What can I use instead of Amer Picon? The best substitutes for Amer Picon are Amer Torani and Amer Depot – two recreations of Amer Picon. Other alternatives include CioCiaro, Montenegro, Ramazzotti, and Nonino Amaro liqueurs or Picon Bière. These liqueurs offer the same distinctive bittersweet orange and quinine notes of Amer Picon.
Amer Picon is a French herbal bitter created in the 19th century. It boasts bittersweet characters and notes of orange peel, gentian root, quinine, and spices. The liquor used to be exceptionally popular as an aperitif, a bittering agent in cocktails or served on the rocks. However, today, it is less common and easier to find. Here are the best alternatives if you can’t find a bottle of Amer Picon in the stores.
The Best Amer Picon Substitutes
Amer Torani
Amer Torani is an American aperitif inspired by the French Amer Picon, making it an excellent and easy-to-find substitute.
Amer Torani boasts similar notes of bitter orange and gentian root. However, it also features unique underlying hints of cinchona bark and mint.
Amer Torani’s bittersweet flavors are perfect cocktails. It is a delicious variation of a traditional Manhattan, Hoskins, or Picon Punch.
Amer Picon and Amer Torani have an ABV of approximately 21%. Substitute Amer Picon with equal amounts of Amer Torani.
Amer Depot
Originating from Nevada, Amer Depot is a humble attempt by The Depot to recreate Amer Picon. It is made with various herbs, including cinchona, elderberries, quinine, and gin-soaked orange peels.
Amer Depot has lighter color, taste, and texture than the iconic Amer Picon but still remains a viable substitute.
Amer Depot is an excellent substitute for Amer Picon when making punches. However, you can also enjoy Amer Depot on its own.
Amer Depot has a 44% ABV compared to Amer Picon’s 21% ABV.
Despite the lighter flavor and texture, we recommend replacing Amer Picon with half the amount of Amer Depot. However, you can use equal substitutions if you don’t mind the extra kick.
Amaro CioCiaro
Amaro CioCiaro is commonly used to replace Picon Amer in regions where it’s unavailable. It is a bittersweet digestif with Italian roots that date back to 1873.
Amaro CioCiaro has a rich, oily mouthfeel, strong bitter orange characters, and milder notes of woody spices and savory herbs.
You can serve Amaro CioCiaro over ice with soda water, a dash of Grenadine or lemon syrup, and a slice of orange.
Amer CioCiaro has a 30% ABV compared to Amer Picon’s 21% ABV. You can use equal amounts of Amer CioCiaro when substituting Amer Picon.
Amaro Montenegro
Amaro Montenegro – or Monte – is an easily accessible Amaro that you can use to replace Amer Picon. Home to Bologna, Italy, Monte is a bittersweet herbal liqueur with distinctive orange and botanical notes.
Amaro Montenegro is pretty versatile. You can sip it neat as a digestif. Or enjoy it over ice and a slice of orange, or mix it into a cocktail.
Amaro Montenegro has a 23% ABV compared to Amer Picon’s 21% ABV. You can use equal amounts of Amaro Montenegro when substituting Amer Picon.
Amaro Ramazzotti
Ramazzotti is a bitter Italian Amaro that dates back to 1815. Today, it’s a top-selling Amaro worldwide. This digestif is made from a fine selection of 33 herbs and spices, including gentian and orange.
Ramazzotti is a versatile Amaro. You can enjoy it as an aperitif by mixing it with soda water or ginger ale. However, it is also delicious served on the rocks or in cocktails.
Amaro Ramazzotti has a 30% ABV compared to Amer Picon’s 21% ABV. You can use equal amounts of Amaro Ramazzotti when substituting Amer Picon.
Expert bartenders recommend combining the Ramazotti with an orange liqueur and bitter citrus base to closely mimic Amer Picon.
Amaro Nonino
Amaro Nonino is another bitter Italian liqueur that is an ideal replacement for Amer Picon.
It is a bittersweet liqueur made with grappa and infused with herbs, botanicals, and fruit. Amaro Nonino boasts flavor notes of orange, gentian, and caramel.
Amaro Nonino is best served on the rocks or with soda water. However, it adds a delicious bittersweet, citrus flavor to cocktails. Our favorite cocktail with Amaro Nonino is the Paper Plane.
Amaro Nonino has a 35% ABV compared to Amer Picon’s 21% ABV.
You can use equal amounts of Amaro Nonino when substituting Amer Picon. However, we prefer using a little less to compensate for the large alcohol percentage gap.
Picon Bière
Picon Bière is a famous aperitif produced by the same French manufacturer as Amer Picon. It is a bitter orange liqueur mixed with a pilsner or wheat beer, boasting subtle notes of gentian, quinine, and caramel.
Picon Bière has a similar feel to Amer Picon, but it’s specially made for mixing with beer for more complex flavors. However, you can also use Picon Bière for cocktails.
Amer Picon and Picon Bière both have an ABV of approximately 21%.
You can substitute Amer Picon with equal amounts of Picon Bière. However, we recommend increasing the ratio slightly as Picon Bière is lighter and less bitter.