Aperol: what is it, composition, how to drink + 5 cocktail recipes + 5 cocktail recipes

Briefly about the drink

Aperol - an aperitif often called liqueur. Although, according to its taste characteristics (bitter), it is rather one of the most popular in Italy bitters from the amaro series.

Very often, when referring to Aperol, people confuse it with the famous Aperol Syringe cocktail, which is fundamentally wrong.

The history of Aperol creation

The Italian aperitif drink, Aperol, was created in 1919 by the people of Padua: Luigi and Silvio Barbieri. However, this bitter decoct with a delicate tangerine flavor began to win the hearts of Italians (especially young people) only after World War II.

This happened due to the comparative cheapness of the drink, which was extremely relevant at the time, as well as its unsurpassed ability to refine the rough white wines of Northern Italy. It gained worldwide popularity only at the beginning of the XXI century as an indispensable cocktail ingredient.

Composition and strength of Aperol

The drink contains about thirty components. Among them: bitter orange, honeysuckle, gentian, rhubarb, and a number of Piedmontese herbs.

Of course, the authentic recipe of the Padua elixir is kept secret. In particular, the owners of the Campari Group, who became the owners of the brand in 2004, solemnly swore not to disclose or change the original composition and proportions of the drink.

The only exception is the export version, designed for the German market. The amount of ethanol it contains reaches 15%. This is due to the manufacturer's reluctance to pour its products into disposable packaging, which is required by German law for drinks with a strength of less than 15 degrees.

How to distinguish the original Aperol from a fake

Any well-publicized brand usually becomes a favorite target for counterfeiting. In this sense, Aperol is no exception. To protect yourself from unpleasant surprises when buying your favorite aperitif, you should remember a few rules.

1. Beverages are bottled in branded, well-recognizable clear glass bottles.

2. On the front side of the vessel, directly under the label, there is an engraving that catches the eye: "Aperol".

3. The authentic bottle is topped with a blue stopper with the company logo and a circular inscription at the top.

4. There are two inscriptions on the "shirt" that goes to the neck: "Aperol" and "DAL 1919".

5. And, of course, we must not forget about the quality and competent execution of labels, as well as the presence of a neatly glued excise stamp (except when the drink was purchased in Duty Free).).

How to drink Aperol + cocktail recipes

According to the creators, this drink should be consumed before meals from chilled liqueur glasses or with several small pieces of ice. In principle, the aperitif does not require an appetizer as such. However, if you really need to, you can accompany your pre-dinner drink with a slice of unsweetened orange or tangerine.

Much more often the drink is used as a part of simple refreshing mixes with ice. In this case, Aperol is usually paired with soda, tonic, citrus sodas, citrus fresh juices, dry white wine, sparkling brut, as well as vodka or gin... In the case of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol partners, the amount of bitter is 1/3 or even ¼ of the total volume of the drink. In a duet with alcoholic heavyweights, its share reaches 2/3 of the total volume.

And finally, cocktails are considered the classics of the genre. First of all, the famous "Aperol syringe", which brought the Paduan aperitif real world fame. Although, as we will see below, the cocktail possibilities of this bitters are by no means limited to this. Moreover, in addition to being used in authentic drinks, it is quite capable of replacing the related Campari in appropriate cocktails.

Aperol syringe

List of ingredients

1. Aperol - 60 ml

2. Prosecco - 90 ml

3. Soda water - 30 ml

4. Mug of orange - 1 piece

The method of preparation

1. Pour bitters into a highball glass with ice.

2. Add sparkling wine and water (if desired, you can replace it with Fanta or Sprite).

3. Garnish with an orange (in the home country of the drink, in addition to orange, olives are often used as a garnish).

4. Serve with a straw and cocktail stick.

Betty's Aperol

List of ingredients

1. Aperol - 60 ml

2. Orange juice - 60 ml

3. Grapefruit juice - 40 ml

The method of preparation

1. Shake all ingredients in a shaker.

2. Serve in a glass with ice.

Aperol sauer

List of ingredients

1. Aperol - 60 ml

2. Lemon juice - 20 ml

3. Simple sugar syrup - 10 ml

Method of preparation

1. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice.

2. Pour through a strainer into a glass with ice.

Paper airplane

List of ingredients

1. Aperol - 30 ml

2. Whiskey - 30 ml

3. Soda - 30 ml

4. Lemon juice - 20 ml

5. Lemon - 1 slice

Method of preparation

1. Shake whiskey, bitters and fresh fruit in a shaker with ice.

2. Strain through a strainer into a glass with ice.

3. Add sparkling water.

4. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

5. Serve with a cocktail stick.

Descanso

List of ingredients

1. Aperol - 20 ml

2. Whiskey - 60 ml

3. Simple sugar syrup - 10 ml

4. Fresh mint - 5 leaves

5. Lemon - 4 slices

Method of preparation

1. Muddle the lemon and mint.

2. Put the result in a shaker with ice.

3. Add alcohol and syrup.

4. Shake thoroughly.

5. Strain through a strainer into a glass.

Update: 21.09.2017

Category: Other alcohol