Bicycle Thief

The Bicycle Thief by Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin and Abraham Hawkins

What to toast a fine accomplishment with should never be potentially perplexing puzzle, although in this case a bit of contemplation about bicycles is in order. The drink of the hour is reminiscent of another bicycle cocktail, La Bicicletta, a classic Italian spritz made with Campari, white wine and soda water. Just swap Aperol for Campari and you have what is now the much more famous sibling spritz. I’ve featured both La Bicicletta, and a variation by Jeff Morgenthaler called the Broken Bike, in the past, with other bicycle themed boxes, and they are wonderfully refreshing drinks to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon whether you are in Italy, or elsewhere.

steal this bike

The Bicycle Thief spritz comes by way of Brooklyn, New York, via Dutch Kills, an award winning bar that takes its name from the regional river settled by the Dutch early in New York’s founding. The bar takes its provenance from Sasha Petraske, the legendary barman who helped usher in the cocktail renaissance in New York with his landmark bar Milk and Honey, and the cocktail can be found in the pages of Petraske’s book, Regarding Cocktails. The drink’s name is also a nod to Italian culture, referencing the film from 1948. The refreshing play of grapefruit and soda with the Campari works incredibly well as a highball riff on the Negroni. Be careful, or someone might just try to steal yours. Cheers!

tandem bikes

The Bicycle Thief by Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin and Abraham Hawkins

1 oz Campari

1 oz gin

½ oz lemon

1 ½ oz grapefruit

½ oz simple syrup (1:1)

Soda water

Shake main ingredients with ice and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with the soda water. Orange or grapefruit slice garnish.

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