Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Americano

Campari, sweet vermouth and a long splash of soda — the low-proof aperitivo the Negroni grew out of. Bright, bitter and endlessly drinkable.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthLightabout 8% ABVMethodBuilt in glass6 guided stepsIngredients3Tall (highball) glass

Highball

In the glassCampari · Sweet vermouth · Soda water

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear highball glass with tall straight sides and a substantial base. — Serving glassHighball glass

Set up before you pour

Use a highball glass.

The tall, straight shape leaves room for plenty of ice and mixer while keeping a long drink lively.

Standard size: 350 ml11¾ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a Collins glass or any tall, straight-sided tumbler.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your tall (highball) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Campari30 ml
Sweet vermouth30 ml
Soda water90 ml

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From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the glass with ice
02
Measure and pour
Pour 30 ml campari
- Campari
03
Measure and pour
Add 30 ml sweet vermouth
- Sweet vermouth
04
Top gently
Top with 90 ml soda water
- Soda water
05
Stir around the ice
Stir gently to combine
06
Finish the drink
Finish it — add an orange twist

Know your drink

About the Americano

Three bright orange and ruby aperitivo cocktails on an Italian terrace at golden hour.

Cochineal, until 2006

Campari drew its red from carmine, a dye made from crushed cochineal insects, until the company moved to artificial coloring in 2006. The recipe behind the color is still closed. Some number of herbs and peels, known to a few people, and Campari has never confirmed the count. What comes through in the glass is bitter orange first, then something nearer to rhubarb root sitting under it.

Vermouth is wine, and an open bottle left on the counter is dying a little every day. Buy the 375 ml if you make these once a week, keep it cold, and pour it out after a month. Soda is the other trap: two ounces, straight from a cold bottle, down the side of the glass. Any more than that and you are drinking bitter water.

Common questions

Americano FAQ

Why is it called an Americano?

It began as the Milano-Torino (Campari from Milan, vermouth from Turin). When American tourists of the early 1900s fell for it — lengthened with soda — Italian bartenders renamed it for their best customers. It is also the first drink James Bond ever orders in the novels.

What ingredients are in an Americano?

A classic Americano calls for 30 ml (1 oz) Campari, 30 ml (1 oz) Sweet vermouth, 90 ml (3 oz) Soda water. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is an Americano?

A standard Americano is roughly 8% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it a relatively light, sessionable drink — similar in strength to a beer.

Is an Americano shaken or stirred?

An Americano is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.

What glass do you serve an Americano in?

Serve an Americano in a highball (tall) glass, over fresh ice cubes.

How many calories are in an Americano?

One Americano has approximately 110 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique