FOOD NEWS
Averna Is The Bold Italian Liqueur To Elevate Your Fall Cocktails
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
If you like Italian amaros like Aperol and Campari, Averna could be your new cocktail obsession. This strongly-flavored liqueur has been produced in Sicily since 1868.
Like many complex, traditional amaros, the recipe for Averna is secret. Tasters speculate that it uses Mediterranean ingredients like pomegranate, lemon, and orange essential oils.
The flavor of Averna is caramel-like with notes of anise, rosemary, citrus, and sage. It's also thicker in texture and dark brown, in contrast to watery red- or orange-hued amaros.
Thanks to its complexity, Averna is often enjoyed solo on the rocks, but it's also a great base for autumnal cocktails with its warm and spicy flavors and caramel color.
You can whip up a dark, broody, yet simple cocktail with Averna, cold brew liqueur (like Mr. Black), and tonic water over crushed ice.
For a fancier drink, mix Averno with fresh apple cider and a shot of cognac. Serve in glasses garnished with a sugar rim and an orange wheel.
Averna is a key player in a cocktail called the Beatnik, alongside port wine and bourbon, as well as a Black Manhattan, with rye whiskey and orange and Angostura bitters.
You can even serve Averna on Halloween night with a smoky, tangy Devil's Soul cocktail, a complex high-ABV mix of rye whiskey, mezcal, Campari, and elderflower liqueur.