Aperol

[campus five]

reviving this thread, because I just had two great cocktails with aperol, and now I've got a bottle of the stuff.

as soon as I have clearance to share them, I'll put them up, but I want to check with their sources before I do.

any new favorites?

Edited April 25, 2008 by campus five (log)

[Tiare]

reviving this thread, because I just had two great cocktails with aperol, and now I've got a bottle of the stuff.

as soon as I have clearance to share them, I'll put them up, but I want to check with their sources before I do.

any new favorites?

←

I just got a bottle myself, so i look forward to your recipes..

Usually i drink this (and Campari) with soda, orange/lemon or lime and ice and sometimes JW&N overproof rum.

[Chris Amirault]

This AAA Cocktail (a loser in the Averna competition):

1/2 oz Averna

1/2 oz Aperol

1/2 oz Marie Brizard Apry

1 1/2 oz Plymouth gin

orange twist

[Chris Amirault]

2 oz. Aperol

1 oz. Beefeater Gin

3/4 oz. Lemon Juice

Dash of Angostura Bitters

  - dictated by the bartender at Pegu Club[.]

←

I just made this in those proportions with Tanqueray for the gin and Fernet Branca for the bitters, which turns this summery citrus drink into something more herbacious, springlike.

[MikeInSacto]

2 oz. Aperol

1 oz. Beefeater Gin

3/4 oz. Lemon Juice

Dash of Angostura Bitters

  - dictated by the bartender at Pegu Club[.]

←

I just made this in those proportions with Tanqueray for the gin and Fernet Branca for the bitters, which turns this summery citrus drink into something more herbacious, springlike.

←

Just made one with Plymouth gin and Angostura bitters. A touch sweet (even without the syrup mentioned in another post) but very tasty for a hot summer day.

[JAZ]

I bought a bottle of Aperol after tasting a couple of similar Aperol variations on the Negroni (one at Bourbon & Branch in SF; one at Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta). My version:

1 oz. gin (I'm using Beefeater)

1 oz. Aperol

1 oz. Lillet (blond)

Bourbon & Branch called theirs a "Summer Negroni" and I think that's a good name for it -- much as I like Negronis, this is lighter and more refreshing.

[maf]

The Dewey D at PDT includes Aperol. While a nice drink, it didn't change my general thought that Aperol is pretty close to Campari + water.

[KD1191]

While mixing up a gimlet from a recipe lifted from L2O that includes the addition of some Aperol, I noticed that it's only 11% alcohol. I found that pretty surprising. Has anyone had problems with the shelf-life of the product?

[KatieLoeb]

I made a New-groni at work the other day:

1.25 oz. Aperol

1.25 oz. Plymouth gin

1.25 oz. Carpano Antica

Fat orange twist on top.

Very tasty and a tad less bitter than its cousin, the standard issue Negroni. Good for a hot summer night...

[shantytownbrown]

I made a New-groni at work the other day:

1.25 oz. Aperol

1.25 oz. Plymouth gin

1.25 oz. Carpano Antica

Fat orange twist on top.

Very tasty and a tad less bitter than its cousin, the standard issue Negroni.  Good for a hot summer night...

←

I've done similar to this and the "Summer negroni" above but using M and R Bianco Vermouth...quite nice, summer afternoons or evenings...did one once subbing tequilla for Gin (dont remember which tho...would love to hear others opinons on this combo)

(and did the same with Campari...i love playing around with the negroni...one of my top three favorite cocktails, tho after stumbling across this thread, i am going to have to try the "intro" so i will reserve final judgement until then)

shanty

[shantytownbrown]

1. tried the "intro to aperol" when i got home tonite...wife likes it! I enjoyed this on such a nice hot day, but would have to say does not displace any of my top three cocktails..sorry..but it was very good.

2. in looking at the bottle i noted oranges and RHUBARB? that made me wonder how this would play with something strawberry; maybe a muddle of fresh? or maybe, some of your homemade Tequila Por Mi Amante? I havent ventured to make any as yet, and not sure i will get around to it this season...but wondered what you all thought, since strawberries and rhubarb otherwise play so well together...?

shanty

[brinza]

While mixing up a gimlet from a recipe lifted from L2O that includes the addition of some Aperol, I noticed that it's only 11% alcohol.

←

I've wondered about that myself. Is Aperol a liqueur or an aromatic wine?

[slkinsey]

I've wondered about that myself.  Is Aperol a liqueur or an aromatic wine?

You might ask the same question about Campari. My own answer would be the same for both: no, it isn't an aromatic wine for the simple reason that there is no wine in it. It's a low-proof, relatively low intensity amaro (aka aperitif bitters).

[KD1191]

I've wondered about that myself.  Is Aperol a liqueur or an aromatic wine?

You might ask the same question about Campari. My own answer would be the same for both: no, it isn't an aromatic wine for the simple reason that there is no wine in it. It's a low-proof, relatively low intensity amaro (aka aperitif bitters).

←

Thanks, any info on my more pragmatic question? At 11%, do we have to worry about Aperol going bad sitting on the shelf?

[slkinsey]

Not in my experience. And I've had half-ful bottles I've forgotten about for as long as 6 months.

[Troy Sidle]

It's been a year since this thread has been revived. Since then, I've noted the label has changed on the bottle.

