Mystery Beverage
 

When I was in Italy, we were served a complimentarly beverage before dinner at our hotel restaurant in Sorrento that I had never had before. I guess I was trying to act cool or something because I did not ask what it was, but I'd like to find out. Not because I liked it, it was quite disgusting.

It was a clear drink, served in a champagne type flute. When first tasted it tasted sweet and was ok, but the aftertaste was extremely bitter and unpalatable to me. It was the most bizarre drink I have ever had. I'm sure some Fodorites out there must know this drink. Please help to identify it!

Sounds like it could be Fernet Blanca.

Was it clear as in colorless or did it have a color?

If it was bright red, it could have been a Campari soda.

If it was reddish, it could have been Aperol with soda or as a spritz (Aperol, white wine or prosecco and a bit of soda), but a spritz is a Venetian drink, so it would surprise me to find it in Sorrento.

If it was greenish, it could have been Cynar with soda.

If it was brownish, it could have been Punt e Mes with soda.

Punt e Mes is a red Italian vermouth with bitters added.

Campari, Aperol and Cynar are all Italian aperitivo drinks with secret formulas of various kinds of (bitter) herbs. I'm not sure what the main ingredient in Campari is; in Aperol, it's bitter orange; and in Cynar, it's artichoke.

Normally, none of these would be served in a champagne flute, but maybe the restaurant was trying to be elegant.

All of them can also be used to make various kinds of cocktails.

In Sorrento it seems most likely it was a Campari & soda - but then I can't imagine it tasted sweet at first - it really is bitter. (And though I love it I know it is an aquired taste - like olives or caviar.)

The only thing I can think of that would be clear and served in a champagne flute in Italy would be Prosecco, the Italian version of champagne. Did it have any fizz to it?

What about Fernet Branca?
http://itotd.com/articles/604/fernet-branca/

It was a colorless drink. I don't think it was Prosecco because the following night we were served Prosecco and I asked what it was before I drank it. Prosecco was quite tasty.

The thing that was so strange about it was it started off tasting decent, but the aftertaste would burn a hole in your throat. Maybe it was Fernet Blanca. I don't know.

Fernet Branca is brown, and it's served more as a digestivo than an aperitivo,

Colorless and "burns a hole in your throat" would fit grappa, a distilled spirit similar to marc in France.

But I wouldn't call grappa bitter, and it's normally also served as a digestivo. Nor would it be served in a champagne flute.

This is, indeed, a mystery...

Could have been tap water !!! ;)

Anisette? I can't stand the stuff, but some people love it. Very Italian.

http://www.drinksmixer.com/desc165.html

If it was served to you without asking, it may be a unique item from that hotel restaurant. Also, it is probably served to everyone, so checking back with them by email or checking its website may give you the answer.

If you find out, come back and tell us!

Wild guess...

Limoncello?

Eloise, campari is gentian based, and that's why I like Suze in France.

I also enjoy Campari (usually as Campari and soda). It is bitter, but the base is also sweet. Sweet and bitter and great with salty nibbles.

I like Campari too and I often have it with tonic. I had no idea it was gentian based, though.

Lemoncello is yellow

Martini e Rossi bianco..a vermouth?

But that normally would not be served in a champagne glass. A mystery!

Compari is made red from some kind of an insect from SA. Shudders, I am glad I did not know that for decades, lol.

What restaurant in Sorrento was this Sullysioux?

"In Sorrento it seems most likely it was a Campari & soda - but then I can't imagine it tasted sweet at first - it really is bitter. (And though I love it I know it is an aquired taste - like olives or caviar."

Olives and caviar are an acquired taste?

Yes, I would have to agree that caviar in aparticular could be an acquired taste unless one naturally likes eating fish eggs.

As to the olives..there are some types people love and others they can't stand.

Possibly a grappa? But I wouldn't say the first taste is sweet - powerful yes, sweet no. But at least it "is" colorless.

KC

Grappa is very common in Italy & was my first guess as well. I've not seen it served in a flute though.

Hi all,

Grappa is a very strong liquor.

It is unlikely to be served as an aperitif.

The closest I have been able to come would be a Corsican Vermouth (Cap Corse), flavored with quinine - but it is red.

((I))

Grappa is typically served after (a meal) as well.

Grappa has a taste that stays the same... it would not fit the description of having a "bitter" aftertaste imo. Also as already mentinoed it would not be served before a meal.

Maybe it was spulatum?

Since you stated it was colorless, I would say it was Grappa. Grappa can be served as an aperitivo; it is also served in coffee called cornetto or "corrected" coffee.

Thanks for all the guesses. I've never had grappa. Maybe I will have to try it to see if that was it. I don't know why I want to know what the drink was, since I disliked it so much. I suppose so I won't ever make the mistake of ordering it.

It was served at the Il Nido restaurant in Sorrento. I looked at their website and it does not mention drinks, just the food (which is excellent, by the way).

The drink you had was a Sanpellegrino Bitter. I had a friend to ask at the hotel.

So the tap water guess wasn't far off ! LOL.

Campari's red color is from cochineal, an expensive, bright red dye. The dye comes from an insect found in Mexico and South America.

By the way, the dye is used in many foods, cosmetics, and to color fabrics.

Thank you cigalechanta!

I have never heard of San Pellegrino Bitter. It was definitely bitter though!

Thanks Rufus, I couldn't remember the name of the insect. I understand it is also used in red colored lipsticks.
I am glad I enjoyed Campari for decades until I learned this bit of information or I probably would never have tried it, lol.

It's NOT grappa!! Nothing in the description (sweet turning bitter) is anything even close to what grappa tastes like... now if someone was talking about lighter fluid...
;-)

I like Compari, even knowing about the insect coloring, but I often think the Italians are secretly laughing as we praise most Italian aperitifs, which frequently make aftershave seem palatable.

Hmmm, I don't know, must of my friends in Italy enjoy Campari as well as Limoncello, grappa (good grappa) Frenet Bianco (sp?) etc.

The apertif was San pellegrino Bitter. The Campari and other drinks with red coloring do use the insects' properties but lots of other things do too that you are unaware of, as pointed out your lipsticks rouges, fabrics but they are beginning to use other synthetics as we have usurped the land and make these insects extint in time.

I never knew that insects produced the famous Red Dye #40.... ;-)

SanPell Bitter is available here in the US. Oddly enough, I was looking at a package of 6 or 8 8-oz. bottles of it just yesterday. The ingredients were carbonated water, sugar, "flavors," and red dye #40. There might have been one or two other ingredient like salt or something.

The red dye obtained from these beetles are also used for the pink coloring in Good 'n Plenty.

I no longer eat the pink ones. :(

Seetheworld, I wish you didn't tell us that. Oh,well, live and learn.

Anissete is usually served after the meal and often with or in coffee or espresso. It is not bitter but is strong in flavor. I have been drinking it since I was a child - imagine that! Served after all our evening meals and even the children were given a thimble sized glass of it!

Mimi, thanks for solving the mystery.

Anisette - I can drink it, but I can't spell it!