Italian drinks for the summer evening: make them yourself

Summer. Holidays. Late afternoon after a day at the beach. A terrace in the twilight with a view of the sea. With a chilled glass on the table in front of you. An aperitif before you decide what to do with the evening ahead. Prosecco, Campari or Aperol Spritz are at hand. But isn't there something else to experience when it comes to Italian aperitifs? Here are some tips on how to make the tastiest Italian drinks yourself: the classic and the (almost) alcohol-free.

Italians are not only good winemakers, but also know how to mix cocktails. There are the real classics made with Italian ingredients, which have been available to order since the first half of the last century.

And of course there are the analcolic, the non-alcoholic Italian aperitifs, which you could order at any time of the day, so to speak. So choose one of the drinks from the list below and be surprised!

The classic Italian aperitifs

First up are the classic Italian summer drinks with alcohol. If you prefer to drink your drink without alcohol, scroll to theanalcolic Below.

L'Americano

The 'Americano' is the first Italian cocktail served as an aperitif. The cocktail probably owes its name to the boxer Primo Carnera, who became world heavyweight champion in 1933 at Madison Square Garden. That was quite special: for the first time in history a non-American won that title! The Italians celebrated the homecoming of their champion by naming this cocktail "The American" in his honor, to commemorate his special victory.

How do you make the L'Americano?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 3cl Campari
• 3 cl red vermouth
• a splash of soda water
• a slice of lemon

Negroni

The Negroni was first mixed in the years 1919-1925 by the Florentine bartender Scarselli for Count Camillo Negroni. This one wanted a firmer Americano, with gin instead of club soda. Scarselli replaced the lemon slice with orange. The result pleased the count, who from then on ordered only 'the usual'. The orange-colored cocktail became one of the most famous Italian aperitifs.

How do you make the Negroni?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 3 cl of gin
• 3cl Campari
• 3 cl red vermouth
• half a slice of orange

Bellini

In the late 30s, Giuseppe Cipriani mixed, capo barista from the famous Harry's Bar in Venice for the first time this long drink. It consists of sparkling white wine and the juice and mashed pulp of a white peach. The drink owes its name to its color: it reminded Cipriani of the pink cloak of a person in a painting by Bellini.

How do you make the Bellini?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 10 cl prosecco or spumante
• 5 cl pureed (white) peach with juice

Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz – or Spritz for short – is originally a Venetian aperitif, served with ice and a green olive. The terrace hit from years ago is here to stay in the Low Countries. This delicious bittersweet orange drink is made by filling 40% of a large glass with prosecco, adding 20% ​​Aperol and 20% sparkling water. Of course you drink this perfect aperitif ice cold with ice cubes and garnished with a slice of orange. Extra plus: such a spritzer in Italy you usually get served with a bowl of chips or some other pretzels.

How do you make the Spritz?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 1/3 white wine
• 1/3 Campari
• 1/3 carbonated spring water

The variant with Aperol is now more famous. How you do the Aperol Spritz makes, you can read here.

Negroni Sbagliato

The Negroni Sbagliato – the wrong Negroni – is an invention of Mirko Stochetto. For a customer who ordered a Negroni one fine day, he mixed the cocktail, but instead of taking the bottle of gin, grabbed the bottle of Spumante that hadn't been put back in its proper place. And thanks to that mistake, a new cocktail was born!

How do you make the Negroni Sbagliato?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 1/3 Campari
• 1/3 red vermouth
• 1/3 a dry spumante or prosecco

garnish the glass with a slice of orange

The (almost) analcolici: Italian aperitifs without alcohol

If you prefer to drink something with a lower alcohol content or even completely alcohol-free, there is plenty of choice. This year (2016) the trend has started to experiment more and more with alcohol-free cocktails and the slightly alcoholic ones, the so-called mock tails. Many hip bars have their own aperitif cocktails, which are not yet widely known.

That's why you won't be able to get an Italian beetroot juice-based aperitif (no kidding!) anywhere by any means, but you can ask the bartender or man what they can make for you. If you don't appreciate these kinds of taste adventures, you can of course also choose the well-known analcolic that you find everywhere.

crodino

Crodino is the most famous and most drunk non-alcoholic aperitif in Italy. It is named after the small town of Crodo, in the northwest of the country, where the orange-colored drink has been produced since 1964. After mixing all the ingredients, including spring water, cloves and cardamom, the drink matures for six months in oak barrels.

Sanbittèr: red or white

The first analcolico produced in Italy in 1961. The red variety has a firmer taste, the white variety is drier and finer. You can drink Sanbittèr as is, but also use it in an alcohol-free cocktail.

Garibaldi

Garibaldi is a slightly alcoholic aperitif. The name is a tribute to Giuseppe Garibaldi: the red of Campari Bitter recalls his famous red coat, the orange juice of his landing in Sicily.

How do you make the Garibaldi?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 3 cl red Campari
• 7 cl orange juice
• decorate the glass with a slice of orange

Fruit and Tonic

A drink for a warm summer evening. All you need is a shaker to mix the following ingredients.

How do you make the Fruit and Tonic?

• 8 cl orange juice
• 2 cl lemon juice
• 1 small bottle of tonic (20cl)
• ice

Decorate the glass with a ½ slice of lemon.

Or opt for a digestive like Limoncello

Also a nice summer drink – but not an aperitif but a digestive – is of course the limoncello.

Limoncello comes from the region around Sorrento in southern Italy and is made from lemon peels and alcohol. That sounds simple and it is. The Italians drink a glass of limoncello after a good meal.

💡Tip: put your bottle of limoncello in the freezer. Due to the high alcohol percentage (minimum 30%) it will not freeze, but you can always drink it ice cold. As it should. Once drunk, you're sold forever!

Summer 2020: Limoncello Spritz

Last but not least: the summer drink of 2020. The Limoncello Spritz. A delicious combination of fresh sweet lemon and sparkling prosecco.

How do you make the Limoncello Spritz?

In a glass with ice cubes, mix:

• 1/3 limoncello
• 2/3 prosecco
• add a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint

Your favorite Italian summer drink?

Which Italian aperitif do you prefer? If you don't feel like mixing it yourself, you can of course also go to one of the many cocktail bars in Italy and let yourself have a nice appetizer dish up. Ideas for the best summer drinks without alcohol you read here.

Feel free to pass on your recipes for Italian aperitifs!