Amanda Font, in a story from the Bay Curious podcast on KQED (article/transcript):

Can a place be defined by a beverage? If I mention champagne, you must think of France. If I say mint julep, you’re thinking of the South. If you hear Malört, and you know what that is, you know I’m talking about Chicago. So, what’s San Francisco’s defining drink? If you ask some people, especially bartenders, it’s Fernet-Branca.

It’s true. You won’t find many San Francisco bars without Fernet-Branca on the shelves. If you do, maybe walk out.

If there’s one thing people will tell you about Fernet-Branca, it’s that it’s very much an acquired taste. It is a dark, syrupy-looking liqueur with a strongly medicinal smell and taste, and unlike other similar herbal digestifs, it is not sweet at all. […]

[Antoinette Cattani, former sales and marketing rep for Fernet-Branca] said she’ll never forget the time she was at the legendary Key Club in Los Angeles and when she gave someone a shot of Fernet-Branca, “This guy literally wiped his tongue and said, ‘Why would you do that to me?’”

I’m a spirits enthusiast, and I appreciate a good Amaro, but even this long-time San Francisco resident can’t quite bring himself to enjoy Fernet-Branca.

(Via Tammy Tan.)