Bitter Giuseppe
Cynar and sweet vermouth with a splash of lemon and orange bitters: a low-proof bitter aperitif.
Stephen Cole built the Bitter Giuseppe at the Violet Hour in Chicago around 2007, using Cynar as the base rather than as a modifier, with sweet vermouth for roundness, a small measure of lemon for lift and a heavy dose of orange bitters. Well under the strength of a Negroni it is one of the drinks that made low-ABV aperitifs a category in American bars. Cole’s own account has it made for an Italian chef who came in asking for something bitter.
- The low-ABV aperitif movement of the 2010s leaned heavily on this template: amaro as base, vermouth for body, citrus for lift.
- Bitter Giuseppe with a pinch of salt (a common bar tweak)
- Cynar Negroni
- Little Italy (rye with Cynar)
“The drink is stirred and served short, and the lemon is measured in millilitres rather than wedges.”
Ingredients
- Cynar60 ml
- Sweet vermouth30 ml
- Lemon juice7.5 ml
- Orange bitters6 dashes
- Lemon twistto garnish
Method
Stir with ice, strain over a large cube in a rocks glass and express a lemon twist over the surface.
Rocks glass · one large cube · lemon twist