Bitter Red (Americano)

TASTING NOTES Big bitter and citrus notes that wrap around your palette and back again. Just enough honey sweetness to offset the bitterness, but still enough bite to keep it interesting. Very subtle wood smoke and pine followed by a delightful finish of bright florals and grapefruit.

Inspired by the iconic Bitter Red liqueurs and herbal wines of Italy that make the style famous (Campari, Select, Cappelletti). Our take is made from mead, and combines traditional Italian flavours with botanical species foraged from the forests of Western Canada. Bitter gentian root and wormwood is balanced with sweet citrus and highlighted with coastal foraged fireweed and balsam poplar buds along with 23 other botanicals. Perfect for a Negroni, Boulevardier, Americano or any other classic cocktail that calls for a Bitter Red liqueur.

An Americano Apéritif is an apéritif style wine made bitter with gentian root and often with additional wormwood. Other apéritif styles like Vermouth are made bitter primarily with wormwood, Kina/Quinquina with quinine, and Cascadia with sitka alder. 

The term 'americano' has two accepted histories. One, is that the name is derived from the Italian phrase 'amaricato', meaning to 'make bitter' (typically with gentian), and the other is the American preference to drinking aperitifs with soda water. Hence the name Americano also being used for the Americano Cocktail, which is essentially a vermouth and soda made bitter with a gentian based liqueur (campari).  

Enjoy in classic cocktails and exciting creations. 

As always, all of our products are made from mead on Vancouver Island, using 100% British Columbian honey from our own apiary in Fort St. John managed by Paradis Apiaries FSJ.