This is the Negroni you make when you’ve seen some things. It’s not trying to be edgy. It just is. Equal parts brooding, herbal, and vegetal, the Bell Pepper Negroni swaps out the usual Campari for Cynar and adds muddled red bell pepper to bring in some garden drama. It’s a riff that keeps the Negroni spirit alive but takes it into the deep end.
Why Add Bell Pepper to a Negroni?
Because sometimes you want your cocktail to taste like it read philosophy in college.
Bell pepper brings sweetness without syrup and depth without distraction. It plays beautifully with Cynar’s artichoke-y bitterness and the softness of a good vermouth. And with the right gin, it holds everything together without making a scene.
This isn’t a bell pepper gimmick—it’s a real flavor move.
Bell Pepper Cocktail Ingredients That Work in a Negroni
You know the Negroni drill: gin, vermouth, bitter. This version just shifts the dials.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Bell Pepper Negroni Recipe
- 1.5 oz Gray Wolf Timber Gin (or any gin) – a Maryland-made gin with malted barley warmth and barrel-aged sassafras depth. It’s got enough backbone to stand up to Cynar and keep this cocktail balanced.
- 1 oz Rosemont Capitoline Vermouth (or any sweet vermouth) – slightly oxidative, red-fruit heavy, and made in D.C. A perfect sweet vermouth for complex cocktails.
- 0.75 oz Cynar – less punchy than Campari, more layered, and fits the vegetal bill.
- 2 slices red bell pepper – fresh, not roasted. You want juice, not smoke.
- 3 dashes orange bitters – for brightness and a little throwback Negroni charm.
- Ice
How to Make a Bell Pepper Negroni at Home
- Muddle the red bell pepper slices in a mixing glass until they give up their secrets (and their juice).
- Add gin, vermouth, Cynar, and bitters.
- Add ice and stir until it feels right—cold, but not judgmental.
- Double strain into a rocks glass over a big cube.
- Garnish with a red bell pepper strip or orange twist. Or both. You’re in charge now.
What This Bell Pepper Cocktail Tastes Like
This drink is layered. You get bitter and herbal up front from the Cynar, a silky red-fruit middle from the Capitoline vermouth, and a fresh vegetal sweetness from the bell pepper. The gin, especially Gray Wolf Timber, brings it all together with a bit of warmth and restraint.
It’s savory, but never flat.
This is a cocktail for slow sippers, fire pits, and slightly dramatic evenings.
Why the Bell Pepper Negroni Works
- Cynar + Bell Pepper = earthy, subtle, and a little off-center
- Timber Gin = not your average citrus-bomb gin—it has depth
- Capitoline Vermouth = sweet and serious, like a friend who gives great advice
This is not a summer Negroni. It’s a bell pepper cocktail for sweater weather or kitchen experiments that went surprisingly right.
Final Thoughts on This Bell Pepper Negroni
You’ve had a classic Negroni. You’ve tried mezcal swaps, orange twists, and maybe even a splash of sparkling water. But this? This is something different.
Bell pepper doesn’t just belong in cocktails—it belongs in Negronis.