Campari: The Story of the Red Bitter Behind the Spritz We Teach
In our spritz lesson you choose between Aperol and Campari. The first is soft and orange; the second is a deep red, more bitter, more assertive. For anyone at our cooking class in Como who wants a grown-up finish, Campari is the choice. Here is its story.
What is Campari
Campari is a red bitter aperitif, bittersweet, made from a secret recipe of more than 60 herbs, spices, barks and fruit peels. It sits at around 25% ABV: stronger and distinctly more bitter than Aperol. It is that intense, almost ruby red you recognise at a glance in a glass.
From Gaspare Campari to Milan
It was created by Gaspare Campari around 1860, first in Novara and then in Milan, in the cellars of his Caffè Campari. Gaspare opened a bar in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan’s drawing room, where his recipe soon became the city’s aperitif. In 1915 the family created the celebrated Camparino bar, still an institution at the entrance to the Galleria today.
The heart of the great cocktails
Campari is the backbone of some of Italy’s best-loved cocktails. There is the Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth and soda) and, above all, the Negroni — Campari, gin and sweet vermouth in equal parts — born in Florence and now a worldwide classic. It is the same bitter that, in a lighter pour, gives a spritz its character.
Campari Spritz: the bolder version
The spritz begins with the sweeter sibling, Aperol, but swap it for Campari and you get a Campari Spritz with a darker colour and a more bitter, drier taste. Same build — prosecco, a measure of bitter, a splash of soda, ice and a slice of orange — but a more grown-up finish. In our lesson we tell this choice as part of the aperitivo in Como: the ritual that comes before dinner.
A Milanese icon, still today
From that small café grew the Campari Group, one of Italy’s major drinks companies, headquartered near Milan and with brands distributed around the world. Yet the gesture is the same as a hundred and sixty years ago: a red glass, a few friends, the hour of the aperitivo.
Key takeaways
- Created by Gaspare Campari around 1860, between Novara and Milan.
- A red bitter aperitif, secret recipe of 60+ ingredients, ~25% ABV.
- Stronger and more bitter than Aperol.
- The soul of the Negroni and the Americano; Camparino bar since 1915.
- In a Campari Spritz: the bolder finish, for those who like a bitter edge.
Try it in class
The spritz lesson is part of every masterclass: the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Fresh Tomato, the Tagliatelle Masterclass – Ragù Bolognese, the Ravioloni Verdi Masterclass – Ricotta and the Farfalle e Garganelli Masterclass – Ragù. Aperol or Campari: you choose how to begin.
Book a cooking class in Como
Hand-rolled pasta, a spritz lesson with Aperol or Campari and gelato with traditional balsamic vinegar — all in one session.
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