Fernet in Buenos Aires: Incredibly Foul or a Tasty Delight?
Posted in Drink on 09. Jun, 2010
If there’s one Argentinean custom that’s bound to give new arrivals in Buenos Aires a ‘wtf?’ moment, it’s the insane popularity of Fernet + Coke as the go-to mixed drink for any occasion.
More on that soon. But first, what is Fernet anyway? Here’s a description from our good friends at Wikipedia:
“Fernet is a type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but may include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron, with a base of grape distilled spirits, and colored with caramel coloring.”
Now is it me, or is that ingredient list bizarre? If you’d always wondered what in the hell Joseph and Mary were going to use the ‘myrrh’ in ‘gold, frankincense and myrrh’ for, now you know. That just leaves frankincense, but you can probably put that in Fernet as well. It kind of seems like all bets are off. I mean, rhubarb? Come on, that’s just perverse.
So those are the ingredients, now what about the taste? Here’s a quote from SF Weekly, a free alternative weekly newspaper from San Francisco, California:
“If you can imagine getting punched squarely in the nose while sucking on a mentholated cough drop, you’ll have an idea of Fernet-Branca’s indelicate first impressions.”
I’d say that description is spot-on. The thing is, Fernet was created (in Italy) as a digestive to be taken after a meal. In other words, MEDICINE. And we all know that the worse medicine tastes, the better people will think it works. No surprise then, that the creators of Fernet emptied the contents of their spice rack into it.
Or as a friend once told me after tasting Fernet & Cola:
“I feel like I just drank tar off of a hospital floor while simultaneously having a Gorilla slap me across the face with a bottle of Bengay”
Really, Fernet + Coke is a prime example of what happens when people from one place (Italy in this case) move to another place a really long way away (Argentina). They bring their foods, drinks, traditions and so on along with them, but many of those things get mangled in the translation. It’s like people in Australia roasting a turkey for Christmas…in 95+ degree heat.
One thing I can GUARANTEE you is that if you ask an Argentine why they drink Fernet, there’s a 98% chance that they will tell you how healthy it is and how it doesn’t give you a hangover. Sorry, the main cause of a hangover is dehydration caused by alcohol. If you’re getting drunk then you’re getting a hangover, end of story. Anyway, what would Argentineans know about hangovers? They don’t even drink. Ask an Irish person, it’s much more their area of expertise.
Now. Having just ranted about Fernet for a good 400 words, I have an admission to make. I drink Fernet + Coke. If that comes as a surprise, don’t worry, it’s a pretty f-cking massive surprise to me too. So why do I do it? Well, in large part it’s because at the end of the night, there’s usually still Fernet + Coke left at the asado after all the beer, wine and vodka has been drunk, but I think there’s also a small part of me that actually enjoys the challenge of drinking something so foul. And you?
* To any Argentine readers out there, feel free to unleash hell in the comments.
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Amamos “el ferne” como q no????
My vote is for “incredibly foul.” I have not been able to develop a taste for it, and I’ve tried. I even brought a bottle back to the States for my alcoholic friends, and I have to report that most of them could not take it either…
You’re going to have to put me in the category of liking it! The first time I tasted it I was with a bunch of friends (from Argentina and England) and there were so enthusiastic about it that I never once doubted that it tasted bad. I’m not sure it’s an alcohol that I would choose to buy, over other options, but it’s certainly one I am more than happy to raise to my lips and get a little bit tipsy with!
Ahhhh, my porteno fiance loves this stuff, he goes crazy when he drinks fernet y cola. YUCK!!!
with a good mix of coke and fernet i like to down it myself. dunno why though! xD
A porteno friend told me last week that Fernet Cola is something you never like on the first cup: you have to keep drinking A LOT, and eventually it will come to you.
Why the hell would I do that with so many tasteful drinks around, I don’t know. But in the end it’s all about tastes. People that enjoy bitters should get along with fernet.
All the best!
Geraldo Figueras
fernet mmmm… mientras mas lo tomas mas te gusta 60-40 2 hielos…asado con los amigos,argentina rompiendola en el mundial..que mas queres…. nice blog u got there!
Fernet is a digestif, is a good thing for the stomach if you ate too much.
Also , is a good idea to try FERNET CON TÒNICA , instead of a gin tonic, try Fernet with (bitter)dry tonic water in a tall glass with ice cubes
At least, in Uruguay we usually drink the Fernet with tonic water,and it makes a thick foam, very good for digestion,or as a long drink while one waits his girlfriend and she always arrive late….ha ha ha
The first time I tried “ferné con coca” I was 14 and I couldn’t believe how people where buying it and threw away what I had just bought.
The second time I drank ferné+coca I did it because there was nothing else to drink and then I figured it out. Once you had a glass of fernet+coca, the second one you have tastes great, the third one even better and so on. I still think it has a weird taste but the way your mouth tastes after drinking ferné is actually great.
I’ll keep on drinking beer, but sometimes fernecola is a good alternative.
=)
HAhahahah I LOLed at this one!! I am argentinean, and I’ve HATED fernet + coke for a long time, but I love it now. It is actually my drink of choice when going out with friends, to a club, or at asados. I started enjoying it at around 24 yrs old, so I was a little embarassed to finally admit I liked it. BUt hey, the same happened to me when I started drinking alcohol, I remember trying beer or wine for the first time and going “OMG how do you guys (my parents) enjoy drinking this? WTF!”