An Ideal Negroni

[Jamie B]

not "supposedly cause flames"...definitely cause flames. It's a great show, and imparts a fresh burnt orange flavor to the drink. Rub the burnt orange around the rim before tossing it in the drink.

[Kim D]

Years ago, a friend gave us a "gift" of Campari with a recipe attached for a Negroni.

I call it a "gift" because it ended up costing us over $200 . At the time, we drank beer and wine and that was that. We had to go out and buy a shaker, martini glasses, a jigger, gin and vermouth. I had my doubts that a Negroni would ever justify that kind of outlay of cash.

But, I loved the pageantry of making the drink. It made me feel so grown-up in a way that beer never would. (I'm in my 40's, so theoretically I've been grown-up for years .)

We sat on our deck. Made a toast to our absent friend. And took a sip.

Bleh. I hated it . $200 wasted.

Then I took another sip. And loved it. And I've loved every sip since then. That is, when my husband makes them. Because he uses Hendrick's gin . I only like other people's Negronis. Because they use something else .

- kim

[Alchemist]

not "supposedly cause flames"...definitely cause flames. It's a great show, and imparts a fresh burnt orange flavor to the drink. Rub the burnt orange around the rim before tossing it in the drink.

←

I have found that is you hold a Quarter size twist of orange about two inches above your flame source for about 3 seconds, before releasing the essential oils across the cocktail, you get better flame. I'm not sure if this is due to warming the oil, or getting rid of any excess moisture, but it helps.

[slkinsey]

Another thing I learned from observing bartenders like Alchemist flaming twists is that it works best if you use a "disk type" twist rather than a "strip type" twist. A strip is harder to flex sufficiently to get that big spray of oil into the flame (especially without breaking it in half).

[Alchemist]

I know that it's not classic but my Negroni has half the amount of campari as sweet vermouth.  It makes for a smoother, less biting cocktail.  it's also better for the people who don't know they like gin yet.

2 oz. Plymouth

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

1/2 oz Campari

This is very good (I was inspired to make one with Tanqueray, Vya and Campari) but are you sure we can still call it a Negroni? Once we start going 4:2:1, it seems like we're getting very far away from the 1:1:1 original -- perhaps to the extent that it's a different cocktail altogether, despite being made with the same ingredients. Gary Regan apparently came to that conclusion with his 4:1:1 Negroni variant, which he calls a Valentino in his Joy of Mixology book. Your formula strikes me as closer to a tweaked Valentino than a tweaked Negroni.

←

Philip Ward (of Flatiron, and Pegu) Just made me a Valintino but with Punt e Mes in lieu of sweet Vermouth. YUM, earthier, mo' bitter, but delictiably complex.

[ned]

I'm really loving the versatility of the negroni. Unlike most other drinks where proportion can make or break a drink, with the Negroni, you can alter the proportions to suit mood, palate or desired alchohol intake. A week ago I was in the mood for a ginny drink and went with the classic version of one to one to one proportions. Last night I made something more along the lines of an Americano garnished or with a splash of gin. Then a friend showed up, thirsty and we were plumb out of his favorite drink--Red Stripe--so I made equal parts Campari and vermouth, a slightly more generous splash of gin, a squeeze of lemon and then a healthy pour of perrier, rocks.

In my travels, increasingly I find that you can't miss with a Negroni, dial it up, dial it down, it's always great.

[marty mccabe]

I've just made my first one in a long while, after reading this thread.

1.5oz Plymouth

1oz Campari

1oz Carpano Antica

I really think that the Carpano Antica (the original formula, which is slightly stronger and a bit more expensive than the Punt e Mes) absolutely makes the drink. Excellent balance...

[Sneakeater]

This is of more interest to me than to any of you, but having obtained a cocktail shaker (and an ice crusher), I just made my first shaken cocktail: a Negroni.

1.5 oz. Junipero (cuz that's what I have)

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. Carpano Antica

orange slice (next time I'll burn a twist)

All I can say is, I am fucking great.

(OTOH, I'm not planning on stopping hanging out at the Pegu Club.)

[Sneakeater]

I am looking forward to trying this with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. (I.e., Carpano Antica and Vya Dry) (cuz that's what I have around).

Edited May 24, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[hathor]

What is junipero?

[donbert]

What is junipero?

←

A Gin made by Anchor Steam, also the makers of Old Potrero (rye whiskey).

[Sneakeater]

1 oz. Junipero gin

1 oz. Campari

.5 oz. Carpano Antiquo Formula

.5 oz. Vya Dry Vermouth

Orange slice

Delicious. Slightly better -- I dunno, lighter but more complex -- than with all Carpano Antiqua Formula for the "vermouth" part.

Edited June 26, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

(I'm sorry for that rather banal post. I'm just so excited, now that I have the means to make cocktails at home, that I can't contain myself.)

[Brigit Binns]

Legend says that the Negroni is the cocktail that "ruined a generation" of post-war youth in Europe.

I just can't remember which war they were referring to. Probably, Hemingway had something to do with it. He's usually guilty when it comes to anything involving cocktails...

