Aperol and Tonic

Credit: Christopher Buecheler, DrinkShouts

Ingredients

3 oz Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water
1 1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz lime juice
2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
lime peel garnish

Directions

Build in a glass, squeeze lemon peel over drink, and use the peel as a garnish.

Notes

Well-balanced, light, refreshing, and with Aperol at only 11% ABV, the equivalent of drinking about 1/4 of a glass of white wine. I changed the recipe to use lime juice once when i didn’t have lemons, and haven’t looked back. The lime juice adds some more acidity to balance out the sweetness of the Aperol.

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Campari Orange (Garibaldi)

Credit: Campari

Ingredients

1 oz Campari
3 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
orange peel garnish (or slice of orange)

Directions

Build in a glass: first add ice, then Campari, then orange juice. Sir and garnish.

Notes

After the butterocalypse of last night’s Cold Buttered Rum, I wanted something light and refreshing—and this nails it! And such a stunning red-orange. I’ve seen all Campari ratios for this: 1:3, 1.5:4, 2:4, so I went with the lightest one, which happens to also be Campari’s version. This would also make a great brunch drink.

This cocktail was originally called a Garibaldi after Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian general who helped unite Northern and Southern Italy. The Campari represents north; the orange, south.

Update

This drink is stunning with blood orange juice as well!

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Monte and Tonic

Credit: Amaro Montenegro website

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
3 oz Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water
orange peel garnish

Directions

Build over ice. Spritz with orange and garnish with the peel.

Notes

A refreshing way to stretch amaro into a long drink!

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Campari and Aranciata Rossa

Ingredients

2 oz Campari
6 oz San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa
1-2 sprays Aftelier Blood Orange Essence Spray
orange peel garnish

Directions

Build in a collins glass. Add ice, orange peel, and spray the top.

Notes

Gorgeous color—the blood orange soda is a deep orange/pink, and of course adding the Campari makes the whole thing jewel-toned. The blood orange oil spray is truly the pure essence of blood orange, and adds a marvelous aroma. It’s bitter, sweet, refreshing…and I imagine would be equally fantastic as an apéritif, at brunch, or with pizza.

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Pimm's Cup

Ingredients

Version 1

1 oz Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
4 oz San Pellegrino Limonata
orange slice

Version 2

1 oz Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
4 oz Fever Tree Ginger Ale
4-5 cucumber slices
lemon slice
several mint leaves

Directions

Build in a collins glass and add ice.

Notes

Verdict: version 2!

I made version 1 of the Pimm’s Cup in travel mugs, as we were walking out the door to go trick-or-treating for Halloween. Refreshing and easy to drink—I make this a bit less strong than the official Pimm’s 1:3 ratio. Limonata is pleasantly bitter.

I made version 2 tonight, and just loved it. The cucumber is essential I realize, as is the mint. I’d like to play around with orange, lemon, and even strawberry as is the official recipe. It’s like a slightly alcoholic iced tea. And when you finish your drink, you can fill the glass with water, and that tastes fantastic too.

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Cynar and Limonata

Ingredients

1 oz Cynar
4 oz San Pellegrino Limonata
lemon wedge

Directions

Build in a collins glass. Add ice and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Notes

Limonata is cheaper and easier to find than lemon tonic water, and just as refreshing. It’s a bit sweeter though.

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Cynar and Lemon Tonic

Ingredients

1 oz Cynar
1/2 6.8 oz bottle Fever Tree Sicilian Lemon Tonic Water
lemon wedge

Directions

Build in a collins glass. Add ice and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Notes

Bitter and refreshing! I’d read about mixing Cynar with lemon soda. I have yet to pick up some San Pellegrino Limonata but had the tonic water on hand. At 16% ABV, the Cynar makes this the equivalent of 1/4 of a glass of red wine—an easy drink to have before dinner! It looks like iced tea.

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Mintonic

Credit: Branca Distillery

Ingredients

1 oz Branca Menta
1/2 tsp brown sugar
juice from 1/2 a lime
several mint leaves
4 oz Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water

Directions

Muddle mint leaves with the brown sugar, lime juice, and Branca Menta. Add tonic water and ice.

Notes

So refreshing and easy to drink! Easily a favorite before or after dinner.

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Beton

Ingredients

1 oz Becherovka liqueur
3 oz Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water
lemon wedge

Directions

Fill collins glass with ice. Add Becherovka and tonic water, then stir. Squeeze lemon into glass and use spent wedge as a garnish.

Notes

Lighter and refreshing! The lemon adds a nice balance.

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