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The Drink of Summer

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The Suggestion:  Campari and Soda with a twist

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Not the Americano which has sweet vermouth.  Not the Negroni either, which packs an extra jab of gin.

Just Campari, soda, and a twist:

  • Put ice in a rocks glass (or highball if you’re thirsty)
  • Pour Campari over ice to taste (at least half Campari)
  • Top off with soda water
  • Garnish with orange twist

Right.  About as complicated as making toast.

It looks manly enough and the taste is acquired.  Meaning:  it’s no sugary sweet thing.  And thanks to a proof in the 40s, Campari has much less alcohol than your standard liquors.  Gin usually clocks in around 80-90 proof.  With Campari’s bitter distinctive taste, you can’t help but sip it.  So not only are you putting less booze in your system, you’re also taking it in at a much slower pace.

And that’s good.  Because the only thing worse than a drunk, is a sweaty summer drunk.

Your favorite warm weather drink and why it’s a good bet is more than welcome in the comments below…

Comments

  2. Mojitos, caipiranias, dark and stormy, and pretty much any Mexican beer!!

  4. Negroni Sbagliato – translates to “wrong Negroni.” Replaces the gin in a traditional Negroni with sparkling wine, which lowers the alcohol content as with a Campari & Soda, and also makes it so much more refreshing. Give it a try – it’s an incredibly perfect summer drink.

  5. I love Campari, on the rocks, Americano, Negroni, it all works. (However, let’s not kid ourselves that it ‘looks manly enough’–it looks like a red, fruity drink) A couple of other great summer drinks include Gin & Tonic, Jack & Ginger Ale–no idea if these are manly looking either. I think if you want to “look manly” when drinking, then go with scotch, neat. To “look manly” for a summer drink, then go with scotch on the rocks. Bottom line, drink what you want, just do so “manly.”

  6. Joe, you’re 100% correct. Campari is the official drink of summer at my house. Campari and soda is excellent with any citrus. I also like to add the juice of half a blood orange when I can get them. I strongly recommend it.

  7. It doesn’t look fruity in a short glass on the rocks.  Scotch neat in summertime… that’s… no thanks.  I’d rather drink a good gin on the rocks.  We can agree to disagree here.  I think the rocks glass is key.

  9. Oh how I love Campari! Americanos, Negronis, with soda, with OJ… they all work for me. And as any diehard James Bond fan knows, the first cocktail Bond orders in Fleming’s original novels is an Americano.

  11. Give me a Gin & Tonic or give me death!  Or maybe a Tom Collins.  

    If you can find it, buy tonic from Fever Tree or Fentimans and toss out that Canada Dry swill. 

  12. I’m definitely on board with the first 3. Recently discovered the dark and stormy… wonderful

  13. This has been my summer drink for about 3-4 years now. It’s definitely an acquired taste, but I love it.