Description

Amer Picon is a dark-red bitters liqueur made from neutral alcohol infused with fresh and dried orange peel, cinchona bark (quinine), sugar syrup, dried gentian root, spices, and herbs.

History

Amer Picon was invented by Gaétan Picon in 1809 in Genoa, Italy, which had been annexed to France in 1805. After contracted malaria, Picon tried to recreate a mixture that his grandmother prepared for him when he was sick in his childhood. He made it from alcohol infused with dried orange zest, then distilled, and added gentian root, quinine, sugar syrup and caramel, which he called at first "tisane" meaning "tea" in French. After recovering from the disease, he brewed the mixture again and after it was commercialized and produced in France under the name of Amer Picon. 

Uses

Amer Picon is very popular in Alsace-France. It's meant to be mixed with beer (or drunk with beer as a chaser.) In 1995, it became very popular mixed with dry white wine, this is called "Picon Club".

Amer Picon is also used in mixed drinks, or drunk straight up on ice. It is used to make cocktails such as "Picon Punch" and the "Liberal."