Vermouth Cocktails: Rediscovering the Barrel-Aged Negroni
Vermouth cocktails like Negroni and martini are traditional classic cocktails. There are 2 major types of vermouth cocktails: some use sweet, and some use dry vermouth. A negroni is a type of cocktail that uses sweet vermouth. It is among the best cocktails and is quite well-liked in bars. The procedure of "barrel-aging" is one technique to improve its flavour. Let’s get more into it!
A Brief Guide To Barrel-Aged Negroni Cocktail
Basics of the Negroni
Negroni is one of the cocktails at bars that are easily recognizable because of their popularity. They are the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. Its rich colour and robust flavour make it one of the best cocktails.
Camillo Negroni, an Italian Count in the 20th century, invented it. He had demanded that the soda water in his favourite cocktail be replaced with gin. To give the drink a more unique look, the bartender added an orange peel, now an iconic garnishing of the negroni cocktail.
How to Make The Perfect Negroni Cocktail?
A Negroni is a very easy drink to make for even a beginner. However, it will still manage to impress everyone because of its amazing flavour palette. One ounce of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari should be added. An orange peel should be used for garnishing.
The one thing that's most essential for creating the ideal Negroni cocktail is high-quality ingredients. Campari should always remain constant in all of your attempts to make Negroni. What you can change is the type of vermouth and gin you use. You need to make sure the gin-vermouth pairing you use is complementary to each other and also fits well with the Campari.
You can use different vermouth like herbal, floral, slightly bitter, etc. However, a classic Negroni is made with sweet vermouth. In addition to changing the vermouth flavours, you can try barrel ageing to enhance the cocktail's flavour.
Introduction to Barrel-Aged Negroni
Barrel ageing is a way to add a layer of depth and complexity to classic cocktails. The idea is quite simple. You just put a Negroni cocktail into an oak barrel and let it age for weeks or months. During this time, the cocktail undergoes an infusion of sorts.
The oak barrel adds depth to a Negroni cocktail by providing notes of vanilla and caramel. You can also barrel age your best cocktails by following simple steps. These are:
Step 1: Wash your barrel and let it completely dry.
Step 2: Fill the barrel with the Negroni cocktail and seal it shut. Then, you can taste it weekly until you get your desired flavour.
Step 3: Strain the barrel-aged cocktail into an air-tight container to store it for a very long time.
Conclusion
A barrel-aged negroni cocktail, one of the best vermouth cocktails, becomes a great combination of classic and modern. It can become one of the most flavourful cocktails at bars if aged properly. You will be experiencing the complex flavour profile and be able to taste why it deserves to have aged. For more creative ideas on the best cocktails, visit The Bar now!
