Pineapple-Infused Negroni

The first week of June is #NegroniWeek, which is a time when lots of bars make Negronis and donate a portion of the sales to charitable causes. It’s also a time when many of us simply stock up on Campari so that we can make some creative Negronis at home. The Negroni is a classic that is easy to put your own spin on, whether you are keeping it simple by using rum instead of gin or by adding your own infusions, tinctures or other elements to the mix.

This Pineapple-Infused Negroni starts with a pineapple-infused Campari. Crushing fresh pineapple and adding it to the bitter orange liqueur to infuse results in an aperitif that has a lovely tropical sweetness and a bright acidity. It only takes 24 hours to get a nice infusion, after which time you’ll need to strain out the pineapple. Use a very fine strainer to get out as much of the pineapple pulp as possible so that your finished liqueur is as clear as (or close to) the original. It’s a little softer than straight Campari and really captures the flavor of summer when it is introduced to cocktails.

While this makes an amazing addition to a Jungle Bird, we’re sticking to Negronis this week. We used a classic equal parts recipe with gin and sweet vermouth. We’ve been using Leopold Bros Summer Gin and Beefeater 24 in our Negronis this week, but you can use any gin here. Cocci de Torino, though other brands of vermouth can also be used to make a delicious Negroni with this recipe.

Pineapple-Infused Campari
8-oz crushed, fresh pineapple
8-oz Campari

Combine pineapple and Campari in a large mixing glass or measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap and let infuse in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Strain out fruit through a fine strainer/cheesecloth before using.

Pineapple-Infused Negroni
1 oz pineapple-infused Campari
1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir for 20-30 seconds, or until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with a slice of orange or pineapple and a few pineapple fronds.