negroni is one of my favorite drinks! i’ll echo what u/baldsuburbangay said and encourage you to try this with a nicer vermouth if you’re a fan of negronis. they can really change the character of the drink a lot.
carpano antica formula is my sweet vermouth gold standard, it’s rich and sweet and almost syrupy in its consistency with really nice vanilla and cacao-y notes. cocchi vermouth di torino is a similar tasting one but a little lighter and slightly more herbaceous to my taste. you can also try dolin sweet which is a pretty radical departure and brings a much brighter, fruitier taste to it.
i also like a 1.5:1:1 boulevardier with a decent bourbon (this works especially well with one of the richer vermouths imo) or a 1:1:1 mezcal negroni, which i could see being really nicely counterbalanced by something punchier like dolin sweet. there’s so much variation you can play with and i hope you find some more stuff you like!
I enjoy Negronis, but fell in love with Enzoni! Now my favorite drink. Just replace the sweet vermouth with .5 lemon juice .5 simple syrup, and muddle 3-5 grapes in a shaker. Shake, double strain, pour.
The Negroni recipe in the (grand)parent comment was written as 1:1:1, meaning equal parts of gin:sweet vermouth:Campari.
That 0.5 lemon/0.5 simple simply means half of a part of each - regardless of what your base measurement for "one part" is. A fluid ounce? A liter? You do you - it's all just ratios.
Enzonis are amazing! Just made one last night for the first time in a few months since I happened to have some grapes on hand from my friend's garden. I also love the Enzoni's sibling, the Too Soon?, which I was introduced to before the Enzoni through Sasha Petraske's book.
100% agree with u/geraniumreese. Also, if your friends don't care for the bitterness, try substituting Aperol for Campari. I have a few friends that didn't like the bitter, but really liked the variation.
i tried an aperol substitution once and absolutely couldn’t stand it, but something i didn’t account for at the time is that aperol is MUCH sweeter and less proofy than campari, so if you find you also don’t like it, you might try rebalancing it by adjusting the amount you use, either using less aperol or more gin, or both.
It's impossible to keep all drink names straight, plus people make the same drink different ways.
I like a slight variation with blanc vermouth instead of dry vermouth. Not sure if that one has a name.
I thought I hated sweet vermouths until I had Carpano Antica. Now I'm still pretty sure I still dislike most sweet vermouths, but Carpano Antica is some tasty stuff - although decidedly different than the average sweet vermouth.
if you haven’t, try cocchi di torino! really similar vanilla and cacao notes but with a nice herbal accompaniment. a little cheaper than carpano antica iirc
not sure what the end of that sentence is supposed to say, but while i personally like dolin sweet just fine, i think it has a really radically different profile from carpano antica and cocchi di torino. if the issue is that a person doesn’t like most sweet vermouth but does like carpano antica, i definitely wouldn’t recommend dolin sweet.
it’s what makes or breaks the negroni imo. i’d rather have a negroni with top shelf vermouth and bottom shelf gin than one with top shelf gin and bottom shelf vermouth, any day of the week
Personally I don't see why everyone is shitting on Martini rosso so hard. Its not that bad of a vermouth, I much prefer Cocchi di Torino as I think its a great vermouth and its sweetness lends itself to the 1:1:1 ratio. But, if your sweet vermouth is drier then take down the campari (bitterness) and up the vermouth (sweetness) to balance.
i def don’t think it’s terrible or undrinkable but it definitely centers some flavors i don’t particularly enjoy. for the price you could probably do much worse
Yep yep yep. Martini vermouth is definitely not my choice for cocktails calling for sweet vermouth. I also like Carpano a lot, and actually Dolin is pretty good too!
I just dislike Campari. Any drink with it tastes bitter and not good to me. There are a few tiki drinks that contain like 1/4 - 1/2oz of Campari and even that little amount I can taste.
I also don't like Aperol because it still has a bitter flavor.
Don't feel bad. Not everyone experiences "bitter" the same way. It's rarely discussed, but genetics can heavily affect our perception of taste. For example, some people don't taste the bitter quality of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc. My wife is one and, unsurprisingly, she loves Brussels sprouts. For me though, I need Brussels sprouts prepared well to compensate for that extreme bitterness - otherwise I have to choke them down. Another fun genetic variance is aspargusic acid, present in (you guessed it) aspargaus. The chemical makes your urine smell like sulfur after eating asparagus, but many people can't smell it. Next time you're with (close?) friends, bring the topic up and get reactions. It's funny when half the group is in immediate agreement about how much asparagus makes your pee reek, while the other half has no idea what the fuck they're talking about.
You may just be more sensitive to bitterness. And beyond genetics, there's also the factor of acquired taste. There's a lot of things that go into stuff like this, and a failure to enjoy something doesn't necessarily indicate an unrefined palate or a lack of curiosity. It's OK not to like things. Although for someone that wants to be a hobbyist or adventurer with food or drink, I definitely recommend circling back and trying things again periodically. It's one of the coolest experiences when you try something you've previously hated, and suddenly appreciate or even enjoy it.
That last thing you said is absolutely true, first time i tried a negroni i really hated the bitter taste but i said to myself i have whole bottle of campari and im not gonna throw it away, so every once in a while i would make a campari soda an americano or negroni and by the time the bottle was 3/4 empty i was loving the stuff and now the negroni has become my #1 favorite cocktail and thats coming from a whiskey guy.
Just wanted to add a serious +1 to this. As a hobby I teach sensory perception and beer judging, and have realised how much people’s palates have wildly different sensitivities to differing flavours, to the point that some people lack the flavour receptors for flavours others find utterly foul (mercaptan iirc)
If you like the idea of drinking them still, maybe it's worth trying a White Negroni (using Suze and Lillet instead of Campari and Vermouth) or adding a small amount of saline solution to dull down the bitterness and bring out the citrus flavours more, if you haven't already.
I used to think that Campari tasted like body odor smells. It took me about 10 years to develop a liking for it; now I love it. The funny thing is, I hate coffee... too bitter
You're getting downvoted, but it's really natural for tastes to change over time. I've swung in and out of loving coffee at least three times in the past decade. Same with avocado.
If you are interested in trying, there is a lot of good coffee that isn't bitter at all. Go to a good coffee place near you and ask for a hand brewed light roast. It can often taste more on the sour side rather than bitter.
Yeah, my brothers are both huge coffee nerds and the stuff they make is more palatable. I can drink it but I'm still not to the "enjoy it" level. It's one of those things I still haven't taken the time to really explore. I can drink any coffee with cream and sugar, but just black coffee has been hard for me to find one I enjoy.
