{"id":15605,"date":"2026-07-15T17:01:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T17:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15605"},"modified":"2026-07-15T17:01:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T17:01:14","slug":"move-over-aperol-american-made-spritzes-are-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15605","title":{"rendered":"Move Over, Aperol: American-Made Spritzes Are Here"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Deliciously bitter alpine spirits deliver a bracing taste of the mountains. Now, American distillers are bottling the flavors of their own wild peaks, from the Appalachians to the Cascades. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"border-border-light border-t py-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"flex h-4 justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-x-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"\"><button class=\"inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full cursor-default bg-bg-surface hover:bg-bg-light focus:bg-bg-dark text-primary border border-solid border-border-light aria-pressed:bg-brand-primary aria-pressed:text-text-surface py-very-tight px-base-tight gap-tight font-semibold font-utility-2 opacity-50\" aria-label=\"Loading audio\" aria-pressed=\"false\" id=\"article-listen-button\" disabled=\"\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\"><title>Listen to this article<\/title><path d=\"M12.5265 16.2C12.2326 16.2 12.0122 16.1265 11.7184 16.053C11.2775 15.9061 10.9102 15.6122 10.6898 15.2449C10.4694 14.8775 10.3959 14.4367 10.5428 13.9959L11.5714 10.3959C11.6449 10.1755 11.7184 9.95509 11.8653 9.80815C12.0122 9.66121 12.1592 9.51427 12.3796 9.36733C12.6 9.29386 12.8204 9.2204 13.0408 9.14693C13.2612 9.14693 13.4816 9.14693 13.702 9.2204H13.7755C14.2163 9.36733 14.5837 9.58774 14.951 9.95509C14.951 9.66121 14.951 9.29386 14.951 8.99999C14.951 7.38366 14.2898 5.8408 13.1877 4.73876C12.0122 3.56325 10.5428 2.9755 8.92652 2.9755C7.31019 2.9755 5.76733 3.63672 4.66529 4.73876C3.48978 5.8408 2.82856 7.38366 2.82856 8.99999C2.82856 9.29386 2.82856 9.66121 2.82856 9.95509C3.12244 9.66121 3.56325 9.36733 4.00407 9.2204H4.07754C4.29795 9.14693 4.51835 9.14693 4.73876 9.14693C4.95917 9.14693 5.17958 9.2204 5.39999 9.36733C5.6204 9.4408 5.76733 9.58774 5.91427 9.80815C6.06121 9.95509 6.13468 10.1755 6.20815 10.3959L7.23672 13.9959C7.38366 14.4367 7.31019 14.8775 7.08978 15.2449C6.86938 15.6122 6.50203 15.9061 6.13468 16.053C5.76733 16.2 5.39999 16.2 5.03264 16.2C4.66529 16.1265 4.29795 16.053 4.00407 15.9061C3.63672 15.6122 3.41631 15.3918 3.12244 15.0979C2.90203 14.8775 2.75509 14.5102 2.68162 14.1428L2.38774 13.0408L2.2408 12.6735C2.2408 12.6 2.16733 12.453 2.16733 12.3796C1.87346 11.2775 1.79999 10.1755 1.79999 8.99999C1.79999 7.08978 2.53468 5.25305 3.9306 3.9306C5.25305 2.60815 7.08978 1.79999 8.99999 1.79999C10.9102 1.79999 12.7469 2.53468 14.0694 3.9306C15.3918 5.25305 16.2 7.08978 16.2 8.99999C16.2 10.102 16.053 11.2775 15.8326 12.3796C15.8326 12.453 15.7592 12.6 15.7592 12.6735L15.6857 12.9673V13.0408L15.1714 14.1428C15.0979 14.5102 14.8775 14.8041 14.6571 15.0979C14.4367 15.3918 14.1428 15.6122 13.849 15.7592C13.5551 15.9061 13.1877 16.053 12.8204 16.053C12.7469 16.1265 12.6735 16.2 12.5265 16.2ZM3.71019 13.849C3.78366 14.0694 3.85713 14.2163 4.00407 14.4367C4.15101 14.6571 4.29795 14.7306 4.51835 14.8775C4.73876 14.951 4.8857 15.0245 5.10611 15.0979C5.32652 15.0979 5.54693 15.0979 5.76733 15.0245C5.98774 14.951 6.06121 14.8775 6.13468 14.7306C6.20815 14.5837 6.20815 14.4367 6.20815 14.2898L5.17958 10.6898C5.17958 10.6163 5.10611 10.5428 5.10611 10.4694C5.03264 10.4694 4.95917 10.3959 4.8857 10.3224C4.81223 10.3224 4.73876 10.249 4.66529 10.249C4.59182 10.249 4.51836 10.249 4.44489 10.249H4.37142C3.9306 10.3959 3.63672 10.6898 3.41631 11.0571C3.26938 11.351 3.19591 11.7184 3.26938 12.0857C3.34285 12.3061 3.34284 12.5265 3.41631 12.6735L3.71019 13.849ZM13.2612 10.3224C13.1877 10.3224 13.1877 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224C13.1143 10.3224 13.0408 10.3224 12.9673 10.3959C12.8939 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694C12.7469 10.5428 12.7469 10.6163 12.7469 10.6898L11.7184 14.2898C11.6449 14.4367 11.7184 14.5837 11.7918 14.7306C11.8653 14.8775 12.0122 14.951 12.0857 15.0245C12.3796 15.0979 12.5265 15.0979 12.7469 15.0979C12.9673 15.0979 13.1877 15.0245 13.3347 14.8775C13.5551 14.8041 13.702 14.6571 13.849 14.4367C13.9959 14.2898 14.0694 14.0694 14.1428 13.849L14.5102 12.6735C14.5837 12.5265 14.5837 12.3061 14.6571 12.1592C14.7306 11.7918 14.6571 11.4245 14.5102 11.1306C14.2898 10.7633 13.9959 10.4694 13.5551 10.3224H13.4816C13.3347 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"hidden sm:inline\">Listen<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\">Photo: Jessica Sample\/Gallery Stock<!