By Ian Blessing, of All The Bitter

(Editor’s note: The original, unabridged version of this article can be found on All The Bitter’s blog.)

The best way to think about cocktail bitters might be to call them the spice rack of the bar. Typically used in “dashes”, or the equivalent of a pinch of seasoning, bitters have the ability to highlight or enhance flavor in the same way that salt or pepper might. Bitters help to balance and add another dimension to cocktails that are often dominated by sweet or sour flavors. They can even tie different elements of a cocktail together, and add complexity to drinks that might be lacking. For something that comes in such a small bottle, bitters pack a big punch! But what the heck are they? What are bitters?

WHAT ARE BITTERS?
Bitters are crafted by infusing a neutral alcohol base (or vegetable glycerin) with a carefully selected blend of aromatic spices, herbs, fruits, roots, and other botanical ingredients. These flavorful components lend bitters their distinct taste profiles and contribute to their versatile applications in cocktails. While recipes vary, common ingredients found in bitters include cinchona bark, which imparts a bitter and earthy note, gentian root known for its intense bitterness, warm spices like cinnamon and clove, and the zesty essence of orange peel. These ingredients are meticulously combined and macerated to extract their flavors, resulting in a complex, intense extract. Bitters typically have an alcohol content ranging from 35 to 45% ABV (alcohol by volume), but alcohol-free bitters are also available.

HOW BITTERS ARE MADE
Besides sourcing all of the esoteric ingredients – and for that we recommend Mountain Rose Herbs – making bitters is actually a pretty easy process. If you’re interested in trying it out at home, there are plenty of easy-to-follow recipes on the web. The basic process to make alcoholic bitters goes like this:

1. Toss your ingredients in a glass container with a lid, like a mason jar. Add your high-proof spirit, seal the container, and shake it daily for 2-3 weeks.
2. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth into another container and seal it. Place the leftover botanicals in a small saucepot with water and simmer lightly for 5-10 minutes. Transfer this water, and the botanicals, into a clean jar, seal it, and let it infuse for a few days in the refrigerator.
3. Using a cheesecloth, again strain the water from the solid ingredients. Combine the infused water and the spirit – this brings the ABV of the bitters down to 30-45% – and optionally add sweetener like simple syrup or honey to balance the intensely bitter flavors.

Want to make non-alcoholic bitters? The process is even easier. It starts the same way, by placing your botanicals into a clean container. Add a mixture of vegetable glycerin and water, ideally in a ratio of 75% glycerin to 25% water for shelf stability, filling the container nearly to the top (making sure there’s enough room for the botanicals to float around). Seal the container and shake it daily for 6-8 weeks.

HOW ARE BITTERS USED?
While bitters might seem like the exclusive purview of trained bartenders, they’re actually pretty easy to use, especially when you think of them as the spice rack of the bar. A few dashes add intrigue and depth to a drink and do an excellent job of balancing both sweet and sour flavors, which cocktails tend to have in spades.

Consider the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. A drink, or a dish, might feel incomplete if it only contains one or two of those taste sensations. Now, we don’t need to pack all 5 tastes into everything we eat and drink, but if you can incorporate a wider range of those flavors into your cocktail, you’re going to have a more satisfying experience. Let’s look at a simple whisky sour as an example. In its most basic form, the drink contains only three ingredients: whisky, lemon, and sugar. Adding a few dashes of Aromatic bitters isn’t going to change the flavor profile dramatically – it’ll still be the same whisky sour – but it’ll be more complete. Include a few drops of saline solution and now we’re really firing on all cylinders!

ARE BITTERS ALCOHOLIC?
Bitters are alcoholic, generally containing between 35-45% alcohol by volume. However, because bitters are typically used in such small amounts, once they’re diluted into an otherwise non-alcoholic drink like a glass of club soda, they’re often considered to be non-alcoholic (like vanilla extract in baking). This can be a slippery slope for folks in recovery, though. A few dashes of bitters in a non-alc cocktail certainly won’t get you drunk, but one dash too many can easily put your drink over the 0.5% ABV threshold that defines “non-alcoholic” beverages, and more importantly, above the comfort level for many people who identify as sober or alcohol-free. There’s a great post at Alcademics that breaks down the exact ABV of drinks made with bitters.

ARE THERE NON-ALCOHOLIC BITTERS?
Absolutely! Non-alcoholic bitters offer a delightful alternative for those seeking the flavors and complexity of traditional bitters without the alcohol content. One popular option is glycerin-based bitters. All The Bitter, for instance, utilizes a base of vegetable glycerin, water, a touch of apple cider vinegar, and a complex blend of botanicals to create a rich and flavorful experience. Using ingredients like gentian root, warm spices, fruit, citrus peels, and flowers, these bitters deliver enhanced flavors to cocktails, providing a similar effect as traditional bitters but without compromising on taste or alcohol content. With zero alcohol, non-alcoholic bitters offer a great solution for those looking to enjoy flavorful and well-balanced drinks without the presence of alcohol.

THE LAST SIP
Dispensed with a flourish from tiny bottles in dimly lit bars, cocktail bitters might seem mysterious, but at their core they’re really just the spice rack of the drink world. A dash here and a dash there can add depth and complexity to everything from a well-crafted cocktail to a glass of sparkling water. Drinks like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan wouldn’t be the same without them, and in fact, the word cocktail as we know it might not even exist. While their rich medicinal history does contain some snake oil salesmanship, bitters absolutely are beneficial for gut health, and continue to be taken today for their functional properties.

To learn more about the wonderful world of bitters, join Erin Holden, herbalist and gardener for the National Herb Garden in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, December 14 at 1pm Eastern for the webinar: Herbal Bitters: A Spring Tonic for Any Time of Year! Our webinars are free to The Herb Society of America members and $7.50 for guests. Become a member today, and enjoy all of our webinars for free along with access to the webinar library with over fifty program titles. To register, visit https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-education/hsa-webinars/

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Photo Credits: All photos via Unsplash.com, except for photo 3) A variety of bitters (Achim Schleuning)