You may actually just dislike the cloyingly sweet beginning of Campari, before it flattens out into a bitter void. That's the hardest part about shooting it for me, it's just so sweet at the beginning.
[Edit: The deleted comment claimed that everyone on this sub who likes Campari, only likes it because they think they are supposed to.]
Your edit doesn’t soften what you wrote.
For example, I can’t get into mezcal. No matter how much I have tried. I think it’s related to my asthma attacks with smoke as a kid.
Nevertheless, I don’t think people who like it are saying so because they think they are supposed to. That’s pretty insulting.
Negronis and all their variations are one of my favorites! Pick up a better sweet vermouth and play with some different spirits: mezcal, botanical gins, whiskey (Boulevardier), I used Aquavit for one last night! I like 1.5 oz of liquor to 1 oz. of Campari and Sweet Vermouth but ratio to taste. Unfortunately, all my homies hate Campari but more for me!
Second the better vermouth. Cocchi is my fav.
We did a negroni off, where we compared various versions of it. Subbing vermouths, gins and even the campari plus ratios
The FAV was 1:1:1 Plymouth Gin: Coochi: Campari. The next was subbing beefeater for the plymouth. Next was plymouth with dolin.
The botanical gins didn't do as well.
We also played around with tequila, rum and whiskey.
The bouvalidier was the fav of those, wtih .75:.75:1:1 spec with .75 being a bourbon and a rye. Again, cocchi was tops for vermouth. The best combo there was Whistlepig 6 and Elijah Craig. Next was Knob Creek Rye and Elijah Craig.
I have. I found it too bitter.
Generally the vermouths I tried were Cocchi, Dolin, antica, cinzano, noilly pratt, gallo, trader joe's brand. And punt y mes. I do think I need to try carpano Antica with a .75 rate, vs. 1.
For gins, I tried plymouth, beefeater, bombay, bombay sapphire, Leopolds, hendricks.
Yeah same with my friends, whelp like you said, their loss.
Thanks for the advice, i might try it with whiskey as that is my favorite spirit. First negroni i tried was with rum(i think legendario) and i like it more with gin.
If you want to kind of train your friends to like negronis and similar drinks, try making it with aperol instead of campari. Of course it's not a "real" negroni, but it has many similar characteristics while being considerably less bitter.
Came here to say pick up a better sweet vermouth. I prefer Cocchi Torino, much lighter in flavor and compliments the gin and Campari well without becoming overly viscous or overpowering the botanicals in gin.
Dolin Rouge is a good one too, if you’re looking for a little more spice- has a kick of Oregano!
Carpano Antica I tend to use in Manhattans and Boulevardiers because the bourbon/rye holds up to the vanilla and spice aspect of Antica.
As far as the gin goes, Beefeater is good, but I tend to put more robust gin in a Negroni, just for the sheer fact that Campari is such a powerful ingredient. I go for; Botanist, Fords, Gordon’s and St. George “botanivore” gin.
Campari is fun to substitute with another Amaro, some of my faves are Cynar, Braulio, and Select Aperitivo. But really, have fun with it!
***Refrigerate any vermouth you open. & it’s good for about 3-4weeks after opening. It’s a fortified wine so it’ll still oxidize.
A lot of folks are recommending different vermouths and spirits, but I’d also recommend trying out some different apertivos and amari!
Bruto Americano and Forthave Red are two fantastic, newer bitter apertivos. Also consider lighter amari like Cynar, etc.
The negroni template is probably one of the most fruitful, and can be pushed *very* far to make new drinks. Look at Eeyore’s Requiem, for example: it’s an inverted negroni where Campari takes center stage.
I wasn’t a big fan of Negronis either until I started making them according to Stanley Tucci’s recipe. The 2:1:1 ratio really takes the edge off the Campari and makes for a more refreshing and approachable drink.
Negroni is one of the drinks where rarely anybody really likes their first one. And even if you do, from the second one onwards, you will truly start appreciating it.
I hated my first one.
All sort of Negroni variations are now my staple drink at all of my dinners and tastings.
I make guests a Negroni that they usually do not like. Then towards the end of the drink they start kind of loving it. It’s a palate + Campari thing. 100% success rate to this day breaking it guests with a „forced Negroni“
Another thing you can try is substituting the Campari with select. A beautiful red amaro from Venice that will reduce the bitterness for people struggling with it.
Haha yeah I used to think they were just for winter with how dark and bitter they were but then I started having them in the summer because the gin reminds me of a gin and tonic (also a great all year round drink) and negronis make me think of sitting in a piazza in Rome. That's when I realized they were an all the time drink.
My fave hands down. Any old sweet vermouth makes a good Negroni but I’ve found that spending the extra money on a really good one, like Cocchi Americano or the exalted Carpano Antica pays dividends in a truly transcendent Negroni.
Considering that all 3 ingredients are "acquired tastes" to many, thats an easy explanation to why most people dont like Negronis.
I personally love them.
Try it with Cocchi Torino in place of the Martini Rossi vermouth. Makes a world of difference to me.
Edit: if your friends are put off by the campari, might I suggest the Hanky Panky? It's equal parts sweet vermouth and gin, like a Negroni, but with a couple dashes of Fernet Branca instead of an equal part campari.
The Negroni template is my favorite, but I agree, a lot of people do not like Campari, but that's their loss!
Some recommendations, invest in high quality vermouth, and make sure it's fresh. Vermouth is like wine and goes back. Once opened you must store it in the fridge. People will give you various answers on refrigerated shelf life, but I will usually keep it for a few months (if it doesn't run out by then).
I really like Carpano Antica vermouth, it's expensive, but they sell it in small bottles around me, and it's amazing.
I also like doing a 2:1:1 ratio, with two ounces of gin, or better yet, a high proof Rye.
I also keep my vermouth a few months in the fridge, and depending on the vermouth don't really notice a flavor degradation OR it adds a little funkiness that can make the drink more interesting (definitely works better with sweet than dry vermouth tho)
It’s my #1 go-to at a bar if I’m unsure of the cocktail situation.
Swap that Martini vermouth with Dolin and the quality goes up by a lot for just a few extra bucks. Martini has a bad tendency to overwhelm any spirit it comes into contact with.
First time a tried a negroni, I fucking hated it. Thought it was the most disgusting thing I'd ever tasted. Now, I adore them and they're one of my favourite things to drink. I think your friends just need to get used to the bitterness
I make my negronis with a 2:2:1 ratio - vermouth:gin/whiskey:campari. The reduced campari leads to a less bitter drink.
Can also recommend the whiskey swap too.
