This was excellent. My wife took the glass from me and kept it. I suspect it would work well with white grapefruit juice, too -- maybe even better, depending upon the sweetness of the fruits. I was surprised at how floral it is. The combination really brings out the floral nature of Gran Classico, which Campari lacks. It is also useful as a low-alcohol cocktail. Between the alcohol and the bitterness, it is pleasantly slow-sipping -- perfect for a relaxing afternoon where you might have more than one drink. Yet it drinks like a cocktail, rather than a super-light aperitif.

Dan,

I'm glad y'all liked it - I have a feeling this could be a long drink as well - strain into an ice-filled Collins and top with 3-4 oz of sparkling water.

Thanks,

Zachary

I'm looking forward to trying this one. I'd also love some more good recipes that include Maurin Quina, if anyone would like to share.

This is so, so good.

Christina,

Glad you like it - this was one of those "I'm staring at the liquor cabinet and I have no idea what to make" drinks that turns out to be a happy accident. It's definitely session-y: low alcohol, and bitter enough to force sipping. I think the important thing is not to stir it too long, and if you can, serve it in a small wineglass. I have a set of spirits tasting glasses from Pier One that are sharply tapered at the top and hold about 7 oz total.

Thanks,

Zachary

Little "Negroni." A very apt name for this wonderful drink. The "Negrino" is a somewhat small drink--weighing in at a mere 2 1/4 oz. It's meant to be sipped and enjoyed, slowly. The gin and Campari give this drink a taste similar to a Negroni, but the Punte e Mes and Fernet Branca give the drink a slighty different taste, especially with the lemon twist. For Negroni lovers, the Negrino will be an appreciated diversion. For those who have mixed thoughts about the Negroni, give it a try--the drink is less bitter, especially if you use 1 oz of a top shelf gin. For those who have never tried a Negroni, this drink is a good place to start.

To make this drink, I used Tanqueray Ten (I didn't have the Megellan), and I used a full ounce. Also, I used a shy 1/4 oz of Fernet Branca. And the lemon zest/twist was the icing on the cake. I quickly and easily rated the Negrino at 4.0--almost 4.5. How would yout rate this drink?<br />

Curated to estimate the volume of grapefruit soda used to top the drink.

Curated this - I know it's not easy, but we try to avoid "top with" amounts of ingredients due to different sized glassware. I'm assuming that 4 oz of birch beer would almost fill an ice-filled Collins that had 2 3/4 oz in it.

How exactly do you make ghost pepper syrup. Done incorrectly this could be a dangerous concoction...

Ghost Pepper Syrup

WEARING GLOVES, coarsely chop 1/4 oz. dried ghost peppers. Add them to 2L of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.* Strain the peppers out and measure how much water you have. Add an equal amount of white sugar and stir until dissolved. Bottle. Remove gloves.

*You'll want to open the windows, turn on a fan, and leave the room.