I am still trying to figure out who I am going to be when I grow up. I know that seems a bit rich from me, as my beard continues to shift into the grey side of the spectrum, but as Idris Elba famously asked, “You do realize that you are still growing, right?” I do not yet know which direction I am heading, but I hope that it is somewhere kinder and more thoughtful. If my first half century of experience as a human has taught me anything it is that learning from your mistakes is the real key to growth. Which puts me ahead of the curve, since I have made so many mistakes in this life that I am bound to have learned something from at least a few of them. I do know this, it is important to admit when you are wrong, even if it is only to yourself. So with a nod toward past transgressions, won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Amaretto Sour 2.0.

Now, we made the classic Amaretto Sour way back in the fall of 2020, so hindsight applies. If I am honest, it is not one of my favorites. My wife loves it, but it is always too sweet for my taste, which is why I was intrigued when I found this interesting twist on the old favorite lurking in Leo Robitschek’s The Nomad Cocktail Book. He describes this version as “a take on a guilty pleasure, an almond sour with a touch of bitterness,” and it has inspired famed riffs from Jeffery Morgenthaler and Brooklyn’s Grand Army Bar among many others. So what makes this one special? Well, let’s make it and find out.

Grab your tins and toss in 2 ounces of Amaretto, I chose Disaronno; 3/4 of an ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 ounce of fresh orange juice, a teaspoon of simple syrup, an egg white and (here’s the trick) 1/4 ounce of Campari. Yes, that bitter devil bitch of an apperitivo that I used to hate but now love with all my heart. Add some of that artisanal ice you have been saving for a special occasion and give it a good shake to the beat of Tom Waits singing “I Never Talk to Strangers“. When your tins are well chilled, strain from one to the other and toss out the ice before going for a second dry shake. After that second shake pour into a chilled glass and garnish with six drops of 18-21 Prohibition Bitters and drag a toothpick through the drops to make it pretty.

Wow. Simply wow. Where the original is always nice, but almost cloyingly sweet, this one has depth. Real depth. Adding the orange juice, kicks this one into something far more interesting, but it really is the Campari that makes this one sing. That little touch of bitter finish fixing all the problems I ever had with this drink. It is still a dessert leaning cocktail, but that bittersweet ending leaves me wanting more. Small changes make a big difference and elevate this classic into rarefied air.

Small changes do, indeed, make a big difference, this is one of those crucial life lessons. I was wrong about the Amaretto Sour, I just needed to find a version that worked for me and it was out there waiting. If I had given up early I would never have discovered it, but with perseverance I found something wonderful. My journey with Campari is much the same. If you look back over my musings you will find me railing against this bitter elixir over and over. With continued exploration I began to appreciate its unique flavor, and over time, in spite of my protestations I learned to love it. Kevin Smith would have something to say here about taking the bitter with the sweet. How you can’t really enjoy the good days without passing through the bad ones first or how experience sharpens the palate, even if it takes thirty seven tries.

I know is that as I get older there are so many things I believed and felt that I just don’t get anymore. When I was a child, I spake as a child and all that. Now, more than ever, it is important to let go of the things that no longer work for me, no matter how familiar and easy they may be. That’s how we grow. Like that overused metaphor, you have to shed your skin to make room for what you can become. The butterfly has to break out of that comfortable cocoon before it can stretch its wings and take flight. There are lots of more cliches that fit here, but you get the point.

It is not easy, but it is important to take a moment and reexamine your beliefs from time to time. To make sure you still really believe the things you used to. People change as the world changes around them and it is ok to question yourself. That’s how growth works. The only way we can become better is by letting go of who we were before and looking at reach new day with honesty. So, if you once thought that Campari was an evil devil bitch created in a lab to punish your tastebuds but now find yourself feeling differently, embrace that. If you loved Pop Rocks, but now you don’t get the same rush from exploding sugar, well, that’s ok too. Don’t get trapped in your old thinking by clinging to things that no longer fit. Like Emerson said, “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” So be deliciously inconsistent and free yourself to “be better when you learn better” and you may be pleasantly surprised with what you find out there waiting for you. I know I have been. So, get out there and continue your journey to learn and to grow, just be sure to stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.