Summer Campari Cocktail
A luscious and complex cocktail, this Summer Campari Cocktail is the perfect blend of ingredients and my favorite use of Campari.
One thing I never have to worry about is running out of ideas for cocktails each week. I’ve got more ideas than I have time to develop them but even so, sometimes I let a brand give me a hand. When the good people of Campari wanted to work with me and feature their apertif in this Summer Campari Cocktail though I was a bit hesitant.
Truth? Not a big fan. Campari has a pronounced bitter component from the botanicals that are used to brew this gorgeous elixir and I’ve always found I love it’s little sister Aperol more. Less bitter = better or at least in my book.
I’ve tried the Negroni and it simply was not my preference, I’ve always preferred my version, the Aperol Negroni, it suits me better. Be careful though…if you check it out, there are some people who I think would have me hung for suggesting it. Oops. Sorry guy but my blog, my business! 🙂
But I can’t forget I was always the mom who encouraged my kids to ‘give it another try’ as we all know our tastes change over time so I was willing to give it a go. I did ask Campari to provide me with a recipe and when they did, I was excited to see this one was from the one and only Pamela Wiznitzer (@PamelaWiznitzer on Twitter).
Pamela is a well known bartender from the New York City area who has won numerous awards and is heralded as one of the best. I’ve done work with a different brand using one of her recipes that combined bourbon, pomegranate and ginger beer and it was terrific so I was suddenly more enthused.
This one has only cemented her reputation with me. Seriously amazing cocktail. Named ‘Cold in the Shadows’ originally, I’ve simplified that. I’m not big on naming cocktails, preferring to simply tell’em like I see’em and this truly is a great Summer Campari Cocktail!
Campari is one of the most gorgeous liqueurs ever. It’s vibrant orange hues remind me of sunset colors over the Rocky Mountains and in this cocktail it was just as warm and magical. And I really mean magical.
Can I share that never in a million years would I have thought to combine Campari, raspberry liqueur, lime juice, honey syrup and beer and have a result I loved so much.
The sweetness of the honey and the liqueur did everything I had hoped for; successfully tempering the herbaceous tones of the Campari enough that while much harder to discern than it is in a Negroni, you can tell it’s there but it’s simply a complex note for a cocktail that for me was more reminiscent of something with grapefruit.
Slightly bitter, a bit tart and really, truly, trust me…AMAZING!
One thing that made this a possibility was Ms. Wiznitzer’s use of relatively standard ingredients. I get asked quite often to showcase a brand and an up and coming mixologist (bartender) by re-creating a cocktail that most often has won a competition. I usually send my regrets.
The sourcing of exotic ingredients would take me half a day to find and then result in a cocktail that would have a cost for most users that make them a less than acceptable suggestion from me. I want all of YOU to be able to re-create these too and this one was easy.
With some great surprise the one thing I was shocked that I had was a bottle of India Pale Ale. Shocked I tell ya! I am so not a beer drinker but I use them occasionally in cocktails so I do have a small assortment in the farthest reaches of my fridge.
That one was an IPA was sort of amazing but still, it’s not a specialty bitters or liqueur that is almost impossible to find. So I can heartily suggest that you give this one a try; I think you’ll be equally surprised at how this simple list of ingredients creates an elixir that is in-describable!
PIN IT! ‘Summer Campari Cocktail’
Summer Campari Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz lime juice
- ½ oz honey syrup 1:1 ratio of honey to water, simply warm both in microwave until honey has melted and blended with water, cool
- ½ oz Raspberry Liqueur I used Chambord
- 1 ½ oz India Pale Ale
- Lime and orange slices for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for IPA in a cocktail shaker. Shake just enough to mix and chill then add the beer and stir.
- Fill a high ball glass with crushed ice and strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with lime and orange slices and insert a straw.
What a delicious looking cocktail. It is going on my must try list.
The Old Fat Guy
A leap of faith for sure and one I’m glad I took!
I think of you and your summer drinks as it’s getting colder with every passing day. I’m going to make a pina colada today just to feel summery again. 🙂
Then I want one of these campari cocktails of yours.
Well I have plenty of warm drinks just for you; so weird how opposite we are!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m so glad you loved the cocktail (It’s one of my favorites on my menu at Seamstress in NYC). Hope you can come visit soon!
Just loved it; thanks so much!
Oh I am intrigued by the color and the allure of the taste of this magical cocktail! I think I could be convinced to host a party just to have an excuse to try out this drink! And that is saying something from unsocial me! : )
Or even easier? Come on down!!
I am so trying this at happy hour. We have campari and hubby complains I’m not drinking it fast enough. This ought to do the trick!
I hope you love it as much as I did Abbe; seriously, SERIOUSLY fantastic!
I love the color of Campari! Love its flavor, too, although it does require some careful handling IMO, otherwise it can be overpowering. This is a great drink! Never would have thought of this combo. Really nice — thanks.
John I simply can not tell how great this was and now know that the secret to my liking Campari is a mixed drink! The strangest blends of ingredients but seriously out of this world!