing state lines in 1935.
[Bartenders] like it because it steps up the palate, it's a more grown up drink,” explains Edoardo. “It's bitter, there is almost no sugar. It is for people who have been drinking for a while and it is for this reason that bartenders drink it.”
Fernet is at once bitter, sweet, herbacious and spicy. It's an unappealing dark brown color, with a hint of green when held up to the light. The aroma is an aggressive melange of spices. Fernet Branca tastes just as sweet, intense, and bitter as its nose promises.
Fernet Branca not only has the same cultish fandom as Jäger does, but the two spirits also induce the same polarizing reactions among first-time tasters: They either love it or they hate it. The boldest, most bitter spirit on the list, Fernet Branca is a go-to alternative for any die-hard Jägermeister fan.
“[Fernet] benefits the stomach, promotes digestion, strengthens the body, overcomes cholera, reduces fever, and heals those suffering from nervous weakness, lack of appetite, sickness or tapeworms; suitable for use as a preventative measure for all those who are obliged to reside in damp and infectious conditions.”
Sometimes referred to as a Fernando or a Fernandito, Fernet con Coca is made by mixing the amaro Fernet-Branca with Coca-Cola, serving it tall over ice.
Fernet is usually served as a digestif after a meal but may also be served with coffee and espresso or mixed into coffee and espresso drinks. It typically contains 45% alcohol by volume. It may be served at room temperature or with ice.
Due to its high alcohol content, fernet is most often used as a seasoning in cocktails, though it is also served straight as a digestif. First created as a medicinal, the history of fernet is similar to that of most bitters.
Among gangsters, scotch and whiskey were always popular choices, particularly the whiskey brand Cutty Sark. And they had their own way of ordering, as recounted by undercover FBI agent Jack Garcia: “Mobsters always order drinks by a brand. Never just a scotch and water, it would be a Cutty and water.
Kalokairi – Coconut Rum, Pineapple Juice and Blue Curacao. Topped with Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut.
Also featured in a few episodes, Tony likes a nice single malt scotch. This goes great with one of his cigars, and helps portray the manly aspect a mob boss needs. It also speaks to Tony's penchant for the high priced lavish lifestyle.
1. The Commonwealth. With a grand total of 71 ingredients, the Commonwealth is, without a doubt, the most ingredient-heavy drink on this list. We're not entirely sure how so many ingredients fit into a standard coupe glass.
But at the end of a long shift, one of the more common bartender choices is also one of the more modest: the simple beer-and-shot, also known as a Boilermaker. Why the name? One story has it that the beer and shot combo was a favorite shift-ender for the big, brawny dudes working the 19th-century steam locomotive gig.
He also downs Canadian Club, a blended whisky containing nearly flavorless grain neutral spirits, giving it a lighter, less robust taste than the straight bourbons some viewers assume he's drinking. It pairs perfectly with the TV dinners advertising executives also helped launch into success during the 1950s.
Fernet has an aggressive flavor, almost like bitter black licorice. It's herbaceous and intensely bitter, with a subtly sweet finish.
Fernet-Branca (Italian pronunciation: [ferˌnɛtˈbraŋka]) is an Italian brand of fernet, a style of amaro or bitters. It was formulated in Milan in 1845, and is manufactured there by Fratelli Branca Distillerie. Fernet-Branca. Type. amaro bitter (fernet)
Every time it's different, and this versatility really stands out when you drink it straight, with ice, with a bit of soda or tonic water. It's a really delicious taste and despite the number of alternatives out there, once you taste it, you're bound to fall in love and make Fernet-Branca your amaro of choice.
"Fernet was initially sold in Italian pharmacies" as a digestive aid, he says. The drink reached Argentinian shores in the late 19th century along with European migrants and soon became one of the country's cultural mainstays, along with tango, barbecue, mate and dulce de leche.
Based on a family recipe from the 1920s, this Italian fernet is intensely floral and aromatic. Made from a base of grappa, it's macerated with more than 30 herbs and spices, including saffron, myrrh, chamomile, cardamom and rhubarb.
According to the pH level, gin, tequila, and non-grain vodkas are the lowest acidity options; choosing drinks made with these alcohols will be best on your stomach. You'll be best served by a drink made with a light juice like apple, pear, or cranberry, but sometimes you just really want that kick of citrus.
Whiskey is a Digestion Aid
Drinking whiskey after a large, delicious meal (at State Fare?) can help ease an upset stomach. The high proof whiskey stimulates the stomach's enzymes, which help to break down food. This benefit makes whiskey an excellent part of your next happy hour.
Digestifs can be fortified wines like vermouth or Sherry. They can also be herbal liqueurs including Chartreuse or Cynar; bitter liqueurs like amaro; aged liquor like whiskey; or sweet liqueurs such as limoncello or Grand Marnier. The same kinds of booze can overlap as aperitifs, or pre-meal drinks.