Got some Coca-Cola in your fridge? Leftover Prosecco? A few eggs? The amari aces at Northwest Portland’s Solo Club (temporarily closed for the pandemic) show us how the Italian liqueur can transform the random stuff in your kitchen into a refreshing summer cooler.

Spritz 

Made famous by the Aperol spritz, Italy’s favorite aperitif, these bitter, bubbly sippers go down easy all day long.

Combine 3 oz sparkling wine + 1 oz amaro + 1 oz Atxa Vino Vermouth Rojo + splash of soda + ice. Add orange wheel and serve.

Amari to try
Campari: Grapefruit, pithy, silky
Calisaya: Candied orange, spice, bitter
Suze: Earthy, vegetal, floral (use Atxa Blanco vermouth with this one)

Fizz  

A creamy, satisfying flip made for late-summer nights. Great for low-proof tipplers who want more oomph in their drink.

Shake 1 egg white + 1.5 oz of amaro + ¾ oz lemon juice + ½ oz simple syrup. Add ice and shake again. Add a splash of club soda and serve.

Amari to try
Averna: Licorice, citrus peel, chocolate
Meletti 1870: Bitter orange, cinnamon, coriander
Bràulio: Chamomile, herbaceous, menthol

Fernet Con Cola 

Sweet cola mellows the medicinal bite of fernet for a refreshing highball found in bars and dance clubs throughout Argentina.

Combine 5 oz (a little less than half a can) cola + 1.5 oz amaro + ice. Add orange twist and serve.

Amari to try
Branca Menta Fernet: Menthol, peppermint, spice
Jelinek Fernet: Cinnamon, herbal, anise
Letherbee Fernet: Pepper, spearmint, coffee