Aperitifs & Digestifs
Travel around the world enough (or dine in enough global food restaurants), and you’ll notice that most countries have their own little drinks, served before and after a meal. The Greeks have their ouzo (aniseed liqueur), the Scandinavians have various herbal aquavits (based on caraway seed) and the Italians have a staggering array of brightly coloured, strongly flavoured drinks, each suited to a different region and different food.
What are they, and what do they do?
The difference between aperitifs and digestifs isn’t a difficult one to understand - the clue is in the name!
Aperitifs are served prior to eating and are believed to get your stomach going and to help you build up a healthy appetite for the coming mountains of food.
Digestifs, on the other hand, are usually a small shot of strongly alcoholic spirits, designed to get those digestive juices flowing, and settle your stomach from the overindulgence it has just been put through.
It sounds simple enough, but outside your favourite restaurant, knowing which drink can operate as an aperitif and which ones can aid the digestion, can be a little tricky.
There is actually an astounding, ongoing debate over which drinks count as which, but as with many arguments in the world of wine and spirits, this debate descended into farce some time ago and consists mainly of pseudo-science and regional pride!
The concept behind aperitifs and digestifs, once understood, is actually fairly straightforward, and you can use these basic pointers to help you choose an appropriate pair for your next dinner party or big meal. It all comes down to sugar and alcohol content. An aperitif needs to stimulate the appetite and make your tummy rumble for the food being served. As such, it should really be something very dry - that is, very low in sugar.
Sweet drinks will inhibit the appetite and put you off savoury dishes, so anything sticky or sickly is a real ‘no’ in this respect. On top of this, aperitifs should be low in alcohol content, too.
The reason being is partly due to the fact that nobody should get too tipsy before dinner - falling off your chair is never a good way to start a dinner party - and also to do with that fact that again, alcohol can flatten the appetite.
Furthermore, strong alcohols will dull your taste buds and burn your tongue and the roof of your mouth. What’s the point in starting a meal when you aren’t in complete control of your sense of taste?
Keeping all this in mind, perfect aperitifs would be any sort of dry sparkling wine - a classic Brut Champagne or Cava for example. Vermouth also works very well, as does gin. If you’re going for a cocktail, why not bring these together in a dry martini? Aperol and Campari are another pair of classics, their bitterness being a great way to get the stomach rumbling, and there are literally hundreds of other, regionally produced aperitifs that do exactly what they say on the tin.
Digestifs, on the other hand, are often a little sweet, partly because they are usually served after a dessert. They can be herbal, spicy tonics (common across central and eastern Europe), and they can be tried and tested classics, such as the fortified wines of Spain and Portugal. The alcohol content is usually a little higher - or, in some cases, very much higher - as this stimulates the production of the pepsin enzyme in the stomach, and aids general digestion and metabolism.
Despite popular belief, whisky and brandy have been proven to have an adverse effect on digestion - although I don’t think this will stop the Scots, Irish and French (or me) in their habits.
The most ‘effective’ digestifs are generally considered to be those containing medicinal herbs such as fennel, anise and caraway - think something along the lines of Jagermeister - which have been used to settle stomachs for thousands of years.
So, there you have it! Seek out something dry, bitter and exciting for your aperitifs, and something sweet, sticky and herbaceous for after dinner, and you’re guests will leave feeling settled, well fed… and perhaps a little wobbly on their feet.
FAQ
What is an aperitif and when is it served?
An aperitif is a drink that is served before a meal, in order to stimulate the appetite. It is often slightly bitter or sour, in order to help you salivate and want more!
Do digestifs really work?
In terms of actually aiding your digestion by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes....no. Unfortunately alcohol is an inhibitor in this case. BUT, the alcohol, a touch of sugar and any herbal infusions may help to settle your stomach, and make you feel temporarily better.
How do you drink aperitifs?
Aperitifs should be low in alcohol and served chilled, to stimulate the appetite.
How do you drink digestifs?
Digestifs should be served at room temperature, to aid in settling the stomach.
Is wine a digestif?
Not really, but some people would disagree! There's no rules on what you can and can't drink after dinner, just tradition.
About the Author
Banjo Harris Plane is the three-time winner Sommelier of the Year Australia and a certified advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He first cut his teeth in the wine industry working as a sommelier in Australia's best restaurants, before starting multiple businesses in the space of a few years... these included two restaurants, a wine import business and co-founding Good Pair Days!