P31 Aperitivo Green is an Italian aperitivo with a striking green colour and a herbal, gently bitter taste, made in Padua and positioned as a modern alternative to Aperol. Its recipe follows the old tradition of blending herbs and natural ingredients into liqueurs, but with a lighter, fresher profile aimed at summer drinking.
The name and the story. The P stands for Pedrocchi, one of the most significant historic cafés in Italy, and a nod to the Venetian merchant Marco Polo. Caffè Pedrocchi in Padua is known for its green room, its green tapestries and its long tradition of a creamy green coffee, and it was in that setting that the idea for P31 was born.
What’s in it. The botanicals include cinnamon, coriander, cloves, chamomile, rhubarb, ginger, marjoram and orange peel. The result is herbal and lightly spiced rather than sweet, with a bitterness that sits well below Campari. Its low alcohol content makes it an easy aperitivo for long afternoons, in the same spirit as the Italian aperitivo cocktails it belongs beside.
How it compares to Aperol. Aperol leads with orange and sugar. P31 leads with herbs and a cleaner, drier finish, so a P31 spritz reads greener and less sweet. If you find Aperol cloying, this is the one to try.
How to drink it. The classic serve is the Green Spritz.
P31 Green Spritz
2 parts P31 Aperitivo Green
3 parts Prosecco
1 part soda or sparkling water
A few drops of lime
Build over ice in a large wine glass, top with soda, add the lime and garnish with a slice of lime or a sprig of mint.
It also works as a simple highball with tonic, or as a substitute for Aperol in any spritz. Look for it on aperitivo lists at the best bars in Milan and across northern Italy, where green spritzes have become a fixture of the summer menu.
