Guy Fieri's Favorite Liquor Is A Classic Italian Digestif

Guy Fieri frames much of his celebrity persona around being a bit extra so, of course, his favorite foods and drinks are bound to be unique. If you've ever wondered what Guy Fieri eats at home, the celebrity chef counts sushi and Thai cuisine among his go-to picks. (Of course, off the record, he could secretly live on PBJs and milk for all we know.) When it comes to his beverage choices, however, one niche tipple has stolen Fieri's heart: an Italian liqueur called Fernet-Branca.

As Fieri explained in an interview with The Daily Beast, Fernet-Branca's abrasive flavor is one of the main reasons he loves it. Fieri admits that "not everybody loves Fernet, which makes it even more exciting." (Makes us wonder if he's ever tried Jeppson's Malört.) While he keeps Fernet-Branca in all of his fridges and freezers, he says it can also be enjoyed warm. The one fernet-related thing Fieri won't drink, though, is the mint-flavored version, Branca Menta. So, what is this mysterious concoction, and should you add it to your drinks cabinet to make cocktails for your next cookout? To find out, you need to step into the prestigious world of herbal amaro.

Fernet-Branca is classified as an amaro: a type of bitter Italian liqueur that's supposed to aid with digestion (digestif or digestivo being the Italian terms for this). Fernet-Branca dates back to 1845 (although other types of fernet predate this) and has a recipe as secretive as KFC's. The liqueur is made from a long list of herbs and botanicals including bitter orange, black aloe ferex, and cardamom. As for the taste, it's bitter, treacly, and intense, which makes it less surprising when Guy Fieri describes himself as a "big black licorice fan." (It also has a certain eau d'Altoid thanks to the inclusion of peppermint and anise.) Some food industry workers, like Fieri, flex about how they can handle Fernet-Branca's extremely bitter flavor. Its nickname, "bartender's handshake," implies that being able to stomach the stuff means you've earned access to an elite service-pro club.

If you don't care for Fernet-Branca straight up, you can always temper the bitterness with a mixer. Fernet con Coca (fernet and coke) is considered an unofficial national drink in Argentina, while the El Luchador cocktail uses just a teaspoon of fernet and balances the bitterness with lime juice, white rum, and soda water. The Industry Sour cocktail, however, goes in the opposite direction by combining the liqueur with ingredients only a bartender (or, apparently, Guy Fieri) could love such as aquafaba and green chartreuse.