Bavarian Amaro – Bitter Aperitif

Amaro Bavarese by Mondino, a Bavarian bitter aperitif with gentian

Amaro Bavarese by Mondino is an organic Bavarian bitter aperitif produced in the Chiemgau region based on an original Italian recipe. It contains around 25 herbs and fruits, significantly less sugar than its Italian counterparts, and no artificial flavors or colorings.

Amaro Bavarese is the bitter aperitif from Mondino in Traunstein, Chiemgau, and was the first organic amaro produced in Germany. Sicilian bitter orange, local rhubarb, and the tart root of the gentian give it its signature character, rounded off with soft Bavarian spring water. At 18 percent alcohol, it remains light enough for the early evening.

Bitter orange, rhubarb, and a hint of gentian

On the nose, you first notice the citrus fruit, followed by an herbaceous spice reminiscent of alpine meadows after a rainy day.

On the palate, the bitter orange comes through broad and juicy, then the acidity of the rhubarb intervenes and briefly holds the sweetness in check. The gentian lingers on the finish, tart and dry, making this aperitivo exactly what an aperitif should be: an invitation to eat. Fruity, tart, fresh—in that order.

Don't be deceived by the color; while other bitter aperitifs get their red from a dye bottle, Mondino has a muted amber-red hue. This tone comes from the plant extracts themselves and may vary slightly from bottle to bottle.

Neat over ice or as a spritz in a glass

Amaro Bavarese works just as well over ice as it does with tonic, and in a spritz with prosecco and a splash of soda, it lets its citrus side shine.

Add a slice of orange, and that's all you need. Serve with small salty snacks to balance the bitterness, such as Crêpes Apéritives with cheddar or spelt breadsticks with sesame. For those who prefer to round off the evening, you will find stronger relatives under herbal and bitter liqueurs.

In Italy, an "aperitivo" is less a drink and more of a time of day. The hour between finishing work and dinner is when something bitter in the glass awakens the appetite and gets the conversation flowing. Amaro Bavarese brings that hour to the Bavarian garden table, and it does so with a tartness that you only truly understand upon the second sip.

Two years of refining the recipe

It took two years before the first Mondino was bottled, during which Maximilian and his three partners refined the proportions of the individual herbs.

The tart note comes from the gentian root, which only develops its bitterness after years in the ground. The fruit comes from bitter oranges in the south, the acidity from rhubarb in local garden beds, and the whole thing is held together by spring water from the mountains on the doorstep. Every single one of these ingredients bears the organic seal.

It is sweetened sparingly—significantly more so than its Italian counterparts—and contains no artificial flavors or dyes. This results in an organic aperitivo that tastes of herbs instead of sugar syrup, opening the evening without weighing it down.

The 700 ml bottle of Amaro Bavarese is enough for many long evenings, and if you would like to continue tasting the range, the other aperitifs from Mondino are waiting for you, featuring barrel-aged, espresso, and non-alcoholic varieties.

Organic inspection body – DE-ÖKO-007 EU/non-EU agriculture