Check out the Beetroot Negroni from Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oysters

56 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Pearldiver.com.au

Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oysters finally opened in November after Melbourne’s interminable lockdown ended. Courtesy of Alex Boon and Pez Collier, this bar was the result of the Speakeasy Group’s Pathway to Partnership program. It was a competition; submit the best business proposal, and Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson (Mjolner, Eau de Vie, Nick & Nora’s) would mentor you and get the doors to your bar open. Pretty cool, right?

“I chose beetroot because I love the flavour. Its earthy and fruity, kind of like Campari. Putting it in a Negroni just made sense. To get that ‘real’ beetroot flavour, I simply extracted the juice and compounded it into a homemade grenadine and then rebalanced the other ingredients, subbing sweet vermouth for Cocchi Americano and a splash of white chocolate that really ties the drink together.” – Angus Payne, Bartender

A bigger look at the venue is on the way from our Melbourne writer, Cara Devine, but we thought we would kick off with one of their signature cocktails from the launch list, created by bartender Angus Payne for the ‘Market’ menu – is a changing monthly menu of cocktails designed around an ingredient that’s in its prime and in season.

Angus says: ‘I chose beetroot because I love the flavour. Its earthy and fruity, kind of like Campari. Putting it in a Negroni just made sense. To get that ‘real’ beetroot flavour, I simply extracted the juice and compounded it into a homemade grenadine and then rebalanced the other ingredients, subbing sweet vermouth for Cocchi Americano and a splash of white chocolate that really ties the drink together.”

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Beetroot Negroni
30ml Caraway London Dry Gin
30ml Marionette Bitter Orange
20ml Cocchi Americano
10ml Beetroot Grenadine
2.5ml White Cacao

Batch and bottle in the fridge, pour over ice in a 
chilled old fashioned and garnish with an orange disk.