Yep, that’s spelled right. This week’s cocktail for “non alcoholic Cocktail” month is the “NOgroni”, a non-alcoholic take on the “Negroni” cocktail. How on earth did we do that? Enter: a sample we received of Lyre’s non-alcoholic liqueurs. (Thanks, Lyre’s!)
There are a lot of ways to make non-alcoholic cocktails, and this one really leans heavily on its ingredients: Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso and Lyre’s Italian Orange – both non-alcoholic. And I’ll be the first to admit that if you were tasting this side-by-side with a Negroni, you’d definitely tell the difference. But I also have to say that this drink checks a lot of the same boxes that a Negroni does too: it’s complex, bitter, a bit herbal and a touch of sweetness to boot.
The trick with this (and frankly most NA cocktails) is to be very careful about dilution. Yes, in the photo Chris presented it with a big beautiful ice cube, but if you’re not just going for aesthetics, hold the cube! The water can quickly turn your “cocktail” into a watery shadow of its former self.
If you’re a Negroni lover skipping the booze you won’t find this one to be exactly the same, but it’s definitely as close as I’ve seen yet!
p.s. if you’re in the Craft Cocktail Club, stop by the Q&A we hosted with Amanda Singletery, Brand Ambassador from Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic spirits. I’m sure she’d love to answer your questions too!
JAPANESE JIGGER
This jigger has one job and it does it well! Measure your ingredients perfectly every time, then toss it in the dishwasher. It’s durable and built to last, even if you dropped it (not that you would…)
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Non-alcoholic Aperitif Rosso Lyre’s
- 1.5 oz Non-alcoholic Italian Orange Lyre’s
Instructions
- Add both ingredients into a mixing glass
- Fill with ice and stir to chill
- Fill a bucket glass with fresh ice and strain cocktail over fresh ice
- Garnish with an orange peel and enjoy
