Aperol or Campari in a Negroni

[RonanK]

Hey guys,

 

Was looking into Negronis, being one of my favourite cocktails, and I was wondering if a Negroni can still be called a Negroni when Aperol is used instead of Campari?

I've seen some places who say that both ingredients are fairly interchangeable (whilst obviously producing differently tasting drinks), where as others say that a Negroni is only a Negroni when Campari is used.

 

Any insights would be appreciate

 

Cheers 

[weinoo]

Campari.

[KD1191]

You're welcome to call a hamster a hand grenade if it suits you, but it'll only complicate matters when you try to communicate with others on the subject.

Aperol & Campari are quite similar in the grand scheme of things, and could be used as substitutes in more than a few cases, but they are still quite different.

[ChrisTaylor]

Campari. And I don't think they are interchangeable at all. Totally different flavour profiles. Campari is more bitter. Aperol tastes like off-brand soft drink.

[lesliec]

No argument with my learned friends above - without Campari, it's not a Negroni.

 

However ...

 

There are many drinks which follow (more or less) the Negroni 1:1:1 formula (the White Negroni and Boulevardier immediately come to mind).  I risk dissent if I claim they're all great, but for some reason most, if not all, of the ones I've tried have been well worth a try.

[ChrisTaylor]

No argument with my learned friends above - without Campari, it's not a Negroni.

 

However ...

 

There are many drinks which follow (more or less) the Negroni 1:1:1 formula (the White Negroni and Boulevardier immediately come to mind).  I risk dissent if I claim they're all great, but for some reason most, if not all, of the ones I've tried have been well worth a try.

 

I argue it's a lot easier to sub the spirit than it is the bittering agent. But, yeah, White Negroni/Suze. It works. And I don't have a bottle, but I've seen people use Gran Classico.

[boudin noir]

Campari.

I  also believe a martini is only made with gin and dry vermouth.

[Shalmanese]

Campari:Gin:Vermouth = Negroni

Aperol:Gin:Vermouth = Aperol Negroni

Simple.

[weinoo]

By definition, a Negroni already has Campari in it.

[EvergreenDan]

Personally I would allow like-for-like substitutions without a name change, so long as I knew what was in it.

So I'd allow Luxardo Bitter, but not Aperol or Gran Classico. I would allow Punt e Mes but not Bonal. I would allow Ransom Old Tom and maybe Genever, but not cachaca.

[brinza]

By definition, a Negroni already has Campari in it.

True, because before the Negroni, there was the Americano and the Milano-Torino.  Swapping gin for the soda in the Americano, or adding gin to the Milano-Torino makes it a Negroni.

 

I sometimes drink gin, Aperol, and Punt e Mes, but I don't call it a Negroni.

 

By the same token, I would petition that the White Negroni be given a different name.

[Adam George]

Campari vote, here.

[lesliec]

 

By the same token, I would petition that the White Negroni be given a different name.

 

Likewise the Cornwall Negroni and Black Negroni, in a perfect world.  Although in such a world, one could do worse than to drink Black Negronis (Averna subbed for Campari).

[weinoo]

The Cornwall Negroni is pretty damn close, as the Punt e Mes is still a sweet vermouth. Both the black and white negronis take the drink to a whole different ballpark, in my opinion.

[ChrisTaylor]

Sure, but the 'White'/'Black'/'Kingston' modifiers make clear that you're not getting the classic. I can understand the bother if you order something labeled on the menu as a Negroni, plain and simple, and get something else--I know I get shitty when I order a Daiquiri, even plainly stating I mean a classic Daiquiri, and get something with crushed ice and creme de fucking banana in it--but I can't see how you'd expect the classic when ordering something billed as a White Negroni.

[boudin noir]

Sure, but the 'White'/'Black'/'Kingston' modifiers make clear that you're not getting the classic. I can understand the bother if you order something labeled on the menu as a Negroni, plain and simple, and get something else--I know I get shitty when I order a Daiquiri, even plainly stating I mean a classic Daiquiri, and get something with crushed ice and creme de fucking banana in it--but I can't see how you'd expect the classic when ordering something billed as a White Negroni.

 

Ditto,

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Speaking as someone who has never experienced a negroni, what is the disqualification of Gran Classico?

[ChrisTaylor]

Gran Classico's disqualification is that it is not Campari. 

 

EDIT

 

Off topic, Jo, you do need to try a Negroni. A grand drink. And, too, there are so many variations that sub one or two ingredients for something else. They're not Negronis--although the versions that play with the ratios arguably still are--but most are very good. It's an almost inherently pleasing format.

[EvergreenDan]

When I admitted Luxardo Bitter, but turned away Gran Classico is was on the basis of its floral aspect. I think it is just (barely) too far form Campari to be substituted for it freely. Or I could be convinced to the contrary. The lack of red dye also renders the drink a different color too.

 

I'm not a big fan of calling every drink with tweaked ingredients by a new name. I'd rather see a variant-style name of some sort.