Ah, summertime! And what better way to savor the sunny season than with a refreshing cocktail.
Recently, I showed you how to make one of my favorite cocktails — a classic Negroni, made with three equal parts of gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth.
But Negronis are definitely on the strong end of the spectrum and not to everyone’s taste, or for every occasion (like, the daytime…)
So if you’re looking for something lighter and more refreshing, you’re in luck, as Negroni comes with two variations: the Negroni “Sbagliato” — literally a “wrong” or “mistaken” Negroni — and the Americano (an aperitif cocktail, not the coffee…obviously).
For these, I like to add an orange slice instead of a twist of orange peel, for extra lightness and fruitiness, but you can do whichever you prefer.
They’re as easy to make as a traditional Negroni, and more suited to taking in a sunny afternoon with friends and imagining being in an Italian piazza, or even better, on the beach.
In the video below, I'm going to show you the two preparations. Let's get mixing!
Negroni Sbagliato — Ingredients and preparation
First up, the Negroni Sbagliato. What makes it "sbagliato"? Well, it translates to "wrong" in Italian. That’s because you swap the gin with…prosecco. So trust me when I say that there's nothing wrong about this variation!
All you need is:
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet red vermouth
- 1 part prosecco
- Orange slice or peel (for garnish)
- Ice cubes (or an ice ball)
And here is how to make a Negroni Sbagliato:
- Grab a tumbler and fill it with ice.
- Pour equal parts of Campari, sweet vermouth, and prosecco, and stir.
- Garnish with an orange slice or peel, whichever you prefer.
And you’re done! The Negroni Sbagliato is ideal for those who like the bitterness of a traditional Negroni but prefer a lighter profile, and makes for a more sparkling and colorful tipple.
Americano — Ingredients and preparation
Next, the classic Americano cocktail, where instead of three alcoholic components, soda water is used.
This cocktail in fact predates the Negroni. The latter came about when Count Negroni requested the soda water be swapped for gin to make it stronger — the man was a hero, and we thank him for it 😉
All you need is:
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet red vermouth
- Club soda
- Orange slice (for garnish)
- Ice cubes
And here is how to make an Americano:
- Grab a tumbler and fill it with ice.
- Pour equal parts of Campari and sweet vermouth over the ice.
- Top it off with a measure of club soda, to your preference, and stir.
- Garnish with an orange slice or a twist of orange peel.
So there you have it, two lighter, fruitier and more easy-drinking variations. As the Negroni becomes increasingly common, the Sbagliato and Americano are my go-tos to mix things up and share something new with friends.
So, grab your shaker, ice cubes, a few simple ingredients…and get stirring. Enjoy!
Alan Dunne,
Inevitaly contributor and home mixologist
👉 More Italian drinks articles
👉 You may also like: How to make a NEGRONI 🥃 (on the rocks or straight up)
👉 Not sure where to get started? We've put together some shopping recommendations to help you mix the perfect aperitif: check it out!
