I’m christening this drink The Carver after the town in Massachusetts that I used to visit with my parents when I was a kid. We’d go to Edaville USA and ride their train through the cranberry bogs. I have been fond of cranberries ever since, and enjoy cocktails that make use of their unique, piquant taste.
This is one of my originals. I put it together without a recipe and it turned out pretty drinkable. That’s always a plus! I had some cranberry juice left over from making a Cosmopolitan a while back and wanted to use it. Aperol and Curacao seemed like interesting companions. And gin is always a welcome guest at any party. If the drink ends up too tart or bitter for your tastes, add a barspoon full of simple syrup.
Aperol’s an inexpensive liqueur that’s very similar in flavor profile to Campari, but not quite so strong or bitter. It works great with fruit and citrus flavors, and since a little of it goes a long way, a single $20 bottle will last you many months. Unless you develop a taste for it and start sipping it on the rocks, like the Italians do!
This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts.
The Carver Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail Strainer
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Gin New Amsterdam
- 1 oz. Cranberry juice
- .5 oz. Curacao Pierre Ferrand
- .25 oz. Aperol
- .25 oz. Fresh lemon juice
- Dash citrus bitters
- Lemon twist Garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake thoroughly and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.
