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All About Bitters, Plus 3 Easy Recipes to Make at Home

· Dunia Torres González · 5 min read

Originally published on Licorea.es on 16/08/2021.

Discover what cocktail bitters are, how expert bartenders use them, and three easy homemade recipes highlighting botanicals, aromatic spices, and citrus.

Homemade bitters ingredients for three simple cocktail recipes

Bitters are concentrated liquid flavorings, some made with dozens of botanical herbs, spices, roots, leaves and flower buds macerated in alcohol

Bitter, a form of liquid alchemy, draws us into a blend of history, folklore and mythology.

Today, these elixirs are being brought back to life, used in the finest bars by the best bartenders.

In this post, our Argentine contributor Emiliano Sosa shares three recipes for what he calls “a revolution that began with micro-producers of home-brewed beer, followed by micro-distillers of vodka, gin and other craft products”. Homemade bittersThe world’s leading restaurants, bars, bartenders and mixologists are making their own homemade bitters with whatever spices they have to hand: lemon bitters, spiced bitters or chocolate bitters. “All kinds of bitters are being made to take their Signature Coctails to another level. If you want to make your own bitters, bear in mind that sourcing the ingredients can be as demanding as a treasure hunt. It takes a little care and patience,” Sosa explains.

Grapefruit Bitter

Grapefruit Bitter has two main purposes: it gives cocktails a citrus lift, reinforced by its distinctive bitterness. This bitter pairs perfectly with sparkling cocktails, as well as drinks made with tequila or gin. Grapefruit Bitter

 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups vodka (a higher-quality vodka will produce a higher-quality bitter)
  • Zest of 1 grapefruit
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon lavender flowers
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 1 fresh sage leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons gentian root
  • 1/4 cup white rum
  • 2 oz syrup

Method

  1.  Place the grapefruit and lemon zest in a jar with a lid together with the vodka, seal it and shake. Then put the mixture in a cool, dark drawer overnight.
  2. The next day, add the rum, lavender flowers, coriander seeds, sage leaf, juniper and gentian root to the jar. Seal the jar and shake. Keep it in the same cool, dark drawer for 12 days, shaking it daily.
  3. Once this time has passed, strain the contents to remove all solids. Pour the filtered liquid into a new clean jar, add the syrup and stir thoroughly, then seal the jar and shake it. Store the jar of bitters at room temperature for one year.

Celery Bitters

Celery Bitters had been forgotten for many years, but fortunately today’s bartenders have started using them again, as they add savory notes to Martinis, Gin & Tonic, Bloody Marys and other cocktails. The fun part of making our own homemade Celery Bitters is that we can add a long list of ingredients to suit the flavor we are looking for. For that reason, feel free to add lemon peel, orange peel or an herbal element such as rosemary. Celery Bitters

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup lemongrass (green parts only, chopped into pieces)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds.
  • 10 mint leaves
  • 1 allspice berry
  • 1/2 teaspoon gentian root
  • 1/4 cup celery seed
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 cups vodka
  • 1/2 cup water

Method

  1. Place the celery, coriander seeds, mint leaves, allspice and gentian root in a jar, then gently muddle the ingredients just enough to break the stems and release the essential oils from the spices. Next, add the celery seeds, celery and vodka. Seal the jar and shake it vigorously. Store it in a dark place at room temperature for 12 days, shaking it once a day.
  2. After 12 days, strain the liquid through cheesecloth to separate the solids, then pour the liquid back into the original jar. Put the solids in a saucepan with water and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. When it begins to boil, remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Once it has reached room temperature, pour the contents of the saucepan into the original jar. Seal it, shake it and store it in the same dark place for another 2 days.
  3. Strain out the solids and, using cheesecloth or a coffee filter, filter the liquid into another jar. If using cheesecloth, you may need to filter it two or three more times to remove any remaining solids. For the best flavour and freshness, store your celery bitters for one year.

Homemade Angostura bitters

Most of us have heard of Angostura Bitters, and some may even have that little bottle with the oversized label sitting in the cupboard, waiting to be used. This recipe has been adapted and fine-tuned from the book Bitters, by Brad T. Parsons. Angostura bitters

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons dried orange peel
  • 1 orange peel
  • 1/4 cup cherry or sour cherry
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 vanilla pod, scraped
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 cup quassia
  • 2 juniper berries
  • 1/4 teaspoon cocoa
  • A pinch of black walnut leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon cassia
  • 1/4 teaspoon wild cherry bark or capulín
  • 1/4 teaspoon orris root
  • 5 cardamom pods, crushed
  • Rich syrup
  • 2 cups turbinado sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water

How to prepare Angostura bitters

  1. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the scraped pod and seeds to a glass jar with a lid. Peel an orange, taking care to avoid the white pith, and add the peel to the jar along with the other ingredients, except the rye, water and rich syrup.
  2. Once all the ingredients are in the jar, add the two cups of rye. Add more rye if needed, so that the ingredients are fully covered by the liquid.
  3. Seal the jar and store it in a dark place at room temperature for 2 weeks. Make sure to shake it at least once a day.