Bitter Is The New Black

This is my first submission for the Home Bar Awards finals! This is also my first year being in the finals, while I’m so excited, I am also just a little intimidated. Not only was this a huge challenge for me as far as drink creation, but I'm also competing against , in my opinion, some of the best accounts on IG. Good luck to all of the competitors, may the specs ever be in your favor.

The basis for my Amor-icano is St. Agrestis Amaro, an American Amaro from Brooklyn, NY, it seemed like the perfect fit for a New York amaro bar. I wanted to stay true to the perfectly balanced sweet and bitter of an Americano, but with a different flavor profile. This spicy amaro brings to mind root-beer and cola, and I couldn’t resist combining it with cherry flavors. The resulting cocktail is refreshingly herbal with warm baking spices and red fruit, not too sweet and a clean bitter finish.

Bitter is the new Black
3/4 oz. St. Agrestis Amaro
3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
3/4 oz. lillet blanc
3/4 oz. London dry gin
Top with 2 oz. Topo Chico or club soda

Crack a piece or two of ice for the bottom of your mixing glass, combine all of the ingredient except the seltzer, fill with ice and stir until chilled.
Strain into a chilled highball glass filled with ice. Placing a bar spoon into the glass, pour soda down the spoons shaft, dispersing the carbonated water through the beverage, and give it a gentle stir.. Garnish with a bourbon cherry.

Cheers!