Review: Berg & Hauck’s Bitters, Complete Lineup
Berg & Hauck’s is a German company based in the heart of Bavaria. The operation produces 6 varieties of bitters, all made with “superior ingredients sourced from all over the world to achieve the best flavor and enrich the taste of fine food and mixed drinks with unparalleled balance and complexity. Carefully selected herbs and spices are combined and their flavors extracted in small batches with an extra slow maceration time.”
We received all 6 varieties for review, so let’s dig in. (Note, a sampler pack of five varieties, with all but the Jerry Thomas Bitters, is also available.)
Berg & Hauck’s Jerry Thomas Bitters – These are based on Jerry Thomas’s famous 19th century recipe (though they aren’t the only Jerry Thomas Bitters on the market). The recipe includes citrus, dried fruits, cloves, angostura bark, and cinnamon. The cinnamon is heavy on the nose, but on the palate the cloves are immersive and overwhelming, with a dark chocolate, almost coffee-like note on the finish. Intensely bitter and quite earthy. 60 proof. B [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Berg & Hauck’s Aromatic Bitters – A sweeter, more approachable version of the Jerry Thomas Bitters, this bottling lets cinnamon shine more clearly, along with some dried berry notes that give it a fruity lift. Versatile and refreshing, with a long, cocoa-infused finish. 78 proof. A- [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Berg & Hauck’s Lemon Bitters – Less full of lemon flavor than I was expecting, there’s a clear greenery note here that brings the lemon peel essence into a stranger, heartier, and more pungent space. Again a cinnamon and clove mix tends to dominate. 78 proof. B [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Berg & Hauck’s Orange Bitters – Notes of bergamot and tea leaf give this an unusual complexion, though it’s got a clearer fruit character than the lemon bitters. However, as with much of the B&H collection, the clove notes are thick and tend to overwhelm a bit. 78 proof. B+ [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Berg & Hauck’s Celery Bitters – Bold, green, and heavily vegetal. The ultra-high proof only makes these bitters even more aggressive. If you’re looking for a straightforward and punchy mix of green herbs, pepper, and drying celery notes, you’ve come to the right place. 88 proof. B+ [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
Berg & Hauck’s Creole Bitters – This is your Peychaud’s alternative, a bright red product that offers much sweeter notes of cinnamon red hots, rhubarb, and mint, atop a well-balanced and well-bittered finish. A reprise of fruit returns as the bitters fade on the palate. One of the best and most approachable bitters in the lineup. 78 proof. A- [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
each $15 per 4 oz bottle / berg-and-hauck.com
Berg & Hauck's Aromatic Bitters
$15
