B.A.D. Nope, I'm in the right Forum

[Perrito-Incognito]

I may be suffering from Bitters Acquisition Disorder, B.A.D. While my humble collection is in its infancy, I've branched into making my own bitters (MockAngustora, Orange, and Charred Cedar so far).
Anyone else enjoy using multiple bitters?

 

[Ethan.Bassist.]

Where do you get your bitters? Because, around here, I can only find Angostura in the store. I really want to get Regan's Orange and Peychaud's, but I can't find any anywhere! I don't have a good handle on how to use bitters (outside of a recipe of course) but I really want to experiment with more than just Angostura.

EDIT: Found a place 1.5 hours away (Portland) that had a good selection of bitters. I ended up getting Fee Bros Aztec Chocolate, Regan's Orange, and Peychaud's. Luckily, I was up there for other stuff too.

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

Where do you get your bitters? Because, around here, I can only find Angostura in the store. I really want to get Regan's Orange and Peychaud's, but I can't find any anywhere! I don't have a good handle on how to use bitters (outside of a recipe of course) but I really want to experiment with more than just Angostura.

EDIT: Found a place 1.5 hours away (Portland) that had a good selection of bitters. I ended up getting Fee Bros Aztec Chocolate, Regan's Orange, and Peychaud's. Luckily, I was up there for other stuff too.

Hey Ethan,
Glad you were able to find some not too far away. Lots of availability online, but the shipping is usually kind of high.
I love having a variety of bitters. Hope you have some the other ingredients for a Sazerac cocktail. Peychaud's absolutely makes this drink. I've been substituting Pernod for Absinthe and it works for me.
Fee Bros makes some awesome bitters. I've got a recipe somewhere for a great cocktail that will work w/ your chocolate bitters. Orange bitters in a Martini makes what some folks call a Mayflower... I just call it better. Drop some of that orange bitters in a Negroni and you might like it.
Cheerio,
Perry

 

[Argonaut]

I like some Agnustora just to liven up a glass of ice water, amongst other drinks. It's really the only one available around here though.

 

[Biyiksiz]

For orange bitters I've tried Fee's, Reagan's no. 6, and now Angostura Orange. Fee's was my first orange bitters, but since discovering Reagan's no. 6, I never went back. Fee's just seems bland in comparison. Then I discovered Angostura orange bitters .... and my old fashioneds will never be the same. I always use a healthy splashing of Angostura orange and then add a drop or two of either regular angostura or The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters. Love it. For manhattans I use about three drops of angostura and another drop or so of the TBT aromatic.

 

[Biyiksiz]

I've yet to find a really good use for my bottle of The Bitter Truth Celery. I know people put it in martinis, but to me that just seems like overkill. And orange bitters in a negroni? Doesn't the Campari overwhelm the added bitter? I do love a good negroni. In the summer I make them with a splash of grapefruit juice and serve them over instead of up.

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

I've yet to find a really good use for my bottle of The Bitter Truth Celery. I know people put it in martinis, but to me that just seems like overkill. And orange bitters in a negroni? Doesn't the Campari overwhelm the added bitter? I do love a good negroni. In the summer I make them with a splash of grapefruit juice and serve them over instead of up.

The first Negroni I had, after a long hiatus, used Fees Orange bitters. Not sure what it does, but I miss it if it is not there. I make mine 1.5 pts gin to 1 pt Campari to 1 pt s. vermouth. Huge orange peel garnish. Side note, that negroni was made the former bassist of Husker Du who was/is operating a restaurant in Minnesota.
I totally agree on Angustora Orange being a top orange bitters. I've got all three and I go to it quite often. I've got the Fee Celery bitters and rarely use it. I throw it into a bloody mary sometimes.
Try a dash or two of Peychaud's in your manhattan; you might like it .
Orange bitters (Fee or Regans) in a martini settles down the gin a bit if you don't want too much bite.
I will sometimes dash a little grapefruit bitters into my martini's when i'm out of lemon.
Fees vintage barrel bitters and old fashioned aromatic are pretty wonderful; nice Angustora alternative.

