♪Amaro, amaro, I love you amaro♬
posted January 3, 2015 12:52 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Sat January 24 at 7:00 PM, My house
72 Lansing Street, San Francisco, CA, USA (Map & Directions)
Amaro meetup, my place!
I've been really into Amaro lately, so I think it'd be fun to all get together and try a bunch of different amari!

For those who don't know, an amaro is an Italian herbal digistif/liqueur. The word literally means bitter, but many aren't particularly bitter at all. There's a ton of variety though, which is why this'll be fun!

They're also a great way to add some depth to a cocktail.

Meetup deets:

Folks are encouraged (but not at all required) to bring other amari or other things that can be mixed with amaro. Other non-amaro herbal liqueurs would be fun too! But if you bring something, please be prepared to take any remainder back home with you because my liquor cabinet is already overflowing.


Similarly if some people were to bring some snack/party-foods, that'd be awesome (but if everyone were to do that it would be bad)

Coordinate via the google doc. Note that there's a second sheet for food.

Oh, and I do have cats. My robot butler cleans regularly, but if you are allergic, medicate accordingly.
posted by aubilenon to Meetup (50 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

I would be interested in bringing food, but having never had amaro, I'm not sure what would be good to bring. Any recommendations/requests?
posted by Noms_Tiem at 7:02 PM on January 3, 2015


Noms_Tiem: Hmm. Amaro is moderately sweet, so I might say something savory?

jamaro: Hah! Does your name have anything to do with amaro?
posted by aubilenon at 12:33 AM on January 4, 2015


Dang it. We have tickets to a show that night.
posted by rtha at 7:43 AM on January 4, 2015


Ooh, sounds like fun.
posted by Lexica at 8:14 AM on January 4, 2015


I am interested in this amaro situation and I want to meet your kittens!
posted by chatongriffes at 9:53 AM on January 4, 2015


That douglas fir stuff is weird.

I am definitely interested!
posted by kenko at 10:08 AM on January 4, 2015


Dang it. We have tickets to a show that night.

Double dang it!

I am interested in this amaro situation and I want to meet your kittens!

They're often shy around strangers, but I'm sure they'll make an exception for you!
posted by aubilenon at 10:26 AM on January 4, 2015 [1 favorite]


Awesome choice. I will be there!
posted by spitefulcrow at 11:11 AM on January 4, 2015


And I will update the spreadsheet as soon as I get a chance to stop by Cask or K&L and pick out their weirdest amaro.
posted by spitefulcrow at 11:13 AM on January 4, 2015


Oh oh we love amaro. We are scheduled to go to a Sketchfest thing that afternoon, so we'll have to make an offering to the babysitting gods to make them both work.
posted by purpleclover at 1:13 PM on January 4, 2015


This sounds like a blast. Added something to the spreadsheet, will plan on being there!
posted by j.edwards at 4:49 PM on January 4, 2015


Never even had amaro. If I possibly can, I'll show up -- not just because I'd love to see all of you, but also to maintain novelty index elevation.
posted by tangerine at 11:56 AM on January 5, 2015


Based on my penchant for spouting unintelligible gibberish, and because it sounded fun when Lexica described it, I'd be up for trying out Spaceteam.

There's a fridge at my workplace that should be fairly empty Friday and Saturday, if people want their liquors chilled and have a long commute. ubilenon, do you intend to chill your amari? I haven't tried amaro, but how does it compare to amaretto?

If we videotape your kittens licking each other and upload it to Youtube, will it link to something else?
posted by halifix at 4:38 PM on January 5, 2015


Amaretto and amaro do have the same etymology. Amaro means bitter. Amaretto is originally made from bitter almonds, though now it's frequently made with apricot pits, which have the advantage of not being poisonous. But aside from both being Italian liqueurs (meaning: sweetened & moderate-alcohol content), they're really not very similar.

Amaro Nonino came with a little recipe book attached to the bottle by a gold-colored elastic. The first recipe was: pour it in a glass. The second recipe was: pour it in a glass with some ice. Eventually they're telling you to spend 8 hours making an infusion with cigars. I'm not going to bother with the cigars thing, but the point of this story is: there's no need to chill the bottles - it's reasonable to drink it room temperature or to chill it with ice.

IME amaretto is often syrupier than amaro, which means the dilution from ice is even more welcome IMO.
posted by aubilenon at 6:01 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]


This sounds fantastic! For anyone else (like me!) who might be unfamiliar with Amari, I found the following pages on twitter a while back (perhaps it was aubilenon who linked to them?) which are incredibly helpful.
posted by sambosambo at 9:51 PM on January 7, 2015 [1 favorite]


I don't think I've seen those. Or if I did I must have googled them and sent you a link without hardly even reading them. But that would be sloppy tweeting, and I would never do that!
posted by aubilenon at 12:21 AM on January 8, 2015


Does anyone want to come to this afterwards? We can go really late. Great DJs and tickets are only $20 at the moment.
ICE Hot 28-hour Goodbye Party@ Public Works

Also I love the idea of a house party co-ordinated via Google sheets. Feels very SF to me.
posted by Erberus at 1:58 PM on January 8, 2015


Well, for this sort of party, it's really necessary! I mean, what if every person showed up with the same kind of amaro? It would be a tragedy!