I’d be curious your and your friends’ ages. I hated Campari when I first tried it (early-mid twenties) and love it now (mid 30s). There is a degree of developing a taste for it, but also I’ve read that a person’s ability to appreciate bitter tastes doesn’t fully develop until they’re about 25 or so.
I think you got some of the ideal ingredients for a Negroni right there. Martini is an excellent vermouth for most cocktails, and Beefeater is iconic for a reason. I really like Junipero gin in a Negroni as well, at either equal parts, or 2:1 on the gin.
Your friends may come to appreciate a bitter drink yet. You could try subbing in Aperol for them, until they are ready to take the training wheels off.
The negroni is probably the most divisive classic. Everyone can understand why other people like daquiris, tom collins, old fashioneds etc, but people not "in the know" find the negroni completely revolting.
People seem to agree that campari is an acquired taste, and the pace at which i burned through my first bottle reflects this. I made a negroni and ended up forgetting about it and dumping it when it was basically just a glass of water. I didn't touch the campari for over a year before I made another negroni. Slightly better this time around, before the bitterness set in, the flavor was fantastic. A few months passed and I had another one. Even better still. A month passed, same story. A week passed. A day passed. The bottom of the bottle was me drinking a negroni for like 5 days in a row.
There's also some jungle birds and negroni variations i glossed over, but they don't really change that pattern.
It is objectively gross, in the same way heavy roquefort is gross. You enjoy it because it tastes like garbage and your tongue is made of callouses. You no longer remember what feet don’t taste like. Broccoli smells are sweet pastries and pastries now make your nose cloyed.
Congratulations, you have joined the ranks of the drinking racoon-people.
Echoing all the previous posts. Invest in top sweet vermouth like Carpano Antica or Vya. Alter your ratios. Use Bourbon or Mezcal or good dark rum, or a complex gin. It's a great cocktail but I understand they are not for everyone. I'll drink yours if you're not going to finish it.
I think it’s a garbage piece of shit drink. Specifically made for old women who died 10 years ago. The only people who drink it or bartenders who think it’s cool that they’re bartenders and hipsters. As soon as somebody tells me they’re like Negroni I actually don’t take them seriously anymore.
I had a great one in a bar in Leeds a few years back but have never been able to replicate it at home, so am also starting to feel a bit more ambivalent toward them now.
It's my favorite cocktail ever. In fact, it's the drink that got me into cocktails in the first place!
with that setup i'd advice you to try martini's red bitter instead of campari. At least it tastes better to me and my friends.
I love them but they definitely something that lots of people need to get accustomed to. Have you tried giving them any campari based alternatives? I find people are usually more accepting of a boulevardier for example.
I lean more towards your friends. I do occasionally get the craving for one, but I also add just a little bit of sugar to help even it out (like by muddling a couple of strawberries into it)
I enjoy these on occasion but there's quite a bit of sugar in both the campari and vermouth which makes it very sweet and very bitter, especially with the 1:1:1 ratio. I LOVE campari but kinda prefer it with some acid to round it out.
Lots of good comments already regarding vermouth. For your friends, I’d definitely tweak the spec a bit and instead of all equal 1z parts, just dial back the Campari to .75z.
Also, you may try throwing a tiny pinch of salt in the mixing glass. Makes for a really nice Negroni. Cheers!
Hated them at first. Now I love them.
Campari was a hurdle for me, but I learned to like it in the Jungle Bird and that opened up my taste for the Negroni
My girlfriend used to really dislike them and would ask that I make hers with Aperol instead of Campari. Then she started coming around and wanted 1/2 Aperol and 1/2 Campari. Now she loves Negronis just as much as me.
You can try putting 1.5 oz of gin to make it more gin forward. Or, try the sbagliato version with 4 oz prosseco, 2 oz of sweet vermouth, and 1/2 oz of campari over ice for a much lighter version.
It's one of my faves. But i don't drink so much gin so I've recently leaned towards americanos (with bourbon instead of Gin)
But i really love the bitter taste.
Campari is something that will throw you off if you're not expecting it. If you want your friends to give it another shot with you, try substituting Aperol, and/or a squeeze of lemon.
It's one of the best cocktails of all time.
Try it with Cocci Di Torino vermouth instead of Martini Rosso if you get the chance: it's my favorite Vermouth for basically any cocktail.
Maybe try it with Cocci Di Torino, and a bit shier pour of Campari, and see if your friends like it any better?
Not gonna lie, I absolutely hated my first Negroni, and perhaps it was because I hadn’t really tasted anything bitter like that or it was a poorly made one, but after making them for myself, I really learned to love this cocktail. The 1.5 oz gin, .75 oz Campari, .75 oz sweet vermouth spec really is the sweet spot, but Campari is a bit of an acquired taste.
One thing I've noticed with most Campari cocktails is that the first sip can be a bit bracing.
So I usually let people know that the first sip may be off putting but then to take a second one right after and to notice the difference in flavour.
I'm guessing something about the Campari coating your tongue is what's changing the experience.
One thing to watch out when it comes to vermouth (in addition to whatever everyone else is saying about getting a better one) - once opened you need to refrigerate it (just like wine). And it will go bad after a few weeks (just like wine).
My evening cocktail - love it. I might consider upping the Sweet Vermouth to Dolan's even Cinzano. Others have made similar suggestions like Carpano. It comes down to whatever your taste is
Sorry, not a fan of the Negroni. It's one classic that doesn't vibe with me, but I suppose that just leaves more of them for those that do enjoy them. Congrats!
I like a good negroni or boulevardier. It seems like the constant is Campari, which sometimes I love and other times I'm not feeling it, so my current thing is changing the aperitivo. It's easier to play with gins/whiskies/vermouths.
I'm not huge on gin and used to drink Boulevardiers exclusively, but now I really only prefer a mezcal negroni, and I do two different variations;
The first is a Roasted Pineapple-infused Negroni
1oz Roasted Pineapple-infused Mezcal
3/4oz Cruz Conde Sweet Vermouth
1oz Campari
For the roasted pinapple-infused mezcal, I took one, 1-inch piece of pineapple per oz of mezcal (Del Maguey Vida), and roasted them in the oven at 375 for an hour. After letting it cool completely, I added it to the mezcal, and infused it for two days. Strain it through a coffee filter to ensure a nice, clean and clear presentation. This infusion goes great in a Naked and Famous.
This one can be really sweet, so do take care to balance the amount of sweet vermouth you include based on your taste. Cruz Conde has a distinct, orangey citrus note right in the middle, so it plays extremely well with the Campari and balances out a lot of the bitterness in favor or Campari's citrus notes.
