Bitters

Bitters are a special category of alcoholic beverage named for their flavor. Bitters are made by steeping aromatic herbs, tree bark, and other elements in alcohol, the result being a very concentrated spirit with intense, bitter flavor. Bitters, often known as aromatic bitters, are intended to be used in small quantities in cocktails, though that has not prevented some enterprising drinkers from consuming them as shots. Bitters should not be confused with so-called “digestive bitters,” which are classified here under the amari category (and which are intended to be consumed solo).

Top Bitters Posts:

Do Bitters Go Bad?
Tasting Comparison: Orange Bitters
The Bitter Truth Bitters Lineup
Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters vs. Angostura Bitters

Review: Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters

By Christopher Null | January 16, 2013 |

I’m not sure why it’s taken so long for a whiskey company to get into the bitters business, but Woodford Reserve has finally opened that door, introducing its first bitters, barrel-aged and spiced cherry-flavored. Crafted in conjunction with Bourbon Barrel Foods, the bitters are specifically designed for use in a Manhattan cocktail (and presumably one…

Cool Item of the Day: The Bitter Truth Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set

By Christopher Null | January 31, 2012 |

The line between a good cocktail and a great one can often be drawn with a sprinkling of bitters, staples of any serious watering hole and surely a part of any high-end home bar, too. Traveling, however, poses a particular challenge. It’s one thing to throw a bottle of rye in the car for the…

Review: The Bitter Truth Bitters Lineup

By Christopher Null | July 10, 2010 |

Hey Mr. Sheriff, there’s a new gun in town in the bitters category. Called The Bitter Truth (get it?), this brand hails from Germany and now spans eight types of bitters. The house style is, how shall I put it, bitter. Strong on the bitterness, less of a focus on the fruit or other components…

Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters vs. Angostura Bitters

By Christopher Null | December 29, 2008 |

Artisanal bitters are all the rage these days, with no producer more hallowed than Fee Brothers. (I rely on their Orange Bitters religiously, so I’m a devotee.) But I’d never tried Fee’s “Old Fashion Aromatic” Bitters until recently. Angostura’s always worked for me, so why change? Well today I finally put Fee Old Fashion head…