We've been drinking them for years. Glad they've caught on...

Am now i.s.o. Punt e Mes and/or the Carpano.

[Nathan]

I prefer Carpano Antica for my Negroni (made by the same company as Punt es Mes -- which is actually their "cheap" vermouth)...much more nuanced and herbal than other vermouths and robust enough to work in the traditional 1:1:1 form.

However, it is so robust that I heartily recommend serving it on the rocks.

[Martin Doudoroff]

The nice thing about drinks such as the Negroni (or the Manhattan or the Martini or the Daiquiri) is that they are combinations of ingredients that have a natural affinity for each other. (Contrasting examples would be the 20th Century Cocktail, the Blood and Sand, the Jupiter, where balance is precarious and perfection is the only degree between sublimity and abject failure.) Unless you subvert yourself with downright lousy ingredients, it's pretty darn hard to go wrong! You can go to great lengths to convince yourself that one particular formulation is the zenith of Negroni-ism, only to be later shocked, SHOCKED, by the winsome characteristics of another. To paraphrase another, the ideal Negroni is the one in my glass at the moment!

[ned]

I made a negroni tonight

1 part Plymouth gin

1 part Campari

1 part Noilly Pratt vermouth

. . . but the vermouth had been in the fridge for a tad too long. On another day I might foraged forth except that, well it's a longer story.

I was recently diagnosed with a form of arthritis called Anyklosing Spondylitis. Not such a big deal. There are some good medicines that can be taken for it. The one I'll be taking is called Enbrel. What does any of this have to do with the humble negroni? Before taking Enbril I must be clear of tuberculosis which I unfortunately have been exposed to. The downside of lots of 3rd world travel. Or taking the subway. In either case, to get rid of the dormant TB I must take a drug that requires going on the wagon for NINE MONTHS!

Each of these last precious cocktails have to be on. No stale vermouth for me tonight. I looked around the kitchen for a solution. . . there was an open bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne from last night. I tasted, maybe yes. . .

1 Plymouth gin

1 Campari

1 day old Nicolas Feuillatte champagne

I thought it might need a couple of drops of lemon or lime but tonight anyway that wasn't necessary.

I hop on the wagon tomorrow. Ok the day after tomorrow.

[slkinsey]

. . . to get rid of the dormant TB I must take a drug that requires going on the wagon for NINE MONTHS!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH! AAUGH! AAUGH! AAUGH!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!

You poor, poor man!

[ned]

Yeah that pretty accurately represents the way I feel about it.

[J_Ozzy]

ned,

Know that you're not alone in your Enbrel-related journey.

Both my father and one our close family friends are both alcohol-free for three quarters of a year.

When using Plymouth (which I adore), I like to push the Gin/Campari/Vermouth ratio to 3/2/2, since I became initially aquainted with Negroni made with more assertive gin.

Edit: spelling

Edited August 10, 2006 by J_Ozzy (log)

[johnder]

  In either case, to get rid of the dormant TB I must take a drug that requires going on the wagon for NINE MONTHS! 

Dude -- if you are pregnant you can just tell us. We are all friends here.

Nine months. Holy crap.

Sorry to hear the news.

John

[ned]

Dude --  if you are pregnant you can just tell us.   We are all friends here.

Nine months.   Holy crap.

Sorry to hear the news.

John

←

As a matter of fact I am pregnant, well, my wife is anyway. Misery loves company. Misery and elation that is.

ned,

Know that you're not alone in your Enbrel-related journey.

Both my father and one our close family friends are both alcohol-free for three quarters of a year.

When using Plymouth (which I adore), I like to push the Gin/Campari/Vermouth ratio to 3/2/2, since I became initially aquainted with Negroni made with more assertive gin.

Edit: spelling

←

Thanks for the sentiment.

I'm officially a dry county as of yesterday.

Back to the original programming.

Edited August 11, 2006 by ned (log)

[jsmeeker]

so, what is the scoop on how this drink should be served? It seems the Campari website shows it on the rocks. The Wikipedia entry (citing the IBA, if that means anything) also says on the rocks. But many here are serve it up.

So, rocks, up? What's the deal? This sounds like a good drink. When I get back home for more than a day, I think I'll by a bottle of Campari and play around with it. In the mean time, if I order one when I am in Las Vegas next week (say, at Bouchon), what do you think I will get? Up? rocks? Some interesting combination of ingredients?

[Nathan]

In Italy you'll find it both up and on the rocks. I've had it both ways from credible bartenders in the U.S. as well.

personally, I think Campari drinks beg for the rocks.

[eje]

It is a very good drink! One of my favorites!

Though, honestly, I never quite know what I'm going to get when I order it.

I've gotten all sorts of things, from bartenders who make it with only a splash of Campari and Vermouth to others who include soda and/or orange juice.

My preference is for equal portions of Plymouth Gin, Cinzano Italian Vermouth, and Campari, stirred and served up. Though, sometimes rocks are nice too, as the up version can be a bit rich. Ideally the bartender or server would ask you when you order.

Edited June 25, 2007 by eje (log)