The digestif is "in" once again

Cool Burn

The digestif is "in" once again. Bitters, that is, with Italian and German products to the fore. Mike Froud on the stomach-settler turned a shooter...

 

A well made cup of espresso with a sipping digestif alongside (or a little of it in the coffee) is simply one of the best ways to end a good meal. Brown spirit rather than white is generally the way to go - exceptions including grappa and eaux-de-vie - with the many fine drinks options recommended at the conclusion of lunch or dinner, with or after dessert, encompassing brandy, Cognac or Armagnac, single malt whiskies or a Scotchbased liqueur (Glayva comes to mind), and Calvados. Here, however, we're talking about the bitter and bittersweet wonders of herb-infused spirits, herbal liqueurs - a category that appeals as an after-dinner pick-me-up or, increasingly, and particularly for those in their 20s and 30s, in preparation for a night on the town. A digestif, French for "digestive" and inferring "after a meal", tends to be higher in alcohol (20 to 40%) and sweeter than an aperitif ("before a meal"), and is typically drunk neat, without water or mixers - although, as with most things, "rules" are made to be broken and times change...

The leading brands of bitters involve recipes dating back to the 1800s, the ingredients including barks and herbs - sometimes also roots, fruits and flowers - from around the world. Originally, the combinations and production methods handed down from monasteries or pharmacies were developed with a view to settling the stomach and aiding digestion. Today, while the taste of some is bitter to the extent of being medicinal in character, others are richer and sweeter, syrupy even - still with a bitterness to them but less harsh and more-ish to the point that they can become, well, addictive...

The Italians and the Germans dominate this market. While the list of bitters brands is a long one, with products emanating from other European countries as well as the Caribbean and the Americas, the big guns include Jägermeister and Underberg from Germany and the leading examples of amaro (Italian for bitters), namely Fernet-Branca, Averna, Ramazzotti and Montenegro. (Amaro Lucano is also popular, as is Cynar in which artichoke plays a major role, though they're seldom if ever available in South Africa.)

If you've eaten a rich meal or eaten too much (or if you're a little under the weather and have a sore head), the more medicinal versions are probably your best bet as a possible alternative to visiting the chemist - and, certainly, sold as it is in tiny tot-size bottles wrapped in straw-paper and clearly stating "after a good meal" on the label, Germany's "herbal digestive" Underberg leaves little to the imagination. That said, some prefer sharper bitters, something with heat and burn - the more kick the better, they might say of their favourite firewater. Jäger' and Fernet' lean more towards the Underberg end of the bitterness spectrum but their brand image or product perception is less like a prescription from the doctor. Jägermeister in particular is breaking away from the digestif mould, consumed more and more in pubs and clubs as a shooter, something to get a party started, and increasingly a drink to be enjoyed with a mixer or in a cocktail.

In South America, Fernet-and-Coke is commonplace, and popular at a growing number of bars and restaurants in Europe and South Africa these days is the Jäger Bomb, a tot-glass of Jägermeister inserted into a tumbler of Red Bull or alternative "energy drink" (the Tiger Tiger being a variation of the "bomb", with the amaro Ramazzotti used instead of the Jäger'). Talk about an alcoholic sugar and caff eine blow-out! Whereas Jägermeister is mostly served ice-cold, amaro is usually served at room temperature. There's little inclination to suppress any of the aroma and flavour of Averna or its relatives. In fact, the different characteristics of the various amaros (or is it amari?) make them all the more interesting and enjoyable. Colour can provide a useful pointer, with the lighter-coloured Montenegro, for instance, being more honeyed and less rich/powerful than Averna or Ramazzotti, albeit that the darker amaros are also smooth.

Warming, elegant and reviving, amaro is very Italian - from the packaging and stories behind it to the ways in which it's enjoyed. Fernet-Branca and Averna might be the most commercially successful, but visit the country - northern Italy in particular - and you'll encounter 30 to 40 smaller brands specific to particular regions, amaros unheard about elsewhere in the world. You could come across men drinking it with coffee during a game of cards, sometimes in the morning before work! And their constitutions are amazing: imagine only getting to the amaro after a couple of rounds of grappa!

SNAPSHOTS

The leading brands of bitters involve recipes dating back to the 1800s, the ingredients including barks and herbs - sometimes also roots, fruits and flowers - from around the world. Averna Born in 1802 as the son of a textile merchant, Salvatore Averna became judge of the peace and benefactor of the Convent of St Spirito's Abbey in Caltanissetta, Italy. In 1854, the friars gave the recipe for their herbal elixir to Averna, who in 1868 started production for guests of his household. By 1895, Salvatore's son Francesco had made the Sicilian liqueur famous in Italy and abroad. In 1958, Averna became a public company, and it is still managed by the Averna family today. Drink straight or with ice, at room temperature or very cold. It is also increasingly promoted as a cocktail ingredient. 32% Alc. Approximate retail price: R185 per bottle.

Fernet-Branca

This amaro is a speciality of Fratelli- Branca in Milan, Italy. Made from over 40 herbs and spices, the recipe was devised as a medicine by Maria Scala in 1845 - Scala's name changed to Branca when she married and the brand is still overseen by the Branca family. Enjoy on its own, with (or in) coffee, or with ice. It is also very popular in Argentina as a mixed drink: one part Fernet-Branca to nine parts Coke, plus ice. 40% Alc. Approximate retail price: R75 to R100 for 500ml bottle, R150 to R225 for one-litre bottle.

Jägermeister

Made from 56 herbs, fruits, woods, barks and roots, the recipe was developed by German Curt Mast in 1934. Today it is sold mostly outside Germany, with the USA the biggest market. The name Jägermeister translates as "master hunter" and the trademark derives from St Herbertus, patron saint of hunters - legend has it that one day he was confronted by a large white deer carrying an illuminated cross between his antlers, after which Herbertus changed from being wild, unrestrained and irresponsible to a man renowned for his good works. 35% Alc. Retail price: R165 to R200 per bottle.

Montenegro

Today enjoyed straight, with seltzer and lemon rind, or hot, or in various combinations in modern cocktails, the "liqueur of the virtues" from Bologna, Italy was created in 1885 by a famous distiller and herbalist of the time, Stanislao Cobianchi. The name was a tribute to the Royal family. 23% Alc. Approximate retail price: R180 a bottle.

Ramazzotti

Ausano Ramazzotti, a herbal doctor in Malan, Italy, created Ramazzotti as a tonic liqueur in 1815. It is made from 33 herbs and spices including gentian root, rhubarb, cinnamon and orange peel - hence its orange flavour. Drink neat or on the rocks, or as an aperitif by adding mineral water, tonic water or ginger ale, or in cocktails. 30% Alc. Approximate retail price: R160 a bottle.

Underberg

"The portion of well-being" and "worldwide after a good meal" are the marketing slogans of this family-owned company in Germany. Founder Hubert Underberg launched the brand in 1846 and was also the inventor of the portion-sized 20ml bottle. Made using selected aromatic herbs from 43 countries and matured in Slovenian oak barrels for several months. 44% Alc. Retail price: R10 to R12.50 per 20ml bottle.