The Bicycle Thief is a refreshing, bittersweet long drink made with gin, Campari, fresh grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a highball glass and topped with club soda.
Named after the classic 1948 Italian film, this cocktail was created as a collaboration between Zachary Gernot Rubin and Abraham Hawkins, both bartenders at Dutch Kills in Long Island City, New York, in the mid-2000s.
This drink was featured in the “Highball” section of the 2016 book. About cocktails Written by Sasha Petraske, Georgette Moger-Petraske. The book’s recipes are accompanied by a note from one of its creators, Gernot Rubin, instructing them to incorporate the drinks directly into the glass. I modified this slightly by giving the ingredients a quick shake before pouring into a highball glass over ice and topping with club soda.
How the Bicycle Thief Cocktail Works
There’s no mention of Negroni in the book’s notes, but there’s clear inspiration here behind the plant-forward, bittersweet flavors. Bicycle Thief uses equal amounts of gin and Campari, with other ingredients adding flavor.
A healthy pour of grapefruit juice softens the intensely flavored spirit and lengthens the drink while bringing out Campri’s natural grapefruit aroma. The balance of lemon juice and simple syrup adds brightness and complexity, further softening the tension of the base spirit. Adding a splash of club soda to your drink adds effervescence and a touch of thinness, making it an especially refreshing warm-weather cocktail. In this cocktail, the bubbles act as miniature magnifying glasses that highlight the drink’s citrus flavor.