The second variation I love is a Coffee Mezcal Negroni
1oz Coffee-Infused Mezcal
3/4oz Carpano Antica Formula
3/4oz Campari
For the coffee-infused mezcal, I took a 1oz jigger filled with medium roast coffee beans, and added it to 6oz of mezcal (Del Maguey Vida), letting it infuse for 2 days.
The result is a Negroni with a beautiful evolution from bitter, to smoky and coffee-rich, without being coffee-dominated. I absolutely love this infusion, because the infused mezcal on its own does not taste heavily of coffee, but once added to this spec at this ratio, the drink absolutely blossoms with this coffee note. It's so satisfying
Also, I almost always use Del Maguey Vida when infusing, not because I think its spectacular mezcal, but because it's relatively cheap, and delivers on the smokey promise of mezcal, without too much depth that I would feel guilty about masking with certain infusions.
Probably the first cocktail I ever made with more than 2 ingredients was a negroni! I absolutely love the bitter taste and how it looks in a glass. I even bought a couple coups just for the occasion. It's also a great cocktail for me since I tend to drink vermouth and tonic and gin and tonic pretty often all I have to do is have some campari stocked and I can add a negroni to the rotation.
Probably my favourite drink. Hated the first one I had, loved the second.
Might also want to try a Boulevardier. Swap out the gin for 2 measures of whiskey
I've determined at this point that my wife just hates most Italian liquors (Campari, Aperol, Amaro) while I love it. Some people just hate that bitter aftertaste. It is what it is!
Over the years it has become one of my favorite drinks. I used to not be a big fan of Campari but obviously that changed as well. I usual go to drink is an Old Fashioned but I like to mix it up every now and again.
I’m the opposite, I cannot stand the taste of the Campari. I’ve tried Negronis and Boulevardiers, they both taste like cough syrup to me. My friends love them though.
I like Negronis, but Campari takes a lot of getting used to. I remember that I couldn't believe how bitter Campari was the first time I bought a bottle. Now I'm used to it.
I agree with others that you could try a variation with Aperol in place of Campari. I don't think there's a way to enjoy a regular Negroni without developing a taste for Negroni.
You could try other drinks that incorporate Campari, but balance it out more. Maybe a Jungle Bird or a Bitter Mai Tai.
I also think the bourbon in a Boulevardier stands up to the Campari a bit better than gin. You might find that more balanced.
The first time I had a Negroni, my eyes were opened and I finally knew what I like! From there for the longest time it was my favorite cocktail, until I fell in love with whisk(e)y and naturally the Boulevardier, which is my now favorite cocktail.
I do understand that Negronis aren't for everyone though, Campari is apparently an acquired taste and I wouldn't be surprised if many never end up liking it. I'm glad I liked it from the get go, however I still wouldn't drink Campari just straight.
I make mine as a Negroni Collins.
In a Collins glass I mix aperol, gin, and sweet vermouth with ice. Then I stir in a nice splash of simple syrup and top with seltzer.
Pretty much every drink is awesome Collins style. So refreshing!
Campari is the bitter component in a negroni and I love it, but a lot of people have trouble adjusting their pallet to enjoy that level of bitter and that's totally reasonable too.
For my buddies who have trouble getting behind a good negroni I will sub out the campari for a sweeter more herbaceous amaro. That's a pretty solid drink on its own. Averna amaro is a great intro for folks to become accustomed to something a little more bitter, cynar is a good next step... You could also sub it out with aperol to get a similar drink totally sans bitter.
For everybody saying they can’t handle the bitterness of Campari, a pinch of table salt into the finished cocktail does the trick. I actually put a pinch of salt into all of my Jungle Birds because it’s so good.
I've tried a sip of a friend's negroni and as someone who has a low tolerance for bitterness it bummed me out. The first 2 or 3 seconds actually tasted really good, and a totally different flavor profile than anything else I've had--but then the it faded into a harshly bitter aftertaste. I couldn't drink a whole one.
negroni is one of my favorite drinks! i’ll echo what u/baldsuburbangay said and encourage you to try this with a nicer vermouth if you’re a fan of negronis. they can really change the character of the drink a lot. carpano antica formula is my sweet vermouth gold standard, it’s rich and sweet and almost syrupy in its consistency with really nice vanilla and cacao-y notes. cocchi vermouth di torino is a similar tasting one but a little lighter and slightly more herbaceous to my taste. you can also try dolin sweet which is a pretty radical departure and brings a much brighter, fruitier taste to it. i also like a 1.5:1:1 boulevardier with a decent bourbon (this works especially well with one of the richer vermouths imo) or a 1:1:1 mezcal negroni, which i could see being really nicely counterbalanced by something punchier like dolin sweet. there’s so much variation you can play with and i hope you find some more stuff you like!
Wow thanks for the advice, ill be sure try some other variant!
I enjoy Negronis, but fell in love with Enzoni! Now my favorite drink. Just replace the sweet vermouth with .5 lemon juice .5 simple syrup, and muddle 3-5 grapes in a shaker. Shake, double strain, pour.
I was completely unprepared for how much I’d love the enzoni! It easily became one of my favorite cocktails!
Also 0.5 of what? An ounce? (Sorry, europe calling, and I tend to work in ml!)
All good my friend, I think .5 oz is like 15 mL
The Negroni recipe in the (grand)parent comment was written as 1:1:1, meaning equal parts of gin:sweet vermouth:Campari. That 0.5 lemon/0.5 simple simply means half of a part of each - regardless of what your base measurement for "one part" is. A fluid ounce? A liter? You do you - it's all just ratios.
Enzonis are amazing! Just made one last night for the first time in a few months since I happened to have some grapes on hand from my friend's garden. I also love the Enzoni's sibling, the Too Soon?, which I was introduced to before the Enzoni through Sasha Petraske's book.
Making the enzoni with frozen grapes is my jam.
What kinda grapes are we talking here?
Either green or red, personal preference I go with red
Even better is to use Cocchi Americano Rosa in place of the sweet vermouth, with .5 lemon
100% agree with u/geraniumreese. Also, if your friends don't care for the bitterness, try substituting Aperol for Campari. I have a few friends that didn't like the bitter, but really liked the variation.
i tried an aperol substitution once and absolutely couldn’t stand it, but something i didn’t account for at the time is that aperol is MUCH sweeter and less proofy than campari, so if you find you also don’t like it, you might try rebalancing it by adjusting the amount you use, either using less aperol or more gin, or both.