Even though I am really looking forward to the show we're going to - Patti Smith - I am also sad we're going to miss this.
posted by rtha at 5:44 PM on January 8, 2015


Doors for that don't even open until 9!
posted by aubilenon at 6:09 PM on January 8, 2015


We like to get good spots!
posted by rtha at 6:18 PM on January 8, 2015


That seems perfectly reasonable! Have fun!
posted by aubilenon at 6:43 PM on January 8, 2015


We could maybe come after the show?
posted by gingerbeer at 1:30 PM on January 9, 2015


How late do we expect the house party to run? I'd be up to Erberus's event but I do enjoy hanging out with MeFites.
posted by halifix at 1:49 PM on January 9, 2015


I am happy to host people into the wee hours. Late is great! It's hard to predict other people's plans in terms of how late things will keep going, but in the past I recall there were some folks around a couple hours past the 11:30 exodus of Caltrain-bound peninsulites.

Gingerbeer & rtha, I'm not going to try to keep the thread update during the meetup, but feel free to text/call me to see where things are at when the show gets out.

Halifix: Erberus's thing does last 28 hours, and appears to start three hours later than the meetup, which means it ends 2:00a on the 26th. You could hang out with us until late, go home, get some sleep, take a shower, wait in line for an hour, eat a nice brunch, and they'd still have 10 or 12 hours of thumpy music left for you.
posted by aubilenon at 2:46 PM on January 9, 2015


Oh, this sounds fun! The Boy and I could very conceivably be in!
posted by mostlymartha at 4:55 PM on January 9, 2015


I just picked up a bottle of broVo Amaro Project #10, which I've been wanting to get for a while, so thanks for providing the excuse, aubilenon!
posted by Lexica at 4:33 PM on January 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


I fly back to SF at 7 PM that night. I'm putting myself down as a maybe for now. I'd like to make it!
posted by mountmccabe at 2:44 PM on January 12, 2015


(This is just to say I wish I lived in SF and could go to your meetup! I would bring fernet for sure.)
posted by ferret branca at 3:32 PM on January 17, 2015 [1 favorite]


Yeah, why don't you live here? That doesn't make any sense
posted by aubilenon at 4:26 PM on January 18, 2015 [2 favorites]


I get off work in Berkeley at 7:30, so I probably won't get there until 8:30 or so. Will this still be going on then?
posted by Noms_Tiem at 6:15 PM on January 18, 2015


8:30 PM? absolutely
posted by aubilenon at 7:30 PM on January 18, 2015


now it's frequently made with apricot pits, which have the advantage of not being poisonous

Apricot kernels are delicious, but don't overindulge; they're also poisonous. They're just not as poisonous.
posted by kenko at 8:10 AM on January 19, 2015


At the behest of asterix, I am making an apple pie. I'll update the spreadsheet!
posted by chatongriffes at 8:49 AM on January 23, 2015 [6 favorites]


Outstanding!
posted by aubilenon at 2:09 PM on January 23, 2015


The spouse was scheduled to work tonight but got called in for the day instead, so there will be two of us. He's planning to bring a bottle of Averna and other materials needed for a Black & Stormy (don't bother googling, it's apparently a house specialty where he works and the recipe isn't online).

Which means I'm spending part of today making a ginger syrup. Cool enough!
posted by Lexica at 8:47 AM on January 24, 2015


Good news, everyone! A coworker of mine offered to cover the rear end of my shift, so I'll be able to get off at 6:30. I'll only be a fifteen minutes late instead of an hour and a half!
posted by Noms_Tiem at 10:52 AM on January 24, 2015


If anyone gets lost or something, my phone number is 415 577 3785
posted by aubilenon at 4:00 PM on January 24, 2015


Checking in.
posted by Noms_Tiem at 7:46 PM on January 24, 2015


"I thought it was jicama!"
"I thought it was French fries!"
"Guys. That's sugar cane. "
posted by chatongriffes at 8:12 PM on January 24, 2015 [6 favorites]


Not feeling well so won't be attending. Very sad about this.
posted by Erberus at 8:36 PM on January 24, 2015


...and checking out. It was great to see everyone again, though I'm sad I had to leave so soon.
posted by Noms_Tiem at 10:37 PM on January 24, 2015


That was brilliant. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the amaro cocktails. Amari are a brilliant ingredient that add real depth to a drink.

And much thanks to Aubelinon for hosting

Cheers!
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:00 PM on January 24, 2015


That was a whole lot of fun. Thank you so much, aubilenon!
posted by Lexica at 11:34 PM on January 24, 2015


Super fun, great to meet everyone!
posted by j.edwards at 11:56 PM on January 24, 2015


Sorry we missed this (but Patti Smith was so so good). If y'all came up with any good cocktails, and I have no doubt you did, please share!
posted by rtha at 12:00 AM on January 25, 2015


Guys. That's sugar cane

Still doesn't belong in a shot of Fernet-Branca.



Actually, no. That sounds kinda tasty. I wish somebody had told me about the sugarcane option w my Fernet.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 12:04 AM on January 25, 2015


Extremely lovely evening!
posted by bleep at 12:11 AM on January 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


Thanks for coming everyone! It was sure fun to see all y'al! Sorry the kittens were hiding. Everyone's gone and they're still on high alert trying to figure out all the new smells (or something)
posted by aubilenon at 12:45 AM on January 25, 2015


Now they are smelling the hell out of everything
posted by aubilenon at 12:49 AM on January 25, 2015 [1 favorite]


This was great!
posted by kenko at 1:28 PM on January 25, 2015



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