Among bartenders and the cocktail-savvy, Fernet Branca is a bitter amaro with a reputation as a welcome shot, referred to affectionately as a “bartender’s handshake.” Fernet Branca didn’t coin that ...

As far as San Francisco rites of passage go, your first shot of Fernet-Branca is the hardest to explain. “Just try it,” someone will inevitably say. And because you’re incredibly susceptible to peer ...