Nowadays the Negroni is as ubiquitous as Love Island stars in the Mail Online sidebar, but – like all the best legends – it’s origins are heavily disputed, with champions on both sides of the historical fence. To celebrate Negroni Week 2020 we’re going to take a look at how this now classic cocktail came into being.

Geography

Negroni is a popular family name in Northern Italy and it’s generally accepted that the cocktail is derived from the Americano, which was in turn based on the Milano-Torino, which takes its name from the hometowns of the two main ingredients: equal part Campari (Milan) and Amaro Costa (Turin).

The Milano-Torino is said to have been invented in Caffe Costa by Gaspare Campari. The area was popular with Americans who, not used to such strong drinks, would ask for their cocktail to be watered down with a splash of soda, thus giving birth to the Americano.

The Cocktail-Crazy Count

The story runs that Count Camillo Negroni, a notorious bon vivant, sometime cowboy, gambler and lover of all things boozy, asked for an extra kick to be added to his Americano. The bartender switched soda for gin and this subsequently became the Count’s regular order. It soon gained a reputation and more and more customers began to request a ‘Count Negroni’ and the cocktail we know today was born.

The French Lieutenant

While this is a romantic notion it’s been disputed that a Count Camillo has ever existed within the Negroni family genealogy. Instead, historians argue that Pascal Oliver Comte de Negroni was the true inventor, and was in fact, a Frenchman who fought in the Franco-Prussian wars. During a particularly decadent soiree, he introduced his friends at the Officers Club to his favourite cocktail, which contained vermouth, a drink now believed to be the source of the Negroni cocktail.

Historical Evidence

Some of the earliest mentions are in two guides printed in 1955. The UKBG Guide to Drinks, and Oscar Haimo’s Wine Digest, published in the UK and US respectively. Andrew Willet also found a reference to the Negroni in Horace Sutton’s Footloose in Italy, which mentions the Negroni as a popular Italian export native to the country.

We also have the famous quote from Orson Welles, who said upon trying his first (alleged) Negroni in 1947: ‘The bitters are excellent for the liver, the gin is good for you. They balance each other out!’. There are also references to James Bond enjoying a Negroni or two when a Martini wasn’t available.

Does It Matter?

However it arrived in our glasses, the Negroni is loved for good reason. It’s a true all-rounder, which can be enjoyed ice cold in summer, and will just as easily warm you on those chilly winter nights. Its ubiquity is testament so its smoothness, balance and bittersweet flavours, making it a perennial crowd-pleaser.

And with such an elegant little cocktail, what better gin to serve with than a cool, clean shot of Fifty Pounds? It’s a marriage made in heaven.

Find our recipe here: https://fiftypoundsgin.london/cocktail/negroni/

When reading a cocktail recipe, it often suggests a style of glassware used for that drink.  There are certain unwritten rules within the World of Mixology, and every Cocktail recipe made, is designed for a specific Cocktail glass, to get the “correct experience” and fully take advantage of the creation in hand.

Why is this even important you might ask?  With this guide you will hopefully see why it indeed is important.

SHOP YOUR OWN GLASSWARE

I love to shop and find new glassware – the more vintage the better. Don’t be afraid to buy it second-hand; this is often where all the gems are located.

The first tip – Don’t buy very thin glasses – these will most likely break at one time or another, while hand washing them, and you will instantly regret losing one of your favourite glasses this way.

After washing your priceless glassware, dry them immediately to avoid water spots – sipping from a crystal clear glass is part of the Cocktail Experience.

THE ESSENTIAL GLASSWARES

The Martini Glass

This conical shaped glass is often used for serving Martinis – so this glass is simply referred to as a “Martini Glass”, but the correct term is actually a “Cocktail glass”.

Use this glass for any kind of Martini variation (like my favourite one; Espresso Martini) or any short drink. The drinks enjoyed with this kind of glass is often “served up” (without ice). I do however enjoy a large block of clear ice in mine – to keep it chilled for longer, and for its beauty.

The Coupe Glass

This broad-bowled shaped glass is often used for the same purpose as a Martini glass and is often seen to even replace the Martini glass.

