Fernet: how to drink the drink with which Argentina celebrated the triumph of the ‘albiceleste’ in Qatar 2022

Argentina was crowned world champion in Qatar 2022, Messi fulfilled his dream and his compatriots today enjoy their third star, December 18, 2022 became the best day of the year for an entire nation. At the Obelisk, the hubbub reigned and the most Argentinean drink, which was not born in Argentina, could not be missing: Fernet.

Where is it born and what is the Fernet?

To talk about this spirit drink, we have to go back to the 19th century, when in Milan the apothecary Bernardino Branca and the Swiss doctor Fernet combined 40 different types of herbs, including saffron, rhubarb, cardamom, myrrh, chamomile, aloe and gentian root, as well as of barks and other fruits macerated in alcohol, this concoction was used as medicine. In 1845, Branca created Fratelli Branca, a company that would make and sell it. Fernet’s main function was to be a digestif, but it would soon become an aperitif.

But, what does Fernet taste like? It has a rather bitter taste and sometimes tends to have a resemblance to Spanish vermouth. Indeed, in Italy it is framed in the category of bitters, despite these tend to be sweeter and have a lower alcohol content: 30% vol. versus 45% vol. of the Fernet.

The Fernet is Argentine

It was the Italian migration of the 20th century that brought into their hands the drink that would be painted albiceleste. From day one, it was accepted by all Argentines, to the point that Fratelli himself opened a Fernet factory in 1941 in the Parque Patricios neighborhood of Buenos Aires and in 1982 moved to Tortuguitas. Today it is known that around 75% of the world production of this drink is consumed in the South American country. Total madness.

How is Fernet taken in Argentina?

The most traditional way of taking Fernet is combining it with cola, connoisseurs say that this was born in the 70s in the Spanish Bar of Cruz del Eje in the province of Córdoba by Óscar Ángel Becerra, this is an urban myth that has gone from generation to generation. Another form promoted by the brand itself is the famous 70% – 30% (70% cola – 30% Fernet) along with a good amount of ice to make the drink refreshing. But if you are one of those who prefers to maintain the alcohol content, you can do it 50% – 50%, or the coronado, which involves adding Fernet at the end to neutralize the foam of the soda.

The Fernet of the world

The Fernet is so Argentinian that it also got on the ‘Scaloneta’ and presented its limited edition to celebrate each game and of course, the final. Carolina del Hoyo, Regional Marketing Director for Fratelli Branca, knows what is “at stake” and that is that for the company, according to Hoyo, the fernet has become an emblem, an icon and a flag of culture Argentina, it is for this reason that they could not miss the most important event in the world. The price of the bottle is 2,054 Argentine pesos, which would be around 11.83 dollars.

The “Traveler” by Lali Esposito

Lali Espósito had the honor of singing the Argentine anthem in the Qatar 2022 final, but before “argentinizing” the Middle Eastern country, he “argentinized” ‘El hormiguero’, the famous Spanish night program, in which he decided to prepare the happy drink live “I want to make you Argentinian, Pablo, because my goal is to be freer and for you to be more Argentinian,” said the also actress. To continue with her preparation, the production gave her a plastic bottle, ice, Fernet and cola. She cut the bottle, burned the edge with a lighter, then put Fernet on it and at the end of cola, mixed it with her finger in the very “argento” style.