Fernet-Branca is a brand of fernet, which is a style of amaro originating in Italy. Manufactured by Fratelli Branca and formulated in Milan in 1845, it is one the best known of Italian bitters.
Production history
Fernet-Branca was formulated in Milan in 1845 by self-taught herbalist Bernardino Branca. It was marketed as a cure for cholera, stomach ache, and nervous disorders. The brand soon gained popularity, leading to the founding of the Fratelli Branca Distillery. Fratelli Branca invested in extensive advertising campaigns including the creation of calendars with artworks from famous artists in 1886. The eagle-and-globe logo was designed in 1893. In 1907, Fratelli Branca began exporting their fernet to Argentina. Eventually the drink became so popular there that Fratelli Branca established a distillery in 1925 in Buenos Aires. The drink did not attain significant popularity as a beverage in the United States until after World War II, but a domestically made low-alcohol version was introduced a year after the end of prohibition and sold in pharmacies as a medicinal product.
Formulation
Fernet-Branca has been produced according to the original recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. The bitters are made from 27 herbs and other ingredients. The exact formula is a trade secret known only to the Fernet-Branca president, Niccolò Branca, who personally measures out the aromatics during the production process. It is known that the beverage contains aloe ferox, gentian, chamomile, angelica, quinine, chinese rhubarb, myrrh, peppermint, saffron. Fernet-Branca has a higher ABV—39%—and lower sugar content than most other amari. Fernet-Branca is one of the few amari to be aged in a barrel for a full year. The manufacturer also offers a sweeter, mint-flavored liqueur, Branca Menta.
Consumption
Fernet-Branca is often consumed neat as a digestif, typically served in a cordial glass, or as a mixing component in cocktails such as the "Toronto", the "Fanciulli", and the more prolific "Hanky Panky". In Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, fernet con coca—Fernet-Branca with Coca-Cola—is a popular drink. The cocktail is so popular in Argentina that the country consumes more than 75% of all fernet produced globally. In the U.S., Fernet-Branca is branded as a tribal rite of passage drink for craft bartenders, and has been referred to as "The Bartender’s Handshake".
Bill Cosby, on his 1973 album Fat Albert, performed a comedic monologue about how, while in Florence, Italy, Fernet-Branca helped him recover from unknowingly ordering, and then intentionally eating, barbecued sparrow.
On the podcast Harmontown, co-host Jeff Bryan Davis affection for Fernet-Branca is frequently used as a humorous device to show Davis's refined taste.