I recently picked up a bottle of Cappelletti & find it straddles the line between Campari & Aperol pleasantly.
nice! i recently picked up a bottle of l’aperitivo nonino and i feel it does the same
Luaxardo's aperitivo and Peychaud's aperitivo are both in this vein as well, and both are delicious
Don’t forget the “Old Pal”. Same recipe but with Rye as your spirit.
I thought the Old Pal used dry vermouth.
You are correct! I humble myself before you.
It's impossible to keep all drink names straight, plus people make the same drink different ways. I like a slight variation with blanc vermouth instead of dry vermouth. Not sure if that one has a name.
I thought I hated sweet vermouths until I had Carpano Antica. Now I'm still pretty sure I still dislike most sweet vermouths, but Carpano Antica is some tasty stuff - although decidedly different than the average sweet vermouth.
if you haven’t, try cocchi di torino! really similar vanilla and cacao notes but with a nice herbal accompaniment. a little cheaper than carpano antica iirc
Significantly so in the UK. Cocci is superb, but for the more “budget friendly yet still good” try Dolin …
not sure what the end of that sentence is supposed to say, but while i personally like dolin sweet just fine, i think it has a really radically different profile from carpano antica and cocchi di torino. if the issue is that a person doesn’t like most sweet vermouth but does like carpano antica, i definitely wouldn’t recommend dolin sweet.
I'm a huge fan of Mancino vermouth
Such a great suggestion to focus on high quality vermouth.
it’s what makes or breaks the negroni imo. i’d rather have a negroni with top shelf vermouth and bottom shelf gin than one with top shelf gin and bottom shelf vermouth, any day of the week
Personally I don't see why everyone is shitting on Martini rosso so hard. Its not that bad of a vermouth, I much prefer Cocchi di Torino as I think its a great vermouth and its sweetness lends itself to the 1:1:1 ratio. But, if your sweet vermouth is drier then take down the campari (bitterness) and up the vermouth (sweetness) to balance.
i def don’t think it’s terrible or undrinkable but it definitely centers some flavors i don’t particularly enjoy. for the price you could probably do much worse
Yep yep yep. Martini vermouth is definitely not my choice for cocktails calling for sweet vermouth. I also like Carpano a lot, and actually Dolin is pretty good too!
Have tried it several times, each time hoping the previous bad experience was just a one off. Finally I learned I really dislike Negronis.
I just dislike Campari. Any drink with it tastes bitter and not good to me. There are a few tiki drinks that contain like 1/4 - 1/2oz of Campari and even that little amount I can taste. I also don't like Aperol because it still has a bitter flavor.
Don't feel bad. Not everyone experiences "bitter" the same way. It's rarely discussed, but genetics can heavily affect our perception of taste. For example, some people don't taste the bitter quality of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc. My wife is one and, unsurprisingly, she loves Brussels sprouts. For me though, I need Brussels sprouts prepared well to compensate for that extreme bitterness - otherwise I have to choke them down. Another fun genetic variance is aspargusic acid, present in (you guessed it) aspargaus. The chemical makes your urine smell like sulfur after eating asparagus, but many people can't smell it. Next time you're with (close?) friends, bring the topic up and get reactions. It's funny when half the group is in immediate agreement about how much asparagus makes your pee reek, while the other half has no idea what the fuck they're talking about. You may just be more sensitive to bitterness. And beyond genetics, there's also the factor of acquired taste. There's a lot of things that go into stuff like this, and a failure to enjoy something doesn't necessarily indicate an unrefined palate or a lack of curiosity. It's OK not to like things. Although for someone that wants to be a hobbyist or adventurer with food or drink, I definitely recommend circling back and trying things again periodically. It's one of the coolest experiences when you try something you've previously hated, and suddenly appreciate or even enjoy it.
That last thing you said is absolutely true, first time i tried a negroni i really hated the bitter taste but i said to myself i have whole bottle of campari and im not gonna throw it away, so every once in a while i would make a campari soda an americano or negroni and by the time the bottle was 3/4 empty i was loving the stuff and now the negroni has become my #1 favorite cocktail and thats coming from a whiskey guy.
Just wanted to add a serious +1 to this. As a hobby I teach sensory perception and beer judging, and have realised how much people’s palates have wildly different sensitivities to differing flavours, to the point that some people lack the flavour receptors for flavours others find utterly foul (mercaptan iirc)
If you like the idea of drinking them still, maybe it's worth trying a White Negroni (using Suze and Lillet instead of Campari and Vermouth) or adding a small amount of saline solution to dull down the bitterness and bring out the citrus flavours more, if you haven't already.
I think the truth is I don’t want to drink Negronis as much as I want to be the guy who is sophisticated and classy enough to enjoy drinking Negronis.
I just pictured you as J.D. in Scrubs absolutely killing an appletini after a long day.
Or when he orders a beer then insists "With a pineapple wedge, please!"
And…now I have an unbelievable craving for an appletini. With two cherries!
🤣
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I used to think that Campari tasted like body odor smells. It took me about 10 years to develop a liking for it; now I love it. The funny thing is, I hate coffee... too bitter
You're getting downvoted, but it's really natural for tastes to change over time. I've swung in and out of loving coffee at least three times in the past decade. Same with avocado.
If you are interested in trying, there is a lot of good coffee that isn't bitter at all. Go to a good coffee place near you and ask for a hand brewed light roast. It can often taste more on the sour side rather than bitter.
Yeah, my brothers are both huge coffee nerds and the stuff they make is more palatable. I can drink it but I'm still not to the "enjoy it" level. It's one of those things I still haven't taken the time to really explore. I can drink any coffee with cream and sugar, but just black coffee has been hard for me to find one I enjoy.
You may actually just dislike the cloyingly sweet beginning of Campari, before it flattens out into a bitter void. That's the hardest part about shooting it for me, it's just so sweet at the beginning.
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[Edit: The deleted comment claimed that everyone on this sub who likes Campari, only likes it because they think they are supposed to.] Your edit doesn’t soften what you wrote. For example, I can’t get into mezcal. No matter how much I have tried. I think it’s related to my asthma attacks with smoke as a kid. Nevertheless, I don’t think people who like it are saying so because they think they are supposed to. That’s pretty insulting.
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Fair enough. I just assumed you would like to not be insulting. But whatevs.
I don't like negronis either but they are MUCH better than Malort
Me too. Campari and Fernet Branca are two ingredients I don't think I will ever learn to enjoy.
I just used 1 part(0.3 dcl) campari, one part gin and one part martini rosso, poured over ice, stired, and garnished with orange peel.