As I remember, it used to say something about Orange, Rhubarb, and China.

Now, I don't think there's anything on the label indicating its flavor profile.

Change in marketing? Change in formula?

[Kohai]

I think most packaging just changes over time. I could be wrong in Aperol's case, but I noticed that Dewar's, for example, just changed its packaging. Stoli recently did the same, as did Beefeater (who also changed to a terrible plastic neck and threads, the edge of which slit my thumb open the other day).

Of course, Aperol's formula MAY have changed. But bottle redesigns seem pretty scheduled, to me. There must be some market research showing that customers' eyes tend to slide over well-familiar bottles; minor changes in design/packaging give "stickiness" as it is something the eye hasn't seen before, and cause the gaze to linger slightly longer, increasing the chances of a purchase just that tiny bit more.

[Chris Amirault]

The snow is finally melting around here and I started thinking again about Aperol as a result. Also spied the St. Germain, and.... well, it isn't the most complex thing ever but it's very tasty. It also seems like something that someone should have already invented, but I can't find this recipe anywhere. It's sort of a version of Paul Harrington's Jasmine cocktail. Needs a name:

1 1/2 oz gin (Citadelle)

1/2 oz Aperol

1/2 oz St. Germain

1/2 oz lemon juice

dash grapefruit bitters

Shake; strain; lemon twist.

[Tri2Cook]

Sounds tasty Chris. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my hands on a bottle of the St. Germains. The LCBO brought in 300 cases and it was all gone in just over 2 months, none of it made it to stores anywhere remotely close or even not-so-remotely close to where I live and I waited a little too long to try to get them to order it. Hopefully the success will prompt them to bring in more, they haven't removed it from the website or listed it as discontinued.

[thirtyoneknots]

The snow is finally melting around here and I started thinking again about Aperol as a result. Also spied the St. Germain, and.... well, it isn't the most complex thing ever but it's very tasty. It also seems like something that someone should have already invented, but I can't find this recipe anywhere. It's sort of a version of Paul Harrington's Jasmine cocktail. Needs a name:

1 1/2 oz gin (Citadelle)

1/2 oz Aperol

1/2 oz St. Germain

1/2 oz lemon juice

dash grapefruit bitters

Shake; strain; lemon twist.

That may or may not be the original "Bitter Elder" that seems to be more commonly made with Campari now. I can't actually remember anymore

Made them something like this at the last gig:

1.5 oz Beefeaters

.75 oz St Germain

.5 oz Campari

.5 oz lemon

Up, no garnish.

Sold like it had the cure inside.

[thirtyoneknots]

The snow is finally melting around here and I started thinking again about Aperol as a result. Also spied the St. Germain, and.... well, it isn't the most complex thing ever but it's very tasty. It also seems like something that someone should have already invented, but I can't find this recipe anywhere. It's sort of a version of Paul Harrington's Jasmine cocktail. Needs a name:

1 1/2 oz gin (Citadelle)

1/2 oz Aperol

1/2 oz St. Germain

1/2 oz lemon juice

dash grapefruit bitters

Shake; strain; lemon twist.

That may or may not be the original "Bitter Elder" that seems to be more commonly made with Campari now. I can't actually remember anymore

Made them something like this at the last gig:

1.5 oz Beefeaters

.75 oz St Germain

.5 oz Campari

.5 oz lemon

Up, no garnish.

Sold like it had the cure inside.

Ok just to clear this up a little, this post from the Cocktail Chronicles has a nearly identical recipe to what Chris has posted above, though with a different brand of gin and sans grapefruit bitters. My earlier confusion, I believe, stems from the earliest source for the Bitter Elder (as made above) comes from the comments section of the same post, where some unnamed genius tweaked a very good recipe into a great one.

[EvergreenDan]

Interesting, Andy. That comment predates by about a month the same person's anonymous comment on ohgo.sh where the recipe is confirmed (spelled out).

I would love to know who amateurhour is so that proper credit can be given on Kindred Cocktails's Bitter Elder recipe page.

While playing with St Germain may not be as thrilling as it was in 2008, this drink is still novel and delicious to someone new to St Germain.

Edited February 21, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Yeah I'd love to know too, both to credit the guy (or gal), and to congratulate them. It's a great drink, a fantastic introduction to gin and campari for the uninitiated, and a model for elegant and friendly drinks with interesting flavors.

This is all reminding me I haven't made anybody one in months, I ought to be doing that.

[haresfur]

Thought I'd take one for the team and try the New Esquire Cocktail which supposedly can be made with 1.5 of any spirit, 0.5 Aperol, 0.5 any liqueur, and 0.5 of any citrus. I used Inner Circle Red rum, Benedictine, and lemon. Hmmm, not one I'm going to make again, but I will finish it. I think gin, Cointreau, and lemon might be a better bet.

[jsmeeker]

Out drinking last night and had an "Intro to Aperol". I had never had Aperol before, but had seen reference to it here in the forums and I am pretty sure I have spied in in local liquor stores. Here is the description from the menu "Aperol, Dry Gin, Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice, House Made Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters"

I found it to be a little sweet. But maybe that was just due to the ratio used by the bartender. Still, I like the general flavor profile. Tweaking it should be pretty easy (back off on the simple). Also, I am liking the sounds of the other drinks suggested in this topic. I need to get some.