Negroni Beer Recipe

[ZeroMile]

I have an idea for a beer inspired by the Negroni cocktail. The cocktail is made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari and garnished with an orange slice. The cocktail is a rich red color and is bitter, sweet, and spicy --- all flavors that can work well in beer. I'm still a novice, and I've never brewed with adjunct ingredients, so I'd appreciate any advice y'all can give.

Base beer - a red rye IPA. It's already a nice red color with some bitterness. Seems like it would be a good base.

Then, to mimic the gin, I was thinking I'd add some juniper. From what I've read, I can do this in the boil or make a tincture to add to the fermenter. Leaning toward adding at the end of the boil for only subtle juniper notes.

To mimic the sweet vermouth, I was going to soak oak cubes in sweet vermouth and add to the secondary. Any thoughts on amount of chips or length of oaking would be appreciated.

The Campari element is trickier since it has such a distinct flavor profile. I am actually thinking about adding Campari to the fermenter or even using it as a priming sugar (though figuring out the sugar content has been difficult). Is adding Campari to the beer a bad idea?

Finally, I was going to add orange zest. Any thoughts on quantity and when to add (boil v. secondary) would be welcome.

Cheers!!

Dave

 

[JKaranka]

What is the main flavouring in Campari? Some root or bark?

 

[ZeroMile]

What is the main flavouring in Campari? Some root or bark?

That's what I assume. Wikipedia says it is made with an infusion of herbs and fruit (including chinotto and cascarilla) in alcohol and water.

 

[IslandLizard]

Sounds interesting.

Campari contains a lot of sugar and or other sweeteners, some or most will ferment out. Not sure how her flavor components will fare during the biotransformation either.

If you know (and can resource) the flavor components that make up Campari perhaps add those instead.

The recipe is top secret of course. Yet, it's thought (some even admitted) that these ingredients may be used in Campari:
Gentian, Cascarilla, Calamus (Sweet Flag).

The red dye used to be cochineal (carmine), but was replaced in 2006 with something else.
Sourced from: The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart. A great book on how plants create the world's great drinks!

Someone in our brew club made a Gin and Tonic Ale and it was a really good brew, mimicking the flavors of the real thing very well.

At the astonishing price of Campari (at least here in the U.S.), I'd mix it into the beer at drinking time and taste the results, rather than pouring it into an experimental batch of wort.

Man, you make me thirsty for a Negroni!

 

[bjartar]

I don't really have any suggestions but as a fellow negroni lover I want to wish you great success.