What Are Bitters and How Do You Incorporate Them Into a Drink?

Are you tired of your same old drinks? Step your alcohol game up by introducing some bitters into your routine. Here's the scoop on bitters and how to incorporate them into a drink.

We've Got Bitter(s) History

We're extremely late to jump onto the bitters bandwagon because these liquids were first found in China around 7,000 B.C. Europe also used them as medicine for many years. They hit their highpoint in the 1800's but then fizzled out, but we're bringing them back.

Bitters are essentially a liquified version of just about anything that comes from the Earth. They are made from flowers, roots, seeds, bark, and fruit. Now I know what you're thinking: why the hell would I want to drink any of that?! Well it turns out that a few drops can change any drink in an amazing way. 

Different Types of Bitters

Bitters are the spices of the alcohol world. They both improve the flavor of the drink while offering their own twist. Bitters can be (loosely) chunked into categories such as nut, fruit, citrus, aromatic, herbal, and spice. 

Besides your typical nut flavors, nut bitters can also include chocolate and coffee flavors. Fruit bitters are sweet and stick to one type of fruit per bottle. Just about any kind of citrus flavor can be found in bitter form, such as oranges, lime, lemon, and grapefruit. Aromatic bitters lack a dominant flavor, instead they are made up of a variety of florals to contribute to the whole aroma. Herbal bitters are made up of (you guessed it) herbs, such as mint or chamomile, while spice bitters are made up of spices. 

Alright, Let's Drink Them

You've probably had a drop of bitters in your lifetime without even realizing it. They can be found in popular drinks like a Manhattan and Classic Champagne Cocktail.

A Manhattan is made with ice, 2 parts whiskey, 1 part sweet vermouth, 1 to 2 dashes of aromatic bitters, an orange peel and garnished with Maraschino cherries. If you prefer to drink liquor on the rocks, pour yourself a glass of scotch and pair it with citrus or spice bitters. Bittermen's (a brand that makes bitters) created a grapefruit and hops flavored bitter that best pairs with tequila cocktails. If you're in the mood for a hint of fruit, add a drop of cherry bitters to your rum and Coke. 

It's extremely important to remember that a drink only requires a few drops of bitters to give it that extra kick. Any more than that will spoil the flavor of the drink. So get out there and experiment with bitters!