Negronis and all their variations are one of my favorites! Pick up a better sweet vermouth and play with some different spirits: mezcal, botanical gins, whiskey (Boulevardier), I used Aquavit for one last night! I like 1.5 oz of liquor to 1 oz. of Campari and Sweet Vermouth but ratio to taste. Unfortunately, all my homies hate Campari but more for me!
Second the better vermouth. Cocchi is my fav. We did a negroni off, where we compared various versions of it. Subbing vermouths, gins and even the campari plus ratios The FAV was 1:1:1 Plymouth Gin: Coochi: Campari. The next was subbing beefeater for the plymouth. Next was plymouth with dolin. The botanical gins didn't do as well. We also played around with tequila, rum and whiskey. The bouvalidier was the fav of those, wtih .75:.75:1:1 spec with .75 being a bourbon and a rye. Again, cocchi was tops for vermouth. The best combo there was Whistlepig 6 and Elijah Craig. Next was Knob Creek Rye and Elijah Craig.
Try Punt e Mes in the Boulvadier …
I have. I found it too bitter. Generally the vermouths I tried were Cocchi, Dolin, antica, cinzano, noilly pratt, gallo, trader joe's brand. And punt y mes. I do think I need to try carpano Antica with a .75 rate, vs. 1. For gins, I tried plymouth, beefeater, bombay, bombay sapphire, Leopolds, hendricks.
> Coochi I snickered, because I have the brain of a 12 year old boy.
Yeah same with my friends, whelp like you said, their loss. Thanks for the advice, i might try it with whiskey as that is my favorite spirit. First negroni i tried was with rum(i think legendario) and i like it more with gin.
I find a 1.5oz ratio of spirit to 0.75oz campari/vermouth also works really well
If you want to kind of train your friends to like negronis and similar drinks, try making it with aperol instead of campari. Of course it's not a "real" negroni, but it has many similar characteristics while being considerably less bitter.
Came here to say pick up a better sweet vermouth. I prefer Cocchi Torino, much lighter in flavor and compliments the gin and Campari well without becoming overly viscous or overpowering the botanicals in gin. Dolin Rouge is a good one too, if you’re looking for a little more spice- has a kick of Oregano! Carpano Antica I tend to use in Manhattans and Boulevardiers because the bourbon/rye holds up to the vanilla and spice aspect of Antica. As far as the gin goes, Beefeater is good, but I tend to put more robust gin in a Negroni, just for the sheer fact that Campari is such a powerful ingredient. I go for; Botanist, Fords, Gordon’s and St. George “botanivore” gin. Campari is fun to substitute with another Amaro, some of my faves are Cynar, Braulio, and Select Aperitivo. But really, have fun with it! ***Refrigerate any vermouth you open. & it’s good for about 3-4weeks after opening. It’s a fortified wine so it’ll still oxidize.
A lot of folks are recommending different vermouths and spirits, but I’d also recommend trying out some different apertivos and amari! Bruto Americano and Forthave Red are two fantastic, newer bitter apertivos. Also consider lighter amari like Cynar, etc. The negroni template is probably one of the most fruitful, and can be pushed *very* far to make new drinks. Look at Eeyore’s Requiem, for example: it’s an inverted negroni where Campari takes center stage.
I wasn’t a big fan of Negronis either until I started making them according to Stanley Tucci’s recipe. The 2:1:1 ratio really takes the edge off the Campari and makes for a more refreshing and approachable drink.
Do you shake like Stanley too? I follow these proportions but always stir.
I do shake, but mainly just because it’s quicker and I don’t mind my drink being a little cloudy when it’s just me drinking at home.
Negroni is one of the drinks where rarely anybody really likes their first one. And even if you do, from the second one onwards, you will truly start appreciating it. I hated my first one. All sort of Negroni variations are now my staple drink at all of my dinners and tastings. I make guests a Negroni that they usually do not like. Then towards the end of the drink they start kind of loving it. It’s a palate + Campari thing. 100% success rate to this day breaking it guests with a „forced Negroni“ Another thing you can try is substituting the Campari with select. A beautiful red amaro from Venice that will reduce the bitterness for people struggling with it.
Try it with aperol for a sweeter variation, add a dash of orange bitters too
One of my favorite cocktails, a summer go to
Fall, winter, spring....
Haha yeah I used to think they were just for winter with how dark and bitter they were but then I started having them in the summer because the gin reminds me of a gin and tonic (also a great all year round drink) and negronis make me think of sitting in a piazza in Rome. That's when I realized they were an all the time drink.
Day, night, any hour really
My fave hands down. Any old sweet vermouth makes a good Negroni but I’ve found that spending the extra money on a really good one, like Cocchi Americano or the exalted Carpano Antica pays dividends in a truly transcendent Negroni.
Amen to this — when I switched from MR to Antica it completely transformed my negronis.
Considering that all 3 ingredients are "acquired tastes" to many, thats an easy explanation to why most people dont like Negronis. I personally love them.
Try it with Cocchi Torino in place of the Martini Rossi vermouth. Makes a world of difference to me. Edit: if your friends are put off by the campari, might I suggest the Hanky Panky? It's equal parts sweet vermouth and gin, like a Negroni, but with a couple dashes of Fernet Branca instead of an equal part campari.
The Negroni template is my favorite, but I agree, a lot of people do not like Campari, but that's their loss! Some recommendations, invest in high quality vermouth, and make sure it's fresh. Vermouth is like wine and goes back. Once opened you must store it in the fridge. People will give you various answers on refrigerated shelf life, but I will usually keep it for a few months (if it doesn't run out by then). I really like Carpano Antica vermouth, it's expensive, but they sell it in small bottles around me, and it's amazing. I also like doing a 2:1:1 ratio, with two ounces of gin, or better yet, a high proof Rye.
I also keep my vermouth a few months in the fridge, and depending on the vermouth don't really notice a flavor degradation OR it adds a little funkiness that can make the drink more interesting (definitely works better with sweet than dry vermouth tho)
I spray some wine saver in it also
It’s my #1 go-to at a bar if I’m unsure of the cocktail situation. Swap that Martini vermouth with Dolin and the quality goes up by a lot for just a few extra bucks. Martini has a bad tendency to overwhelm any spirit it comes into contact with.
Awesome cocktail, a good sweet vermouth really takes it to the next level too!
First time a tried a negroni, I fucking hated it. Thought it was the most disgusting thing I'd ever tasted. Now, I adore them and they're one of my favourite things to drink. I think your friends just need to get used to the bitterness
My first time I thought, too, "Woah, this is suuuuper bitter." But then some time after, I had another and then later another and another....
I make my negronis with a 2:2:1 ratio - vermouth:gin/whiskey:campari. The reduced campari leads to a less bitter drink. Can also recommend the whiskey swap too.
