Bitters Cocktails
54 drinks with this bottle, from the easy ones up.
What goes with Bitters?
Whiskey and a little sugar. A few dashes with both make an Old Fashioned, and the spice pulls it all together. A Manhattan needs them too. For a near-zero-alcohol drink, shake a few dashes into soda water with lime, and the same trick works with ginger ale.
What does it taste like?
Straight, they're intensely bitter and spicy. In a drink they don't taste bitter so much as make everything else taste deeper.
Which bottle should I buy?
Start with Angostura Aromatic Bitters, which covers most recipes. Add an orange bitters such as Regans' or Fee Brothers next, and Peychaud's if you like a Sazerac.
Goes well with
Strong tinctures of herbs, roots, bark and spices, used a few dashes at a time, like salt for drinks. Angostura, from Trinidad and Tobago, is the famous one at 44.7% ABV. Use another aromatic bitters, or a small splash of a bitter amaro if you have nothing else.
Questions
Are bitters alcoholic?
Yes, usually. Angostura is 44.7% ABV, but a few dashes add only a tiny amount to your drink. Alcohol-free versions exist if you avoid it completely.
Does Angostura bitters contain angostura bark?
No, despite the name. It's named after the town of Angostura in Venezuela, where it was first made.
What do bitters do in a cocktail?
They add depth and balance sweetness, much like salt does in food. You rarely notice them, but you'd notice if they were gone.
One good drink, every Friday.
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