 

[lownslow58]

I must admit I am new to the world of bitters and have only used angustora that I found at the grocery store, I have been looking for others locally but no luck. I love what they have done for my manhattans and old fashioned, I am going to have to try to find some orange to start sounds like online is probably the best place to get them.

 

[Omak]

So I bought bitters once because it called for it in a mixed drink, I believe it's the angostura. I see on the label it says to put it in everything just about.

Can someone here give me a run down of why I want to use these bitters and what to put it in? I only used it the once and haven't touched it since! Thanks

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

The standard line these days is bitters is to cocktails what seasoning is to food. Try making one cocktail with bitters and one without. Manhattans and Old Fashioned cocktails both use use bitters.

Easy Old Fashioned
2 oz bourbon (or rye, or brandy) of your choice
1/4-1/2 oz simple syrup to taste, or a sugar cube crushed in a small amount of water
a couple dashes of bitters to taste, angustora is great and widely available; their company has a nice back story as well

Add the ingredients to a rocks glass w/ ice and stir (and stir) to get the ice to dissolve and chill the ingredients; enjoy
You can stop here or add a vegetable peel of orange; express the oil into the drink, rub it around the inside of the glass and drop in.

Others add soda and all manner of other stuff like cherries, orange slices; just saying the one above is simple and may give focus to the bitters.

I'd be very curious as to your reaction to the addition of bitters to a cocktail. If you try this, please post your impressions.

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

EDIT: Found a place 1.5 hours away (Portland) that had a good selection of bitters. I ended up getting Fee Bros Aztec Chocolate, Regan's Orange, and Peychaud's. Luckily, I was up there for other stuff too.

Ethan,
I found the recipe for your Aztec Chocolate Bitters...
The Left Hand Cocktail from PDT Cocktail book. It calls for Bitterman's Mole bitters, but I bet your Fees Aztec would work.

The Left Hand Cocktail
1½ ounces bourbon
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
3/4 ounce Campari
2 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with three cherries on a pick.

 

[zekevin]

I love Peychaud and Anostura! Always have some on hand, great in a rum and coke or whiskey sour. I've thought about making my own, how are yours turning out? Where are you getting your recipes from?

 

[Biyiksiz]

I'll definitely try Peychaud's in my next manhattan! Thanks for the tip.

 

[Biyiksiz]

Any other ideas for using Peychaud's? I bought it to make Sazeracs with, but I've been out of absinthe/herbsaint for a while and my budget won't permit me to buy another bottle right now, so I'm looking for alternative uses.

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

Biyiksiz,
I used it recently in a Martinez cocktail and it worked very well. I sometimes drop a bit in w/ Angustora in old fashioned just for variety. Peychaud's imparts a great hue to drinks IMHO.

Martinez Cocktail
2 oz gin (I like Old Tom style gin if you've got some)
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1/4 oz maraschino liqueur
1 dash Angostura bitters (or Peychaud's)

Stir w/ ice and strain
Lemon twist for garnish

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

I love Peychaud and Anostura! Always have some on hand, great in a rum and coke or whiskey sour. I've thought about making my own, how are yours turning out? Where are you getting your recipes from?

Purchased bitters book on Amazon by Brad Thomas Parsons. While his name dropping and self-promotion early in the book wouldn't be missed, his recipes have turned out well. It's decent investment up front for some of the ingredients, but the price per bottle comes down w/ each batch I make. There are plenty of recipes out on the Internet.

 

[Biyiksiz]

Thanks for the idea, I just had an old fashioned with some peychaud's, turned out quite well.

Speaking of bitters, have you experimented much with so-called "potable" bitters? I'm thinking of "medicinal" herbal liquors like Fernet Branca, Unicum, Amaro ... I'd be interested to hear if anyone has ever tried making them themselves. I've tried some eastern European and Russian bitters, or "balzam"s rather, that tasted like they had been brewed in the back yard shed of a witch's house, deep in the darkest corners of the Karelian forests, using tree bark, mushrooms, frog tears and I don't know what. There's a whole world of bitter sensations out there!

 

[zekevin]

Thanks! I'd fond some recipes online but wasn't ready to put up the investment yet. Thanks for the info!