Summer Cocktails Made with Campari

Let’s revisit my favorite cocktails for summer besides the mojitos. I love Campari on a summer day. I often served Campari to my first friends because it is unexpected and simple to make.

I typically go for tall drink recipes. You save time this way and the alcohol level is typically lower.

A simple way to greet your friends before a BBQ is to prepare a pitcher Campari Orange.

• In a tall glass (juice glass) filled with ice cubes, pour 1 part Campari
• 3 parts of orange juice
• Garnish with an orange slice.

Campari Grapefruit is done the same way. The recipe is 1 part Campari for 3 parts of grapefruit juice. Also garnish with an orange slice.

Negroni Recipe Adaptations

When I do not mind something stronger, I sip a Negroni in an old-fashioned glass.

• Pour on the rocks,
• 1 part of gin, you can use Bombay Sapphire Tanqueray or the lighter Plymouth gin
• 1 part of Campari
• 1 part of sweet vermouth (red vermouth)
• Garnish with an orange slice.

If you opt for the Negroni as your signature drink, make sure you get some soda water next by to please everyone. In fact, I usually pour a tiny bit of soda water on my Negroni (not to be mistaken with an Americano, which has no gin). The tall Negroni is less bitter and more refreshing.

Even that may be too much bitter from some people. For them, you could substitute the Campari by a Punt e Mes, an Italian vermouth made by Fratelli Branca with a less bitter component. Use 1/3 gin, 1/3 Punt e Mess and 1/3 red vermouth.

Negroni Sbagliato is another more delicate Negroni version that is supposed to be popular in Italy. You make it with

• 1 part Campari
• 1 part red vermouth
• 1 part Spumante brut (or Pinot Chardonnay sparkling wine)
• Garnish with a slice of orange.

If you wish to create a more bitter version, replace the red vermouth by the Punt e Mes (1 part gin, 1 part Campari, 1 part Punt e Mess). Personally, I would not try that more intensely bitter version.

MORE:
+ 24 cocktail recipes made with Campari