Use this glass for cocktails that are served “up” (no ice), like the Manhattan (Bourbon/Rye, Sweet vermouth, bitters) or Gimlet (Gin, Lime juice and Simple syrup). I often serve my cocktails made in a Coupe glass, with a large block of ice. I do this because I enjoy that the drink is nicely chilled from start until the end.  By using a large block of ice, it won’t dilute the drink too much either.

The Old Fashioned Glass.

This short tumbler of a glass is often used for serving short mixed drinks or straight pour of liquor served over a large block of ice.

Often referred to as a “lowball” or “Rocks Glass”, this is one of my absolute favourite glasses (partly because one of my favourite cocktails, The Old Fashioned, is made using a glass of this type.

My favourite Old Fashioned variation contains Rum, Maple Syrup, Chocolate bitters and a dehydrated orange wheel – stirred with great patience and to perfection.

The Highball Glass

This tall glass, shaped like a chimney, is often used for serving mixed drinks filled with plenty of quality ice.

The recipes are often built directly in the glass itself, by pouring the ingredients directly over the ice finished by a wee stir.

The most classic cocktail using this type of glass is for sure the “Screwdriver” (Vodka, orange juice and plenty of ice) or the Legendary “Gin & Tonic”.

When ready for it, I recommend you try serving a “Dark & Stormy” (Dark rum, lime juice, topped with lime wedges and ginger beer) or the “Cuba Libre” (Rum, lime juice, topped with lime wedges and cola).

The Copa Glass

Typically shaped like a balloon and sits on a stem almost like a red wine glass, this type of glass is perfectly suited for sipping a Gin & Tonic.

Nick and Nora Glass

The Margarita Glass

This bowl-shaped glass is often used for serving margaritas, either on the rocks or frozen.  These glasses often have a wide rim, making it easy to add sugar and/or salt.

Want to share with good friends? Don’t worry, these type of glasses can easily be found in really large sizes, containing up to 60oz/180cl of liquid.

My all-time favourite Margarita must be the “Strawberry Margarita”; Light rum, Triple sec, lime juice, sugar and plenty of strawberries, blended with ice.

The Champagne Glass

This tall, thin glass, is often used for serving Cocktails containing Champagne.  This type of glass is designed, on purpose, to keep the Champagne’s bubbles in the glass longer.

My favourite Champagne Cocktail must be the “French 75”; Gin, Lemon juice, Simple Sugar Syrup, topped with Champagne (or prosecco), and garnished with a lemon peel.

THE NEXT STEP

Now that you got the Basic’s all done, why not take it a wee step further?

The Tiki mug

These kitschy ceramic mugs, often formed as various animals or Polynesian Gods invites you to create funky-fresh cocktails. 

I recommend that you try the “Grog” (Dark rum, lime juice, Demerara syrup and water, filled with plenty of ice, garnished with plenty of flowers and fresh citrus fruits).

The copper mug

These metallic mugs will keep your cocktails super cold and chilled (or so myth has it), and is a pleasant sight for sure.

The mug quickly takes on the Cocktails icy temperature, therefore turning the whole mug into a super icy and frosty vessel.

Don’t deny yourself a nice and fresh “Moscow Mule” (Vodka, Lime juice, topped with ginger beer, garnished with lime wedges and fresh lemon thyme).

The punch bowl

Not really a “glass” as one knows it, but rather a bowl perfect for serving many guests at a time, and can be made ready before the guests arrive, making it very practical as well as festive.

I definitely recommend the always crowd-pleasing “Fish House Punch” (Dark rum, Cognac, Peach Brandy, Black Tea, Lemon juice, Simple syrup, Fresh lemon wheels and plenty of ice).

IN SUMMARY

With these types of glasses stocked in your own very Home Bar, you are all set to enter the wonderful World of Mixology. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment, and don’t be afraid to “break the rules” – only through “Trial & Error” can you really perfect your own Cocktail Creations.

Author: Morten Krag, @thecocktail.blog

The underlying message of our blogs is, inevitably, buy our gin. And you should: it’s absolutely delicious and wonderfully classic. The underlying message of this blog, however, is that you should buy our gin… and bottles of several other things, such as Campari, mezcal, vermouth and Aperol. Why? Because domestic cocktail making is on the rise, thanks to social media – and last year’s remarkable British summer.

