Contratto Fernet

Fernet is a type of amaro, a bitter aromatic spirit made from a blend of herbs and spices, including myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron, with a base of grape-distilled spirits and caramel coloring. Traditionally served as a digestif after a meal, it can also be enjoyed with coffee or espresso, mixed into cocktails, served neat, or on the rocks. In Argentina, Fernet is often considered the national beverage, with annual production of around 25 million liters. It is commonly mixed with cola but may also be enjoyed with soda water in the “old-fashioned way,” or even pure. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Fernet has been popular since before Prohibition, and today the city consumes about 25% of all Fernet in the U.S., often served as a shot with a ginger ale chaser. It is bottled at 30% alcohol by volume (ABV).