Summer is here and it's hot! Time to cool off. Going swimming, eating ice cream or leisurely sipping a cold brew - all sound like good ideas. If you don't have any appointments during the summer holidays, you can give it a shot: the Coffee Negroni! The basic recipe is the popular Negroni, a cocktail that is popular everywhere like (almost) no other. Let's take a look at a few recipes that are refined with coffee.
Coffee Negroni – Creation of the original
The true origin of the Negroni is difficult to determine, but many reports trace the drink back to 1919, when Italian nobleman Count Camillo Negroni asked a bartender in Florence to give his favorite cocktail, the Americano (Campari, vermouth, and soda water), a bit of a "kick."
According to the story, the bartender replaced the soda water with gin and the lemon slice with orange. The Negroni was born.
What is certain is that in 1919 the Negroni quickly spread in Florentine bars. Not long after, the Negroni family even founded their own distillery in Treviso, which produced a ready-to-drink version of the cocktail: Antico Negroni 1919.
Coffee Negroni - rise to classic status
In the 1940s and 1950s, the Negroni finally began to become more popular outside Italy. The first printed recipes can be traced back to publications in Great Britain and the USA in 1955. In an interview in 1947, the American filmmaker Orson Welles describes how bitters and the gin "balance each other out".
Since then, the classic Negroni has spawned a number of variations, including the Negroni Sbagliato (gin replaced by Prosecco), the Mezcal Negroni (gin replaced by Mezcal) and the Ti-Negroni (gin replaced by Tequila). And of course, the Coffee Negroni.
Coffee Negroni – the original recipe
The Negroni's popularity lies primarily in its simplicity. It consists of one part Campari, one part sweet red vermouth and one part gin. It is stirred, poured over ice and garnished with an orange slice. It is so popular that an entire week of celebrations has been dedicated to it. This year it takes place from September 16th to 22nd. Here is the original recipe again:
- 3 cl Gin
- 3 cl Campari
- 3 cl sweet red vermouth
Mix all ingredients with ice, then strain into a new glass with ice cubes and add an orange slice or a piece of orange zest.
Coffee Negroni – more and more variations
In recent years, more and more Negroni variations have emerged from bars around the world and have become just as popular as the original. One of the most popular is definitely the Coffee Negroni. In this variant, an espresso or coffee liqueur is usually added to the original recipe. Like other coffee cocktails, the Coffee Negroni offers a unique flavor dimension and an energy boost thanks to the caffeine. In addition, the Coffee Negroni does not replace any original ingredients, but simply adds something.
Coffee Negroni – several possibilities
Coffee and alcohol have gone hand in hand for centuries. Coffee cocktails have been enjoyed all over the world for centuries, from the Carajillo and Café Amore to the Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee. So it's no real surprise that the Coffee Negroni has quickly caught on. This is probably because coffee and the original Negroni both impress with fruity-sweet notes and bitter-tart tones. Similar to a regular Negroni, the Coffee Negroni is easy to make and has a distinctive taste, especially if you use high-quality coffee liqueurs or good quality coffee.
Coffee Negroni – Espresso
Since the 2010s, bartenders (or baristas) have been adding espresso or coffee liqueur to the Negroni. However, there is no exact recipe, so it is always up to the bartender to find the right mixing ratio or simply to experiment. Here is our recipe for the version with a cooled espresso shot. We recommend the Wildsau or the Vienna Calling .
- 3 cl Gin
- 3 cl Campari
- 3 cl sweet red vermouth
- 1 espresso (which is about 3 cl)
Stir all ingredients with ice and then strain into a glass with ice cubes, garnish with an orange slice or zest.
Coffee Negroni – Cold Brew
If you don't have a portafilter machine at home or just want to try something different, you can of course also try coffee liqueur. But since the Negroni already consists of three types of alcohol, we recommend simply using a cold brew for the summer drink Coffee Negroni. We can highly recommend the one from 25GRAMS or you can use the one from Wildkaffee.
- 3 cl Gin
- 3 cl Campari
- 3 cl sweet red vermouth
- 3 cl Cold Brew
Stir all ingredients with ice and then strain into a glass with ice cubes, garnish with an orange slice or zest.
Coffee Negroni – Variations and Ideas
For the more inventive, there is also the option of refining your Campari with coffee. To do this, simply take a handful of coffee beans (preferably Wildsau or Vienna Calling) and pour them into your Campari bottle. Leave the whole thing to steep overnight and then filter it through filter paper. This way, you can easily mix the original recipe with your coffee Campari.
And if you like to experiment with fruitiness, you can simply use a light roast for the espresso shot instead of a dark roast. This will complement the fruity tones of the original cocktail with the fruity notes of the espresso.
Coffee Negroni – Conclusion
So, next time you're sitting comfortably in the sun in a bar, ask if you can have a Coffee Negroni instead of drinking your umpteenth Espresso Martini - you already know the one. You'll see, it's refreshing, fruity, bitter, sweet and there's a caffeine kick to boot. Who knows, maybe it'll become your new favorite drink!
