Fruit infusions are the slow simmer of bourbon cocktails, and this Pineapple-infused Boulevardier is just the ticket for a slow sipper during hot weather.
It’s not summer until you’ve started infusing your cocktails. Boulevardiers are one of those cocktails that work best over ice for me. Composed of bourbon, sweet vermouth and Campari, they’re both bitter and sweet, and the longer they rest on the rocks, the sweeter they become. Perfect for summer when they’re served over ice, and you can infuse your favorite summer tastes into the cocktail with a mason jar and a little fresh fruit.
In this example I used pineapple, but it works equally well with strawberries. And if you want to go off in another direction – head toward a coffee bean infusion. Coffee-infused Campari makes amazing negronis as well as boulevardiers and spritzes!
For the pineapple-infused Campari, I cut up about 2 large rounds from a pineapple into small chunks and put them into a mason jar with 1.5 cups of Campari. I let it set for about 2 days in the fridge, tasting it about every 12 hours until I had a nice kick of pineapple into the liqueur.
If you’re going with strawberry, cut up about 1.5 cups of strawberries and cover with a mason jar. I found the strawberry notes slightly harder to pick out from the Campari than the pineapple, but still delicious on its own. You might need a little more time with the strawberries in the jar depending on how fast they transfer flavor to the Campari.
If you’re going to try the coffee (and I HIGHLY) recommend this infusion although it’s not particular to summer, put 2 tablespoons of cracked dark roast whole beans in a mason jar with 1 cup of Campari. Taste this one every 6 to 8 hours as it can infuse very quickly. Used in a boulevardier with chocolate bitters, this is a flavor combination made in heaven.
Most fruits will do well with Campari, but if you use a fruit that’d delicate or tends to disintegrate in alcohol, be sure to strain twice. For the first use a metal sieve and for the second, line the sieve with a coffee filter to get out any loose particulates in the alcohol.
Other recent Bourbon Women cocktails have been: Triple Crown Pie Julep, Pants Optional, and the Tipsy Pixie.
Bougie Boulie
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Bourbon
- ¾ oz pineapple-infused Campari or strawberry, mango or coffee**
- ¾ oz sweet vermouth: Carpano Antica or Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
- Garnish: fresh pineapple or strawberries or a simple orange peel garnish – the classic boulevardier garnish.
Instructions
- Combine bourbon, Campari and vermouth in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir until well-chilled and combined. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube of ice. Garnish with pineapple, strawberries or orange peel and take it outside to sip on the porch or by the pool.
Notes
- 1-1.5 c chopped pineapple (or strawberry, or mango, or your favorite non-melon fruit)
- 1.5 c Campari
