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BitterAperitifStirred

Nogroni (Non-Alcoholic Negroni)

The most convincing zero-proof classic there is, because bitterness survives losing the alcohol better than anything else.

Prep
3 min
Serves
1
Glass
Rocks
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 oz non-alcoholic bitter aperitivo
  • 1 oz non-alcoholic gin alternative
  • 1 oz non-alcoholic sweet vermouth alternative (or strong cold red tea with a little sugar)
  • Orange peel, to garnish
  • One large ice cube

Method

  1. 1Add all three ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
  2. 2Stir for 25 to 30 seconds. Longer than you think — the dilution is part of the recipe, not an accident.
  3. 3Strain over one large cube in a rocks glass.
  4. 4Express the orange peel over the surface — squeeze it skin-side down so the oils spray across the drink — then drop it in.

Notes

  • This is the drink to make if you're sceptical that zero-proof cocktails can work. Bitterness is the flavour alcohol was carrying, and here it's still there.
  • If you only own one non-alcoholic bottle, make it the bitter aperitivo — it's the hardest thing to improvise.
  • Strong cold-brewed red rooibos with a pinch of sugar is a surprisingly good stand-in for the vermouth.

Common questions

Does a non-alcoholic negroni actually taste like a negroni?

Closer than almost any other zero-proof classic. A negroni's identity is bitterness and botanicals rather than the alcohol itself, so the substitutes have much less to hide.

Make one of these next

  • Cold Brew Tonic

    Smoother and less acidic than espresso tonic, and you can make it without a machine.

  • Espresso Tonic

    Bitter, bright and genuinely one of the best non-alcoholic drinks going. Two ingredients and one bit of technique.

  • Grapefruit Rosemary Soda

    Bitter, herbal and barely sweet — for people who don't want a sweet drink at all.

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