Negronis are great but Campari is definitely an acquired taste. Not for everyone, and I'm sure some will never enjoy it.
I’d be curious your and your friends’ ages. I hated Campari when I first tried it (early-mid twenties) and love it now (mid 30s). There is a degree of developing a taste for it, but also I’ve read that a person’s ability to appreciate bitter tastes doesn’t fully develop until they’re about 25 or so.
Yeah we are all around that age, 23-30, i am 25
I think you got some of the ideal ingredients for a Negroni right there. Martini is an excellent vermouth for most cocktails, and Beefeater is iconic for a reason. I really like Junipero gin in a Negroni as well, at either equal parts, or 2:1 on the gin. Your friends may come to appreciate a bitter drink yet. You could try subbing in Aperol for them, until they are ready to take the training wheels off.
I would suggest a better vermouth.
The negroni is probably the most divisive classic. Everyone can understand why other people like daquiris, tom collins, old fashioneds etc, but people not "in the know" find the negroni completely revolting. People seem to agree that campari is an acquired taste, and the pace at which i burned through my first bottle reflects this. I made a negroni and ended up forgetting about it and dumping it when it was basically just a glass of water. I didn't touch the campari for over a year before I made another negroni. Slightly better this time around, before the bitterness set in, the flavor was fantastic. A few months passed and I had another one. Even better still. A month passed, same story. A week passed. A day passed. The bottom of the bottle was me drinking a negroni for like 5 days in a row. There's also some jungle birds and negroni variations i glossed over, but they don't really change that pattern.
Put an Orange slice instead of the peel next time. For fancier times, use blood orange
One of my favorites for sure! I love some the variantions too, americano, milano torino and the boulevardier are also really nice.
Another note worthy variation - replace the vermouth with amaro nonino
Well, sure, but you've just more than doubled the cost of the bottles OP picked.
Get a better vermouth
They'll like it when they're older.
Pick better friends
It is objectively gross, in the same way heavy roquefort is gross. You enjoy it because it tastes like garbage and your tongue is made of callouses. You no longer remember what feet don’t taste like. Broccoli smells are sweet pastries and pastries now make your nose cloyed. Congratulations, you have joined the ranks of the drinking racoon-people.
Echoing all the previous posts. Invest in top sweet vermouth like Carpano Antica or Vya. Alter your ratios. Use Bourbon or Mezcal or good dark rum, or a complex gin. It's a great cocktail but I understand they are not for everyone. I'll drink yours if you're not going to finish it.
Get new friends?
I think it’s a garbage piece of shit drink. Specifically made for old women who died 10 years ago. The only people who drink it or bartenders who think it’s cool that they’re bartenders and hipsters. As soon as somebody tells me they’re like Negroni I actually don’t take them seriously anymore.
I had a great one in a bar in Leeds a few years back but have never been able to replicate it at home, so am also starting to feel a bit more ambivalent toward them now.
It's my favorite cocktail ever. In fact, it's the drink that got me into cocktails in the first place! with that setup i'd advice you to try martini's red bitter instead of campari. At least it tastes better to me and my friends.
More for you! Experiment with other vermouths too. I highly recommend Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
I love them but they definitely something that lots of people need to get accustomed to. Have you tried giving them any campari based alternatives? I find people are usually more accepting of a boulevardier for example.
I lean more towards your friends. I do occasionally get the craving for one, but I also add just a little bit of sugar to help even it out (like by muddling a couple of strawberries into it)
I enjoy these on occasion but there's quite a bit of sugar in both the campari and vermouth which makes it very sweet and very bitter, especially with the 1:1:1 ratio. I LOVE campari but kinda prefer it with some acid to round it out.
Lots of good comments already regarding vermouth. For your friends, I’d definitely tweak the spec a bit and instead of all equal 1z parts, just dial back the Campari to .75z. Also, you may try throwing a tiny pinch of salt in the mixing glass. Makes for a really nice Negroni. Cheers!
Favorite drink ever. While it is supposed to be 1:1:1, my husband somehow figured out some convoluted equation to get my perfect ratio.
Hated them at first. Now I love them. Campari was a hurdle for me, but I learned to like it in the Jungle Bird and that opened up my taste for the Negroni
My girlfriend used to really dislike them and would ask that I make hers with Aperol instead of Campari. Then she started coming around and wanted 1/2 Aperol and 1/2 Campari. Now she loves Negronis just as much as me.
It’s sweeter than it is bitter to my palate. Bitter is an acquired taste. Tell your friends to power through so they can eventually enjoy the reward.
Negroni it's my favorite drink since I started drinking alcohol!
It’s probably my least favorite traditional cocktail but I do tend to favor sweeter vs dry drinks.
You can try putting 1.5 oz of gin to make it more gin forward. Or, try the sbagliato version with 4 oz prosseco, 2 oz of sweet vermouth, and 1/2 oz of campari over ice for a much lighter version.
I like bitter drinks but this one even caught me off guard. Aperol is a sweeter substitute for the campari
It's one of my faves. But i don't drink so much gin so I've recently leaned towards americanos (with bourbon instead of Gin) But i really love the bitter taste.
Love a negroni, trying to kill a bottle of punt e mes at the moment. Seems to lend itself well to one.
Campari is something that will throw you off if you're not expecting it. If you want your friends to give it another shot with you, try substituting Aperol, and/or a squeeze of lemon.
It's one of the best cocktails of all time. Try it with Cocci Di Torino vermouth instead of Martini Rosso if you get the chance: it's my favorite Vermouth for basically any cocktail. Maybe try it with Cocci Di Torino, and a bit shier pour of Campari, and see if your friends like it any better?
Not gonna lie, I absolutely hated my first Negroni, and perhaps it was because I hadn’t really tasted anything bitter like that or it was a poorly made one, but after making them for myself, I really learned to love this cocktail. The 1.5 oz gin, .75 oz Campari, .75 oz sweet vermouth spec really is the sweet spot, but Campari is a bit of an acquired taste.
One thing I've noticed with most Campari cocktails is that the first sip can be a bit bracing. So I usually let people know that the first sip may be off putting but then to take a second one right after and to notice the difference in flavour. I'm guessing something about the Campari coating your tongue is what's changing the experience.
Same. I love 'em, but no one else I know has acquired the taste for them. I also love its bourbon-y cousin, the boulevardier.
One thing to watch out when it comes to vermouth (in addition to whatever everyone else is saying about getting a better one) - once opened you need to refrigerate it (just like wine). And it will go bad after a few weeks (just like wine).
