RCP: Tart gin coolers

[Jenise]

Tart Gin Cooler ver. 2

2 oz gin
2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
2 oz tonic water
Peychaud’s bitters to taste
Build in a collins glass filled with ice and serve.

I've never cared much for the relentless bitterness of tonic, so except for one brief summer when I was in love with a Venezuelan who adored the drink, I've never cared for it.

But I really liked this version (found on some Canadian website that offers a Mixology Monday feature), softened with and made more complex by the addition of grapefruit juice and bitters (I used Angostura).

Made a cold winter day feel like summer!

Do you like Negronis? I bought some Campari and sweet red Vermouth when I was trying them out, Louise liked them better than I did, the bitterness really got to me. SO unless we buy gin, we have these red liquids sitting around on top of the fridge.

Your post made me want a sip so I took a juice glass and poured 1/4 Campari, 1/4 Vermouth, and filled it with some juice we had. Dole Orange Peach Mango. Rather nice, and the bitterness wasn't a problem.

Even if I had the gin I wouldn't use it tonight, trying to grade some papers.

F

[Jenise]

Frank, never had a Negroni. I don't care for sweet vermouth any more than I care for Campari, so that drink would be a no go for me.

Rereading your cooler -- much closer to a G&T. I like G&T almost too much. What a treat when the weather gets hot enough, to get some Schweppes tonic and maybe some Key limes, and take a tall G&T outside, sit down next to the Weber and smell the charcoal mixed with steak juices.

Yum.

F

Do you like Negronis? I bought some Campari and sweet red Vermouth when I was trying them out, Louise liked them better than I did, the bitterness really got to me. SO unless we buy gin, we have these red liquids sitting around on top of the fridge.

Your post made me want a sip so I took a juice glass and poured 1/4 Campari, 1/4 Vermouth, and filled it with some juice we had. Dole Orange Peach Mango. Rather nice, and the bitterness wasn't a problem.

Even if I had the gin I wouldn't use it tonight, trying to grade some papers.

F

I love negronis, but I like them made with 1/3 Campari, 1/3 gin, and 1/6 each sweet and dry vermouth. I find these to be more balanced than those made with all sweet vermouth. This is how they make them at the Il Fornaio restaurants.