Venues around the state celebrated the annual Imbibe and Campari Negroni Week from June 4–10. Thousands of bars and restaurants participate each year in the global event, with a goal to raise money for local charities from related cocktail sale proceeds. In Connecticut, Campari kicked off the week with a Low ABV & Spritz cocktail competition featuring Aperol and Campari at Olives & Oil in New Haven. The two-round competition featured competitors Christian Orlando, Barracuda Restaurant & Bar; Conrad Meurice, Chango Rosa; Carolyn Flaherty, Elm City Social; Rachel Kelsall, Elm City Social; Roger Gross, Elm City Social; Rachel Markoja, Division West and Jason Savino, Shell & Bones. Third place went to Christian Orlando, second place was Roger Gross and the first-place winner was Carolyn Flaherty.
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- Campari’s Negroni Week kicked off locally with a low ABV and spritz cocktail competition at New Haven’s Olives & Oil on June 4, along with fundraising events at a number of other venues around the state.
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- Carolyn Flaherty of Elm City Social creating her cocktail at the Negroni Week Kick-Off Cocktail Competition.
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- Carolyn Flaherty’s winning cocktail.
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- Winner Carolyn Flaherty of Elm City Social with an autographed copy of “The Modern Mixologist” by renowned industry expert, Tony Abou-Ganim.
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- Competitor Rachel Kelsall, Elm City Social.
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- Competitor Roger Gross, Elm City Social.
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- Competitor Christian Orlando, Barracuda Restaurant & Bar.
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- Judges John Kubicsko, Jesup Hall; Jason Hulse, Firestone Walker and Anthony DeSerio, TexiKoTequila Bar, with Gary Dritschler, CT/RI State Manager, Campari America (center right).
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- The Negroni iconic Italian cocktail, made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso, and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel. asfeatured at Olives & Oil.
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- Judges John Kubicsko, Jesup Hall; Jason Hulse, Firestone Walker; and Anthony DeSerio, TexiKoTequila Bar.