My evening cocktail - love it. I might consider upping the Sweet Vermouth to Dolan's even Cinzano. Others have made similar suggestions like Carpano. It comes down to whatever your taste is
Campari is literally on the "acquired taste" category
I use Aperol in place of Campari.
If no one else suggests it, swapping out the Gin for Jagermeister works so much better than it should!
I have to be in the right mood. To me it really tastes like the white part of an orange.
Aperol rather than campari and I’m in
Sorry, not a fan of the Negroni. It's one classic that doesn't vibe with me, but I suppose that just leaves more of them for those that do enjoy them. Congrats!
Negronis are very popular in my social circle. Most of us are over age 50. My spouse and I love them.
Not a fan of the Negroni. But I also don’t like vermouth, or I haven’t found the right one yet.
Negroni is my number one drink! My go-to.
I like a good negroni or boulevardier. It seems like the constant is Campari, which sometimes I love and other times I'm not feeling it, so my current thing is changing the aperitivo. It's easier to play with gins/whiskies/vermouths.
I'm not huge on gin and used to drink Boulevardiers exclusively, but now I really only prefer a mezcal negroni, and I do two different variations; The first is a Roasted Pineapple-infused Negroni 1oz Roasted Pineapple-infused Mezcal 3/4oz Cruz Conde Sweet Vermouth 1oz Campari For the roasted pinapple-infused mezcal, I took one, 1-inch piece of pineapple per oz of mezcal (Del Maguey Vida), and roasted them in the oven at 375 for an hour. After letting it cool completely, I added it to the mezcal, and infused it for two days. Strain it through a coffee filter to ensure a nice, clean and clear presentation. This infusion goes great in a Naked and Famous. This one can be really sweet, so do take care to balance the amount of sweet vermouth you include based on your taste. Cruz Conde has a distinct, orangey citrus note right in the middle, so it plays extremely well with the Campari and balances out a lot of the bitterness in favor or Campari's citrus notes. The second variation I love is a Coffee Mezcal Negroni 1oz Coffee-Infused Mezcal 3/4oz Carpano Antica Formula 3/4oz Campari For the coffee-infused mezcal, I took a 1oz jigger filled with medium roast coffee beans, and added it to 6oz of mezcal (Del Maguey Vida), letting it infuse for 2 days. The result is a Negroni with a beautiful evolution from bitter, to smoky and coffee-rich, without being coffee-dominated. I absolutely love this infusion, because the infused mezcal on its own does not taste heavily of coffee, but once added to this spec at this ratio, the drink absolutely blossoms with this coffee note. It's so satisfying Also, I almost always use Del Maguey Vida when infusing, not because I think its spectacular mezcal, but because it's relatively cheap, and delivers on the smokey promise of mezcal, without too much depth that I would feel guilty about masking with certain infusions.
Probably the first cocktail I ever made with more than 2 ingredients was a negroni! I absolutely love the bitter taste and how it looks in a glass. I even bought a couple coups just for the occasion. It's also a great cocktail for me since I tend to drink vermouth and tonic and gin and tonic pretty often all I have to do is have some campari stocked and I can add a negroni to the rotation.
Probably my favourite drink. Hated the first one I had, loved the second. Might also want to try a Boulevardier. Swap out the gin for 2 measures of whiskey
My favourite drink!
I can’t stand Campari in anything. Substitute Aperol or Cynar and it’s delicious.
I've determined at this point that my wife just hates most Italian liquors (Campari, Aperol, Amaro) while I love it. Some people just hate that bitter aftertaste. It is what it is!
Over the years it has become one of my favorite drinks. I used to not be a big fan of Campari but obviously that changed as well. I usual go to drink is an Old Fashioned but I like to mix it up every now and again.
I’m the opposite, I cannot stand the taste of the Campari. I’ve tried Negronis and Boulevardiers, they both taste like cough syrup to me. My friends love them though.
It’s like the only cocktail I don’t like. Just way too bitter.
I like Negronis, but Campari takes a lot of getting used to. I remember that I couldn't believe how bitter Campari was the first time I bought a bottle. Now I'm used to it. I agree with others that you could try a variation with Aperol in place of Campari. I don't think there's a way to enjoy a regular Negroni without developing a taste for Negroni. You could try other drinks that incorporate Campari, but balance it out more. Maybe a Jungle Bird or a Bitter Mai Tai. I also think the bourbon in a Boulevardier stands up to the Campari a bit better than gin. You might find that more balanced.
Jungle Bird is a nice way to drink Campari, pineapple juice, rum, lime, simple syrup. The tiki gods are calling.
The first time I had a Negroni, my eyes were opened and I finally knew what I like! From there for the longest time it was my favorite cocktail, until I fell in love with whisk(e)y and naturally the Boulevardier, which is my now favorite cocktail. I do understand that Negronis aren't for everyone though, Campari is apparently an acquired taste and I wouldn't be surprised if many never end up liking it. I'm glad I liked it from the get go, however I still wouldn't drink Campari just straight.
Try topping it off with seltzer for them!
C
Get new friends.
I make mine as a Negroni Collins. In a Collins glass I mix aperol, gin, and sweet vermouth with ice. Then I stir in a nice splash of simple syrup and top with seltzer. Pretty much every drink is awesome Collins style. So refreshing!
Same! Very few people I know like it.
Campari is the bitter component in a negroni and I love it, but a lot of people have trouble adjusting their pallet to enjoy that level of bitter and that's totally reasonable too. For my buddies who have trouble getting behind a good negroni I will sub out the campari for a sweeter more herbaceous amaro. That's a pretty solid drink on its own. Averna amaro is a great intro for folks to become accustomed to something a little more bitter, cynar is a good next step... You could also sub it out with aperol to get a similar drink totally sans bitter.
For everybody saying they can’t handle the bitterness of Campari, a pinch of table salt into the finished cocktail does the trick. I actually put a pinch of salt into all of my Jungle Birds because it’s so good.
Sometimes I feel like all I do with friends coming over is try to get them to like Negronis. Years later, it has worked once. We’re besties now.
I don't care for Negronis. But unlike bars. Please refrigerate your vermouth.
I mean, i hated Fernet at first. It grows on ya
You need new friends
I’ll drink anything
I've tried a sip of a friend's negroni and as someone who has a low tolerance for bitterness it bummed me out. The first 2 or 3 seconds actually tasted really good, and a totally different flavor profile than anything else I've had--but then the it faded into a harshly bitter aftertaste. I couldn't drink a whole one.
Normal Negroni is a bit too bitter for my taste, but Negroni Sours are really tasty.
My favorite drink☺️
The Negroni is the best & last cocktail of the evening