-- --> (Photo: Drue Wagner)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published July 15, 2026 10:57AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>After a day on the trail, cocktail hour could be a simple slug of whiskey. But why not drink in more of the natural beauty that was, after all, the point of getting there? With a new wave of alpine spirits, American distillers are making that proposition pretty irresistible.<\/p>\n<p>Back in 2005, the Austrian stone pine liqueur Zirbenz was the first bottle brought stateside by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/alpenz.com\/product-zirbenz.html\">Haus Alpenz<\/a>, the importer many in the beverage business credit with securing a foothold in the United States for these complex, herbal, bracingly bitter drinks. \u201cIt literally has the aromatics of what surrounds you when you\u2019re up in the mountains,\u201d says Haus Alpenz founder Eric Seed. \u201cIt immediately takes you to that place outdoors.\u201d By 2011, when Sother Teague and Ravi DeRossi opened <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amoryamargo.com\/\">Amor y Amargo<\/a> in New York City\u2019s East Village\u2014the country\u2019s first bar dedicated to bitters, alpine and otherwise\u2014the bottles on offer were still European. \u201cNow, pretty much any distillery that you can think of here in America is adding an aperitif or digestif or amaro to their portfolio,\u201d Teague says.<\/p>\n<h2>The 9 Best American Alpine Spirits for Summer Spritzes<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Faccia Brutto Amaro Alpino and Centerbe\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2744612\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_faccia-brutto.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_faccia-brutto.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>Faccia Brutto<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744609\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\">Across the river from Amor y Amargo, in Brooklyn, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/facciabruttospirits.com\/\">Faccia Brutto<\/a> executes half a dozen Italian styles of amaro confidently, though not necessarily reverently. The distillery\u2019s dark, resinous, deliciously smoky Amaro Alpino stands up well to mezcal in cocktails, but there\u2019s enough going on to make it a satisfying sipper all by itself. By contrast, Faccia Brutto\u2019s take on Centerbe, an herbal liqueur from the mountains of Abruzzo, is vividly bright and light. Redolent of lemon balm and anise hyssop, it makes a delicious swap for Chartreuse. \u201cWe wanted a Centerbe more suited to the American palate,\u201d says founder and distiller Patrick Miller. \u201cIt\u2019s lower ABV, so it\u2019s cheaper on the shelf. And a little less sweet than Chartreuse.\u201d<\/figure>\n<h3>Eda Rhyne<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744612\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744611\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Eda Rhyne Amaro Flora and Appalachian Fernet\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2744611\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_eda-rhyne.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_eda-rhyne.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy Eda Rhyne)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/edarhynetastingroom.com\/\">Eda Rhyne<\/a> in Asheville, Rett Murphy and Chris Bower tap into Western North Carolina\u2019s incredible biodiversity as well as rich regional traditions in folk medicine and moonshining. \u201cWith our Appalachian Fernet, we were trying to make it taste like a dark Appalachian cove with hemlock trees and moss dripping and slippery rocks and decaying leaves and, like, little flowers popping up,\u201d Murphy explains. \u201cThe Amaro Flora we were trying to make taste like an Appalachian meadow. Sunshine and grass and insects buzzing around and wildflowers.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Leopold Bros.<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744615\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Leopold Bros Three Pins\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2744615\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_leopold-bros.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_leopold-bros.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy Leopold Bros)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leopoldbros.com\/\">Leopold Bros<\/a> in Denver, master distiller Todd Leopold applies the training he got in Europe to herbs and flowers found right there in the Rockies, in an alpine herbal liqueur with plenty of warming spice and a concentrated cola tang; its name, Three Pins, nods to old-school three-pin Telemark ski bindings.<\/p>\n<h3>Breckenridge Distillery<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744609\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Breckenridge Bitter\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2744609\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_breckenridge-bitter.