Mixology is an evolved art form. Over many centuries various ingredients have shaped what today’s mixology stands for. Bartenders deploy newer techniques and whackier ingredients worldwide to create signature cocktails. However, certain classic ingredients never lose their charm and usefulness in any bar worth drinking. Bitters are one such set of ingredients.
Bitters started as a medicinal product, mixed with distilled spirits, creating concentrated alcoholic liquid using aromatic herbs, fruits, barks, peels, roots etc. Bitters are now used mainly as flavourings for cocktails, and only a dash or few drops are used to provide a cocktail with its full and desired flavour.
There are many recipes and brands of bitters available across the world. The most famous bitter, however, is from the House of Angostura. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a surgeon general in Simon Bolivar’s army, developed Angostura bitter. Used as a tonic to cure stomach aches for the army personnel, it was later sold to the public, and by 1830 a distillery was established in the town of Angostura, from which the legendary bitters get its name; Angostura bitters. A popular bitter, even then, started exporting to other countries by 1853, and in 1875, its manufacturing unit was moved to Port of Spain, Trinidad, where it still exists.
Bars across the world use Angostura in many classic cocktails. A key example of its usage is in bourbon cocktails like ‘Old-fashioned’ and ‘Manhattan’. The aromatic Angostura bitters use many herbs and spices, and the recipe was developed after years of trial and error by Doctor Siegert, which remains a closely guarded secret. However, the concentrated flavour of Angostura is a delight to enjoy not just in whiskey cocktails but to flavour many cocktails using Rum, Gin, Vodka, and other distilled spirits. The flavour of the aromatic Angostura bitters also provides a unique edge to many desserts. The alcoholic content of Angostura bitters is 44.7% v/v (Volume by Volume). However, as it’s used in minimal quantities (a dash at most) for cocktails, it doesn’t change the alcoholic profile of the drink substantially.
Although Angostura is the most prominent brand of bitters worldwide, another brand worth mentioning here is Peychaud’s Bitter, an essential ingredient in the classic American cocktail ‘Sazerac’—developed by Antoine Amedee Peychaud, in 1830, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Peychaud’s bitter-like Angostura is an excellent addition to cocktails, and its slightly sweet anise flavour and aroma make it distinct and loved by mixologists worldwide.
Aromatic bitters are used worldwide, and many brands produce distinct bitters using unique recipes, like orange bitters, chocolate bitters, and cocoa bitters etc. The need for innovation led to newer flavours, and fruits like Plum, Peach, Rhubarb, Grapefruit and even mint and celery can be used to provide critical flavourings to bitters. With almost a 200-year-old documented history of the commercial production of bitters, the mixology world and its need for quality bitters have come a long way.
An exciting innovation to the world of bitters has been the advent of Non-alcoholic bitters. It carries all the flavourings and aromas of the ingredients it’s made of. However, it does not macerate the flavours in a distilled spirit (used as a preservative in traditional bitters). No alcohol in bitters spells like a boon for the cocktail world. A key reason for the non-availability of conventional bitters is the high percentage of alcohol in them, for which the excise laws are strict. Therefore, it’s not as readily available, especially in India. Imported alcoholic bitters are costly as well and of no use to teetotallers. That’s why it is exciting to see the non-alcoholic bitters tapping onto not just the bars of the world, where the concentrated flavours of these bitters can be used to prepare delicious cocktails, but also tap into the under-explored market of ‘Zero alcohol cocktails’, yes you heard it right. Increasingly, people have started liking the flavours of cocktails without getting all boozy and tipsy and can make a safe drive home on their own. Non-alcoholic bitters are tailormade for that use.
Bob Louie is an exciting brand of Non-alcoholic bitters available in India and comes in flavours like aromatic bitters such as Orange Bitters and Cherry Bitters. In Bangalore, I had a pleasant experience trying cocktails made with another brand of non-Alcoholic bitters called ‘Better than Bitters’ by Sakurafresh. It had a range of flavours, from different aromatic bitters to citrus, peat, mole, and even Absinthe. The mixologist created my favourite ‘Old fashioned’ using a non-alcoholic Marrakesh Bitter, which was a delightful experience. Although I have no qualms about trying alcoholic concoctions, I am sure it is worthwhile to try some of the non-alcoholic mixes with the aromatic flavours of this new development in the world of bitters.
Cheers!
Sidharth Bhan Gupta, Founder of 361 Degrees Hospitality, is a Hospitality / Food and Beverage / Restaurant Consultant