What is vermut exactly, you might be wondering. You probably have seen bottles of vermut in some supermarkets, at some bars or even pictured on some iconic images. However at the same time, you might have heard someone referring to it as a social activity consisting of a quick meal preceding the lunch. But sometimes there is not even a bottle of vermut on the table, just beer or wine…
So, what does this word refer to exactly? Let’s solve the mystery…
Let’s start from the beginning: it is a beverage
It is a liqueur flavored with herbs, made from white wine of good quality, a touch of absinthe or maiden, and some bitter and tonic species. You can order it “red” or “white”, and it can taste from the sweetest to the most dry and spicy. And this just answered the question we made in the beginning of this paragraph: indeed, vermut is a beverage. So, let’s move on from here…
Who created the vermut?
The creator of vermut: Hippocrates, the father of medicine
So now that we know that it is actually a beverage, let’s see where it comes from. We have to travel back to Ancient Greece to find the origins of vermut: it was actually invented by Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician known as “the father of medicine”. He macerated wine with wormwood and dictamnus and obtained the wine that in the Middle Ages was called “hippocratic”. And this is where we find the origins of vermut.
The modern creators: Italians Beneditto and Antonio Carpano
This beverage managed to survive throughout the years thanks to monks, doctors and alchemists. And later on in 1789, it was Beneditto and Antonio Carpano who invented the modern concept of vermut in Milán, as we know it today. It was made with muscatel wine, sugar, alcohol, caramel and various aromatic substances, herbs, leaves and spices. And that is basically the base from which the vermut that we drink nowadays is made of.
But here comes the confusion: it has 2 meanings
So now that we have all the information regarding the “vermut” beverage, let’s focus on the second meaning that was developed later…
1. “Drink” a vermut
This is what we have seen so far: it is a beverage which is made with specific ingredients and following a defined procedure. So no doubts regarding this first meaning. But actually this meaning has led to another one…
2. “Make” a vermut
Why do some people refer to vermut as “drinks and food”? The truth is that there is a second meaning of the word to designate a social activity: Fer el vermut is mainly gathering with family or friends and having this kind of appetizer which precedes the main meal. It consists of olives, crisps, cockles…. and drinks. And here comes the curiosity: this ”vermut” tiny meal might include the beverage “vermut”, but it might not.
So what started as a beverage evolved to a social activity related to the beverage but adding some food (olives, crisps…). And in this evolution, the drink “vermut” can be replaced nowadays by beer, wine, juice…. and it still we will be calling this social activity “Fer el vermut”. Even though there isn’t a bottle or a glass of vermut on the table.
We hope that by now we have helped you to find the answer to the question What is vermut? and solved the mystery.
Vermut in Barcelona: some of the best bars
“Fer el vermut” is one of the things that locals do in Barcelona and something that we really enjoy. And to experience this social activity in the most genuine way, we have selected what we think are the best bars to discover firsthand a tradition that is part of the identity of our culture. Specially on Sundays!
- Bar Calders (Sant Antoni neighborhood).
- Lo Pinyol (Gràcia neighborhood).
- La Vermuteria del Tano (Gràcia neighborhood).
- Bodega Quimet (also in the Gràcia neighborhood).
- El Xampanyet (Born neighborhood).
- Bodegueta de Cal Pep (Sants neighborhood).
- Celler Miquel (Eixample neighborhood).
- Quimet i Quimet (Poblesec neighborhood).
Have you been to any of them? Needless to say, if you know a great place to fer el vermut that we should include on the list, let us know.
And remember, beyond a beverage or an appetizer, vermut is one of the best things you can do to enjoy a Sunday in the city. Bon profit!