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_breckenridge-bitter.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy Breckenridge Distillery)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Farther west at <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/breckenridgedistillery.com\/\">Breckenridge Distillery<\/a>, master distiller Hans Stafsholt uses gentian and locally harvested genepi to make Breckenridge Bitter true to its name. \u201cIt\u2019s bitter all the way through,\u201d he says. \u201cThen you get the sage. The milk thistle brings a really smooth mouthfeel. And the fresh citrus and cherry bring sweetness and light.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>BROVO Spirits<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744610\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"BROVO Gen P and Uncharted Rhapsody\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2744610\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_brovo.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_brovo.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy BROVO Spirits)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Over the years, Mhairi Voelsgen, founder and CEO of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/brovospirits.com\/\">BROVO Spirits<\/a> in Woodinville, Washington, has collaborated with bartenders to create alpine spirits that respond to their specific needs. \u201cWe see amaro as an exploration of terroir and palate,\u201d Voelsgen says. \u201cHow does a city drink? What are the flavors in the area?\u201d One of BROVO\u2019s earliest bottlings was the Douglas Fir Liqueur; two of the latest, developed in tandem with Chicago bar pros Micah Melton and Chad Hauge, return to the alpine idiom and the botanical palette of the Cascades. The woodsy Uncharted Rhapsody is a dead ringer for green Chartreuse in ABV, Brix, and acid, and the floral Gen P approximates a European Genepy or yellow Chartreuse, making them easy swaps for mixing\u2014though the different flavors powerfully evoke the place where they\u2019re made.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe harvest spring buds of Douglas fir, usually on Mount Baker, no more than one-third of any one tree,\u201d Voelsgen says. These liqueurs also lean on hops, of which Washington State is the world\u2019s largest producer.<\/p>\n<h3>Talking Cedar<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2744616\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Talking Cedar Amaro\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2744616\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_talking-cedar.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/american-alpine-spirits_talking-cedar.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\">(Photo: Courtesy Talking Cedar)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The newest bottle comes from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.talkingcedar.com\/\">Talking Cedar<\/a> in Rochester, Washington, owned by the Chehalis tribe. Before they could distill the plants that sustained them long before Europeans arrived on this continent, the Chehalis had to fight to overturn a racist law, on the books since the Andrew Jackson administration, that banned the production of liquor on tribal lands. Released this spring, Talking Cedar Amaro is earthy, citrusy, and herbal, with a delightful dry finish. \u201cGarry oak and cedar forest habitats shaped the history and cuisine of the Chehalis people, so to be able to use these ingredients in our Amaro is pretty important for us,\u201d says Matt Hofmann, Talking Cedar\u2019s general manager, well-known to whiskey lovers as the former master distiller of Seattle\u2019s Westland Distillery.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to mixing, Hofmann naturally leans in a whiskey direction, using Talking Cedar Amaro in place of Campari in a Boulevardier. But we love these American alpine spirits best of all in the simplest, most campsite-friendly drinks. All the botanical complexity you could possibly want is right there in the bottles.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>This article is from the Summer 2026 issue of Outside magazine. To receive the print magazine, <i>become an Outside+ member here<\/i><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/food\/drinks\/american-alpine-spirits\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deliciously bitter alpine spirits deliver a bracing taste of the mountains. Now, American distillers are bottling the flavors of their own wild peaks, from the Appalachians to the Cascades. Listen to this articleListen Photo: Jessica Sample\/Gallery Stock (Photo: Drue Wagner) Published July 15, 2026 10:57AM After a day on the trail, cocktail hour could be<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15606,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15605"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15605\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}