Bittersweet Sipper: How to Make an N/A Negroni
Summmmmmer! If you’re looking for a refreshing non-alcoholic summer sip, I’ve got you covered.
This hibiscus-based mocktail drink is a delicious bittersweet sipper, along the lines of a non-alcoholic negroni. It’s refreshing and even brings health benefits…good for you blood pressure and heart health, immune support, and digestion.
Is this really a true non-alcoholic negroni? I’ll admit that negronis aren’t my usual go-to…I don’t gravitate toward really bitter. I don’t think a negroni lover would consider this a perfect copycat. However, it’s exactly what I want…it brings the bitterness and slight herbal digestive feel of Campari, though it has a bit more warm spices and a little more sweetness.
If you really want a dupe, there is an actual non-alcoholic Campari substitute called Sanbitter, made in Italy. It’s a pretty perfect sub (they also have an Aperol version).
But regardless of what you want to call it, this mocktail is exactly what we need for summer nights where we want a fancy and delicious cocktail, but not wake up at 3:00am sweating and heart pounding.
How to make a non-alcoholic negroni
Use a vegetable peeler to peel the orange, avoiding as much white pith as possible. In a small saucepan, combine the orange peel with the tea, peppercorns, cloves, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the sugar and stir in until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool completely (about 2 hours). Then strain the tea and discard the solids.
Store in an airtight container (I recommend a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To serve, in a large pitcher, stir together the tea, tonic water, grapefruit juice and about 1 cup ice. Divide among rocks glasses filled with ice and garnish with orange wedges.
Recipe by Dan Pelosi via NYT
Other delicious drinks–with & without alcohol:
- Mocktail: How to Make a Unique & Refreshing Blueberry Basil Espresso Tonic
- Mocktail: Citrus Cardamom Coffee Spritzer
- With alcohol: How to Make an Italian Gin & Tonic
- With alcohol: Why the White Port & Tonic Needs To Be Your Next Cocktail
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Bittersweet Sipper: Non-Alcoholic Negroni (Spiced Hibiscus Mocktail)
Ingredients
- HIBISCUS TEA MIXTURE
- The peel of 1 medium navel orange
- 15-20 g of looseleaf organic hibiscus tea or 8-9 tea bags
- 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon of whole cloves
- 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 3 cups of water
- FOR SERVING per 1 drink
- 2 ounces of the hibiscus tea mixture
- 2 ounces of unsweetened pink grapefruit juice
- 2-4 ounces of good tonic water or soda water e.g. Q or Fevertree
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the orange, avoiding as much white pith as possible. In a small saucepan, combine the orange peel with the tea, peppercorns, cloves, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the sugar and stir in until dissolved, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let cool completely (about 2 hours).
- Strain the tea and discard the solids. Store in an airtight container (I recommend a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- To serve, in a large pitcher, stir together the tea, tonic water, grapefruit juice and about 1 cup ice. Divide among rocks glasses filled with ice and garnish with orange wedges.
