Americano Perfecto

At Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn, New York, Damon Boelte’s clever twist on the Americano turns the traditional aperitivo into a Franco-Italian shandy. Where the standard Americano pairs equal parts bitter Campari with sweet vermouth, the Perfecto splits the sweet in half with two different vermouths — brutish Carpano and the fruitier French Dolin Rouge — to create a more nuanced sweetness. The traditional topper of soda water is then replaced with pilsner beer for a refreshing, malty, bittersweet beer cocktail.

• 1½ ounces Campari
• ¾ ounce Dolin Rouge vermouth
• ¾ ounce Carpano Antica vermouth
• 4 ounces Pilsner
• 1 orange slice, in a wheel shape for garnish

1. 1Pour the Campari and vermouths into a Collins glass over ice.
2. 2Slowly top with the pilsner and add the garnish.

Recipe courtesy of Spritz by Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau, published by Ten Speed 2016. Photo by Dylan + Jeni.