6 different ways to celebrate Negroni Week at home in Pittsburgh

For eight years, Imbibe Magazine and Campari have hosted Negroni Week, a global, weeklong celebration of the traditional Italian cocktail. Typically, restaurants across Pittsburgh honor the classic drink, composed of sweet vermouth, Campari, and gin, with special menus, events, and more, donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity of their choice. It's also been a successful fundraising effort.

This year, things are looking a little different. Like many events before it, Negroni Week has gone digital.

For the duration of the event, which lasts until Sept. 20, boozehounds and bartenders are encouraged to enjoy a Negroni at home and then donate to a fund for various organizations that support hospitality workers affected by the ongoing pandemic.

Looking to celebrate Negroni Week? Here are a six different ways to try including recipes, or — if you’re not feeling adventurous — three bars in Pittsburgh where you can grab one to go. To donate to the Negroni Week hospitality fund, visit negroniweek.com.

Negroni

The traditional Negroni is a simple, harmonious mix of just three ingredients — sweet vermouth, gin, and Campari — all at one ounce measurements.

1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce gin
1 ounce Campari

Pour in a mixing glass with ice, stir, and then strain into a ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with an orange peel.

Boulevardier

This variation swaps gin for whiskey.

1 ounce sweet vermouth
1.5 ounces whiskey
1 ounce Campari

Pour in a mixing glass with ice, stir, and then strain into a ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with an orange peel.

The Red Wedding

This Negroni riff, brought to you by Sean Enright, the general manager of Spork in Friendship, trades Aperol (an orange, bitter liquor) and Cynar (a bittersweet, Italian amaro) for the campari and vermouth.

1 ounce Gin
1 ounce Aperol
1 ounce Cynar

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, stir, and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Express orange peel oils over the glass and perfume the sides by rubbing remaining oils on the stem and underbelly. Add orange peel to glass as a garnish.

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Bar Botanico

Stop by the Lawrenceville bar’s takeout window for their Bruto Negroni, made with an American-crafted amaro, Bruto Americano, instead of Campari, and gin. Orders can be placed on their website, barbotanico.com, or in person.

tina’s

Choose from 12 different Negroni variations, ranging from a truffle negroni (made with truffle-infused gin) to one made with Mezcal, at this Bloomfield bar. There is also a frozen Negroni available called a jabroni.  All orders can be made through their website, tinaspgh.com.

Station

Grab a “togroni” for you and three of your friends at Station on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield, aka Pittsburgh's Little Italy. Visit their website, station4744.com, to order for pickup.