The Aperitivo Hour - the 'real' happy hour?

Happy hour is that most American of inventions. A time of day where patrons come together to throw discounted drinks down their throats whilst they pursue the heady attraction of intoxication at bargain booze bucks. Of course, happy hours have grown longer (some never-ending!), and the quality of drinks has, unsurprisingly, waned over the years, but what if there was a better option? What if instead of half-measures of cheap, mass-produced white rum and half a pint of fruit juice from concentrate shaken up with an unhealthy amount of synthetic sugar syrups there was a more civilized, longer standing social construct you could slip into?

It’s hard to put an exact date on when aperitivo hour, La hora del vermut, L’heure de l’apéro or any of the many other terms used for this special time of day first came to be, but regardless of whether aperitivo hour is taking place in Spain, Italy, France, or Argentina they all follow a very familiar, oft transcendent, and magical experience. Gathering for post work drinks friends, colleagues and family members come together basking in the glory that only the end of a working day can bring and prepare themselves for the evening’s frivolities, festivities, and conversations over a glass of aperitivo accompanied by yummy snacks and tasty bites.

Aperitivo’s tend to be lower ABV drinks, and you can often find similar styles of liqueur, vermouth and amari punctuating the recipes made famous over the years by cafes and bars across the world, and in particular western Europe. From the frequently bracingly bitter amari, to the iconic red Milanese Campari all the way to the punchy anise liqueur Pastis and the sweet Italian style rosso vermouths, choice is in no short supply. Combining bitter-sweet, sometimes carbonated mixed drinks with familiar tableside treats like crisps, tinned fish, olives, cheese, and charcuterie help to prepare the appetite and digestion system for the evenings meal and serve as an opportunity to unwind, de-stress and vent after a hard day’s work chained to a desk. Sitting with friends as the sun sets, and the evening rolls in is seldom time wasted. It’s not hard to see why so many of life’s great artists, writers and philosophers frequently indulged in enjoying an aperitivo or two, perhaps it’s time you gave it a try?

Written by Mike Canham

Our Perfect Serve

Americano

25ml Turin Sweet Vermouth, 25ml Campari, 10ml Orange Triple Sec, fill with ice & top with soda. Garnish with an orange slice.