Black Rock Chiller
Fernet, Averna and cola — the bartender's shift drink that got a name.
The Method
How to make it
- 01
Fill a Collins glass to the top with fresh ice.
- 02
Pour in the Fernet-Branca and Averna.
- 03
Top with cola and stir once, gently, to combine without killing the fizz.
- 04
Squeeze the lemon wedge over the drink and drop it in.
Bartender's Tip
Cane-sugar cola matters more than the ice. High-fructose cola turns syrupy against the menthol; cane sugar keeps the finish dry and bitter.
A Little History
Damon Boelte built the Black Rock Chiller at Brooklyn's Prime Meats, formalizing what bartenders had been drinking off the clock for years: fernet and cola, made civilized by a second, sweeter amaro. It is the drink most often used to convert a fernet skeptic.
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One short Friday dispatch: a bottle worth buying, a cocktail worth mixing, and a little Italian history.
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