 | |
| Type | Amaro bitter (fernet) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Fratelli Branca Distillerie |
| Country of origin | Milan, Italy |
| Introduced | 1845 |
| Alcohol by volume | 39% |
| Flavour | Bitter |
| Website | www |
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.[1]
Fernet-Branca was formulated in Milan in 1845 by a self-taught herbalist, Bernardino Branca, who with his sons set up a business to manufacture and sell it.[2] It was marketed as a pick-me-up and as a cure for worms, for fever, for cholera[3] and for menstrual pain.[2] From 1886 the company published annual calendars with works by well-known artists.[4] The eagle-and-globe logo was designed in 1893 by Leopoldo Metlicovitz.[5]
The company began exporting to Argentina in 1907, and in 1925 established a distillery in Buenos Aires.[6] In the United States the drink became popular after the passage of prohibition laws in 1919, as it was sold in pharmacies as a medicinal product.[7][2] By 1936 Branca had set up a branch office in Tribeca, New York, to satisfy American demand.[2][8] Production in the United States peaked at 60,000 cases in 1960.[2]
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Fernet-Branca is produced according to the original recipe of 1845.[9]: 36 [a] It is made from 27 herbs and other ingredients;[10] the exact formula is a trade secret. Sources have reported that its recipe includes Chinese rhubarb, Aloe ferox (bitter aloe), cinchona, chocolate,[11] quinine[12] and angelica.[13] According to the Branca web site, the drink contains " ... rhubarb from China, gentian from France, galanga from India or from Sri Lanka, (and) chamomile from Europe [or] Argentina",[14] as well as linden (Tiliae flos), iris, saffron, zedoary, myrrh and cinchona.[15]
Fernet-Branca has a higher alcohol content, at 39%, and lower sugar content than most other amari.[16] It is aged in oak barrels for a year.[16]
The manufacturer also offers a sweeter, mint-flavored liqueur, Branca Menta.
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Fernet-Branca is often consumed neat as a digestivo, or as a mixing component (usually supportive and not as the primary ingredient) in cocktails such as the "Toronto",[17] the "Fanciulli" and the "Hanky Panky".
In Argentina fernet con coca – Fernet-Branca with Coca-Cola – is a popular drink.[18][19] Some sources report that over 75% of all fernet produced worldwide is consumed there.[20]
In the United States it has been referred to as "The Bartender’s Handshake".[16][21] It is estimated that 35% of all Fernet-Branca imported into the US is consumed in San Francisco.[22]