We’ll add the expected caveats to that statement, of course, in that you should – please! – continue to drink responsibly and that you shouldn’t feel pressured to make your own cocktails just because that’s, as we’re about to demonstrate, what the (very) cool kids do so they can show their creations on Instagram. But if you are so inclined, it’s a very good opportunity to improve the way you drink – and improve the way you make drinks because, as our recipe section suggests, we do think all drinkers (and, particularly, Fifty Pounds Gin drinkers) should have a couple of faultless cocktails up their sleeve. Making cocktails at home is a fine way to learn a little more about what goes into your drinks, their creation and flavour profiles, all of which will, perhaps, help you develop a greater appreciation of your drinks cabinet AND the mixologist’s art. Because, while Instagram is clearly a hugely visual medium, the current craze is less about the elaborate creations of recent years, and more about the simple, subtler side of the art. Although, to be fair, your Instagram success may depend a little on how photogenic you are as well as the prettiness of your glassware…

According to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), last year saw a massive revival in liqueur sales. Figures now available for 2018 show that some 42m bottles were consumed across the UK’s homes, bars, pubs and restaurants.

Much of this figure comes from the remarkable 74% of UK bars that now serve cocktails – a number that seems to increase week on week in cities such as London – although, as mentioned above, the long hot summer certainly played a part. The WSTA reports that, in the 12 weeks to September, shops and supermarkets saw a whopping 56% rise in “non-cream liqueur sales”, equating to some four million bottles, and an increase of 1.4m from the same period in 2017.

Summer 2018 “saw an explosion in popularity of herbal bitter liqueurs and red-orange aperitifs mixed with sparkling wine,” explains the WSTA report. “These drinks, served in pretty stem glasses, proved very Instagrammable, and consumers were keen to share their snaps of the vibrant, colourful cocktails on social media.”

(Don’t worry about the cream liqueurs though. Even in the warmth, the likes of Baileys and Kahlua also saw an upturn in sales, with a 33% increase compared to 2017.)

The idea of “Drinkstagram” – or, to give it is more expected prefix #drinkstagram – has been well documented over the last couple of years, from national papers to great drinks business publications such as Diffords Guide. The cocktail making art has always been a visual one, hence this micro-blogging and photographic app has become its natural home.

While many people are using Instagram to document their life – from coffee art to pretty shop fronts, spectacular breakfasts to a pair of new shoes – to an audience of family and friends, a number of people are carving out a huge following and turning that following into a viable business opportunity. The Drinkstagram community is no different -although they do have one advantage in that, for the most part, you can recreate much of what they do yourself, wherever you are in the world. Looking attractive in a $1000-a-night hotel suite while wearing a designer watch and a pair of expensive shoes is something most of us will never be able to do. Making a cocktail inside a chocolate bunny because you saw it on Instagram, however, is something you can have a crack at in the comfort of your own home.

That particular example comes from Australian mixologist @cocktailsbykurtis but there are plenty of “amateurs” out there, such as the brilliantly named “apartment bartender” who’s turning a love of cocktail making into something bigger, while inspiring – at this point – around 56,000 people with his regular recipes. The same applies to the likes of @beautifulbooze – who mixes travel and creative drinking to great effect.

If you want to track down this wealth of drinks creation, it’s worth noting a few of the more popular drink-based hashtags. We’ve already pointed you towards #drinkstagram but #drinksofinstagram is also worth a look, ditto #instadrinks, #cocktailhour, #mixology, #cocktailgram and the very-to-the-point #cocktails. All of these should offer you hundreds of recipes to consider or, at the very least, keep you colourfully entertained for a few minutes.

So where does Fifty Pounds fit into this? Well, we see this rise of the simple, wonderfully coloured photogenic cocktail as something that’s riding on the back of the gin craze: think Negroni, think Aviation, think classic Bramble…  They’re all great starting points for home mixologists. They’re all excellent cocktails to master and will always win you fans. Perhaps most importantly, they’re all very good starting points before you move on to some of the more complex things you will no doubt find online.

If this article has inspired you to get mixing, do let us know. You can find us on Instagram at @fiftypoundsgin and we’d love it if you tag us into your photos. There’s no pressure though. Domestic mixology is meant to be fun and, whatever happens – or however many attempts it takes – the best thing about these drinks is not that they’re pretty. It’s that they’re pretty delicious.