Bitters (Photo by Amy Lynch)

Dash or Drop

A dash here, a drop there, and you will instantly spice up your drinks! Adding a few shakes of bitters to a cocktail is often a foregone conclusion, but how much do you really know about this unique spirit? Kentucky-based mixologist Heather Wibbels (a.k.a. The Cocktail Contessa) developed a bitters fascination through playing around with her favorite starter cocktail for bourbon drinkers — the Old Fashioned.

“I started to collect different kinds of bitters to see how they affected the overall flavor of the cocktail, and how they could make hidden flavors or aromas pop when added to bourbon,” she explains. “I also did a lot of research from books about the history of bitters and their origins.”

What Are Bitters?

So what exactly are they? Commonly used to add small amounts of concentrated flavor to cocktails, these botanical-based alcoholic tinctures and infusions were originally created as healing tonics for medicinal purposes. When added to a sweet spirit like bourbon, bitters temper and balance cocktails, much like adding a pinch of salt to sweet desserts. In fact, Wibbels often refers to them as a mixology spice rack.

“The other primary role bitters play in great cocktails is adding complexity,” she says. “Bitters don’t just have bitterness in them, they also include botanical elements that add flavors we easily recognize from our own sensory memories — baking spices, floral notes, chocolate, coffee, citrus, and herbs. Bitters connect to the flavors in the base spirit and build on that foundation to create a cocktail that’s more than just the sum of the ingredients used.”

Variety

Liquor stores typically carry a wide range of bitters representing a variety of flavors. And, as with many other products, higher quality usually means a higher price tag. Wibbels recommends splurging.

“Spend the money to get high-end bitters, and your cocktails will be better for it,” she says.

Once you get them home, keep your bitters tightly sealed and store them away from heat and sunlight.

“They don’t need to be in the refrigerator,” Wibbels adds. “They’ll last a very long time – years, in fact. And you need them to, since you’re only using a few drops at a time.”

Experimenting

Don’t be afraid to do some experimenting — a few drops of cocoa bitters in a Manhattan or orange bitters added to an Old Fashioned, for example. Who knows? You might just discover a whole new favorite cocktail combination. Just remember, a little goes a long way.

“Some bitters come in dispensers for dashes, others come with eyedroppers,” Wibbels says. “Don’t mistake a drop for a dash. You don’t want to add 12 dashes of a bitter in place of 12 drops!”

More Information

For more bitters tips, guidelines and cocktail recipes, check out Wibbels’ web site, or look for her book, “Bourbon is My Comfort Food,” wherever good books are sold.