Just got two cases of bitters bottles for nicer presentation. Also got three different styles of hops, wormwood, bogwort, and a bunch of other botanicals to tincture. I may be getting a little carried away!
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
I just buy the bottle of bitters. It's too easy. And I love an old-fashioned with Bulleit Rye.
I use a sugar cube and soak it with bitters before muddling. Then I add 3 mari cherries and muddle those to soak up the bitters/sugar. The I add an orange slice and muddle the center of it to mix it in with the other flavors. Then the Rye to marry with everything. Then the rest.
Every old-fashioned lover has their best recipe. We have two restaurants here that make very good old-fashioned's and always have Bulleit Rye on the shelf. I try to talk the family into going to one of those on the special occasion dinners. LOL.
I just buy the bottle of bitters. It's too easy. And I love an old-fashioned with Bulleit Rye.
I use a sugar cube and soak it with bitters before muddling. Then I add 3 mari cherries and muddle those to soak up the bitters/sugar. The I add an orange slice and muddle the center of it to mix it in with the other flavors. Then the Rye to marry with everything. Then the rest.
Every old-fashioned lover has their best recipe. We have two restaurants here that make very good old-fashioned's and always have Bulleit Rye on the shelf. I try to talk the family into going to one of those on the special occasion dinners. LOL.
You can get a lot better bitters than Angostura... and it is not cheap when you find it. I enjoy making it.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
True for some things, but not all. I love to DIY stuff, but when I have to buy a quart of something when I need an ounce - and the end product doesn't get used often enough to make subsequent batches, like bitters - it's wasteful and often substandard. No, I let the people who have perfected their recipe make it and sell it to me. Consistency, ease, economy, and accessibility beat the sometimes satisfying act of handiwork.
True for some things, but not all. I love to DIY stuff, but when I have to buy a quart of something when I need an ounce - and the end product doesn't get used often enough to make subsequent batches, like bitters - it's wasteful and often substandard. No, I let the people who have perfected their recipe make it and sell it to me. Consistency, ease, economy, and accessibility beat the sometimes satisfying act of handiwork.
You make many great points and you are certainly not wrong on most of them... but bitters can be used for a lot more things than you realize. Around here a small bottle of bitters has a very short life. There are plenty more where the first came from though.
As to perfected recipes... I firmly believe Angostura bitters are mediocre at best. They also sell here for $12-15 for the small bottles. The fancier brands are higher. I also have a number of friends making sure I do not end up with too much inventory! (No, I am not selling it.) I understand your position.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
I brought back a big bag of incredible limes from SHOT and had a little epiphany... the peels got chopped and dried, then flooded with tequila. The lime infused tequila became the base for bitters designed to add a little something to margaritas. I added gentian, Cascade hops, lemon, grapefruit, and clementine peels. Then I added spices that speak to me of Mexico: cardamom, coriander, star anise, licorice root, vanilla, and cinnamon. The urge to add hot peppers was beaten back, but black pepper, juniper berries, and cloves went in.
Started with Kirkland ready-mixed margarita mix and added their blanco tequila and a little triple sec before adding the bitters at the end on top of the lime wedge garnish. Have to say it was mighty good!
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Just put together another edition of a basic bitter with quite a bit of wormwood (think absinthe) and it is something I need to record and repeat.
It is amazing how little wormwood it takes to stand out. Gentian and Cascade hops are the main bittering components. Molasses is the only sugar, but there is a bit of licorice root and it is sweet. Sarsparilla, clove, and elder "rue" make a mark, but the rest seem to be white noise. I think I try to do too much with too many flavors and need to cut it back to six or seven items at a time... hard for me to do that, though...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
I think it is time for a Gin thread. Just ordered some 1908 a lavender gin for girl drinks and Monkey 47 for me. Thanks for the tip on Fee Bros. butters.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
Sitka can you post a simplified recipe for an aromatic bitter? I have all kinds of herbs and spices so I think I will just need to get a couple more to make it.
On your comment about too many flavors I do that too but I try to think of it like a perfume with a top note, middle and base. Or like an article it needs a beginning, middle and end. Or like a newspaper article the gist can be repeated up to three times. Works for me.
I think I will use Mosaic Hops as it already has a citrusy taste. What else?
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
Many items make for good bitter notes. Gentian is the base for most commercial aromatic bitters. Hops would obviously add tremendous variety to the mix. Citrusy hops would probably lose some of their "statement" in bitters... I have not boiled hops, just use alcohol tinctures.
I add simple syrup, honey, or molasses to sweeten.
Different spices and herbs add nice touches depending on the intended use.
Clove is very strong and easy to overdo. Cardamom is very good, but use whole pods. Licorice root, seed, and bark are all good but have a documented ability to raise blood pressure.
Aromatic bitters usually do not include much citrus. For citrus bitters I use lots of different citrus. Ordinary navel orange peel is a real disappointment. Clemantines, blood and bitter orange peels are very good, as is grapefruit peel. I chop up the peel and dry it first. If just soaked while wet it seems to dilute the flavor. Most citrus bitters are around 15%. Lime peel soaked in tequila is the base of a Margarita bitter I real like.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, fennel, dill seed, caraway all have distinct flavors.
Elder flowers, lavendar, dried roses add more subtle aromatic tones.
Look to brewing supplies and health food stores for the best ingredients and ideas.
Right now I have wormwood, mugwort, sassparilla, and more new stuff working.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
