What Is a Fernet Challenge Coin, and How Do Bartenders Get One?
If you’ve ever worked in the bar world or spent time around those who have, you’re familiar with Fernet-Branca. The bitter Italian amaro is a famous bartender’s handshake, meaning ordering a shot of the stuff is a surefire way to let the person on the other side of the bar know that you’re in the industry.
The ritual was popularized in the mid-2000s in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, with those in the trade enjoying a shot of Fernet at the end of a shift or ordering some from fellow bartenders while out. If a visiting bartender was recognized by someone working behind the stick, it was fairly commonplace to send a free shot of it as a tip of the hat. It didn’t take long for the practice to spread from coast to coast — by 2017, the handshake was no longer a trade secret. But there’s one aspect of the tradition that remains industry-only: the Fernet Challenge Coin.
The idea for the challenge coin was first conceptualized by brothers Tore and Bret Kragerud, who developed the idea based on the U.S. military tradition. As the story goes, during World War I, there was a wealthy lieutenant who ordered custom bronze medallions to serve as mementos for each of his squadron members. A few weeks later, his plane was shot down in enemy territory, and though he survived the attack, he had no identification to prove who he was. Luckily, he wore his bronze coin in a pouch around his neck. After evading his enemies, it was allegedly this very coin that convinced the Allied powers to trust his allegiance, thus saving his life.
Once he returned to his unit, it was decided that each member would carry his coin at all times, with no exceptions — not even at the bar. So the squadron came up with a drinking game. While out, if a unit member asked to see someone’s medallion and he didn’t have it on him, the coin-less individual would have to purchase a drink for the challenger. If he showed his coin, the challenger had to purchase his drink.
The tradition has continued for decades in the military, but it wasn’t until 2012 that it leaped into the beverage-alcohol sphere. That year, Bret, who founded and owns the custom coin company US Medallions, and Tore, then a Fernet-Branca sales rep, put their heads together and developed the first beverage industry challenge coin.
That year, the brothers designed a Las Vegas-themed challenge coin to hand out at a mixology event in Sin City. On one side sat the Fernet logo, and on the other the state of Nevada, with the medallion proudly proclaiming “Drinking Capital of the World.” As Tore distributed the coins, he explained the rules of the game to each bartender: If you’re going out drinking, you need to bring your coin. If a guest places their coin down and the bartender doesn’t have theirs to show, they owe the guest a drink. If they put theirs down in return, the guest owes them.
Apparently, the coins were an instant hit, with Bret telling the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation that “everybody was trying to get their own coin.” He explains that within just two weeks they were receiving emails from bartenders inquiring about how to get one for themselves. “Hey, I need a coin,” they wrote to Bret and Tore. “I’m getting challenged, I can’t keep buying all these drinks.”
Recognizing the success of the coins and the subsequent game, Tore ran the idea up the flagpole at Fernet-Branca, and the higher-ups loved it. The very next year, Fernet debuted its own official coins, commissioning each in limited quantities for specific events, industry milestones, and more, with no design ever repeated. But how exactly does one come by a Fernet challenge coin?
As it turns out, the answer is mostly happenstance. They are often handed out at specific events like Tales of the Cocktail, Speed Rack, or Bar Convent, so unless you’re in attendance, you’re unlikely to secure that specific coin. And purchasing a coin is extremely frowned upon in the bartending community. Beyond events, bartenders have a chance to get their own coins from other generous bartenders, by developing a relationship with their Fernet rep, or simply by selling more of the amaro.
In a post on the r/bartenders subreddit, one user revealed that he obtained his challenge coin by practically introducing his region to the bitter beverage. First, he put a Fernet cocktail on the menu. Then, every time a guest offered to purchase him a shot, he poured himself Fernet, which often resulted in the guests ordering some to try for themselves. At the end of the night when he got his free shift shot, he ensured it was the digestif. Once he got his co-workers on board, their bar became the No. 1 in the state of Alabama for Fernet sales.
When this bartender reached out to Fernet, he didn’t just receive a medallion — he was asked to collaborate on the design for the first Alabama state Fernet coin. “My point is, you do something in your area that actually changes the numbers in their little excel spreadsheets,” he remarked in the thread, and “[Fernet] will take notice and listen when you reach out.”
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