No bartender’s utility belt would be complete without bitters. But they seem to be a mystery to most of us, so we’re here to help make the mysterious bitter a more familiar ingredient in your cocktail-making playbook.
The Return of the Bitters!
Bitters have returned thanks to the emergence of craft cocktails over the last decade. These potent and, of course, bitter, liquids are essential to crafting many drinks. What makes them even better is that they may make an upset stomach feel better.
Lately, bitter makers have been on a roll. They’ve been reviving recipes that history has forgotten and creating flavors including Sriracha, fig, and barbecue.
From Where Did Bitters Return?
Before all but disappearing at the turn of the 20th century, bitters hit their high point in the 1800s. Be-fore bitters became familiar to Americans, Europeans used bitters as medicine for a long time. There’s evidence dating to around 7,000 B.C. that someone in China concocted a mix of grapes, rice, honey, and hawthorn berry, which tastes horrid. Strictly speaking, it was a drinkable bitter known as an amaro.
What Are Bitters and How Should I Use Them?
In short, bitters are boozy flavored extracts made by infusing pieces of plants in alcohol. Bitters can get their flavors from barks, berries, flowers, roots, and other plant stuff, and think of using them as you would use salt with food. Because, as salt does with food, bitters help emphasize the flavors of cocktails while including their own taste.
What Is Amari?
In Italian, amaro means bitter, and the plural of amaro is Amari. Furthermore, Amari are used as mixers or drunk out of the bottle. Some Amari you may be familiar with are Branca, Campari, Cynar, Fernet Branca, and Pimm’s No. 1.
How Do I Tell the Difference Between Bitters and Amari?
The difference between bitters and Amari is that Amari are drinkable, and bitters are used as a seasoning. A more straightforward way to tell them apart is that Amari comes in large bottles and is meant to be drunk, while bitters come in small bottles and are used in the same way that salt is used – to enhance and add to the flavors of food.
Bitter Categories
There are a lot of bitters and so many flavors that it’s hard to categorize them, but here’s a general list.
· Aromatic
· Citrus
· Herbal
· Nut
Which Bitters Should I Keep on Hand?
A good starting kit of bitters would include an aromatic, a citrus, and something fun like lavender or chocolate. These could help ensure you have whichever bitter on hand you need to make a perfect cocktail.
Go-to Brands of Bitters
· Angostura
· Fee Brothers
· Peychaud’s
· Regan’s Orange No. 6.
You might want to try other players in the bitters market. Germany produces the Bitter Truth, London’s got Bob’s Bitters, while America’s got Bitterman’s of New Orleans and Bitter Cube hails from Milwaukee.
Do Bitters Ever Go Stale?
It’s a long shot that bitters will go bad before you use them. Simply keep them stashed in the dark of your liquor cabinet, and they should keep for up to five years. On the other hand, Bitterman’s of New Orleans claims five years is the low end of how long they’ll last.
If you’re ready to enjoy bitters, here are some cocktails made with bitters to try at home:
· Pink Gin Pink
· Whiskey and Bitters
· Old Fashioned
· Sazerac
· Martini
· Manhattan
· The Sawyer
Come By Payless Liquors for a Variety of Bitter Options
Order your cocktail ingredients today, and don’t forget the bitters! Pre-order and pick up from our store! Pickup Order form – Payless Liquors (payless-liquors.com)
Why You Should Add Bitters to Your Cocktails
No bartender’s utility belt would be complete without bitters. But they seem to be a mystery to most of us, so we’re here to help make the mysterious bitter a more familiar ingredient in your cocktail-making playbook.
The Return of the Bitters!
Bitters have returned thanks to the emergence of craft cocktails over the last decade. These potent and, of course, bitter, liquids are essential to crafting many drinks. What makes them even better is that they may make an upset stomach feel better.
Lately, bitter makers have been on a roll. They’ve been reviving recipes that history has forgotten and creating flavors including Sriracha, fig, and barbecue.
From Where Did Bitters Return?
Before all but disappearing at the turn of the 20th century, bitters hit their high point in the 1800s. Be-fore bitters became familiar to Americans, Europeans used bitters as medicine for a long time. There’s evidence dating to around 7,000 B.C. that someone in China concocted a mix of grapes, rice, honey, and hawthorn berry, which tastes horrid. Strictly speaking, it was a drinkable bitter known as an amaro.
What Are Bitters and How Should I Use Them?
In short, bitters are boozy flavored extracts made by infusing pieces of plants in alcohol. Bitters can get their flavors from barks, berries, flowers, roots, and other plant stuff, and think of using them as you would use salt with food. Because, as salt does with food, bitters help emphasize the flavors of cock-tails while including their own taste.
What Are Amari?
In Italian, amaro means bitter, and the plural of amaro is Amari. Furthermore, Amari are used as mixers or drunk out of the bottle. Some Amari you may be familiar with are Branca, Campari, Cynar, Fernet Branca, and Pimm’s No. 1.
How Do I Tell the Difference Between Bitters and Amari?
The difference between bitters and Amari is that Amari are drinkable, and bitters are used as a seasoning. A more straightforward way to tell them apart is that Amari comes in large bottles and is meant to be drunk, while bitters come in small bottles and are used in the same way that salt is used – to enhance and add to the flavors of food.
Bitter Categories
There are a lot of bitters and so many flavors that it’s hard to categorize them, but here’s a general list.
· Aromatic
· Citrus
· Herbal
· Nut
Which Bitters Should I Keep on Hand?
A good starting kit of bitters would include an aromatic, a citrus, and something fun like lavender or chocolate. These could help ensure you have whichever bitter on hand you need to make a perfect cocktail.
Go-to Brands of Bitters
· Angostura
· Fee Brothers
· Peychaud’s
· Regan’s Orange No. 6.
You might want to try other players in the bitters market. Germany produces the Bitter Truth, London’s got Bob’s Bitters, while America’s got Bitterman’s of New Orleans and Bitter Cube hails from Milwaukee.
Do Bitters Ever Go Stale?
It’s a long shot that bitters will go bad before you use them. Simply keep them stashed in the dark of your liquor cabinet, and they should keep for up to five years. On the other hand, Bitterman’s of New Orleans claims five years is the low end of how long they’ll last.
If you’re ready to enjoy bitters, here are some cocktails made with bitters to try at home:
· Pink Gin Pink
· Whiskey and Bitters
· Old Fashioned
· Sazerac
· Martini
· Manhattan
· The Sawyer
Come By Payless Liquors for a Variety of Bitter Options
Order your cocktail ingredients today, and don’t forget the bitters! Pre-order and pick up from our store! Pickup Order form – Payless Liquors (payless-liquors.com)
