Bitters-sweet

This week we'll talk about one of the tools of the trade, Angostura Bitters. This ingredient is widely available but not often used, especially by the at-home bartender.

Angostura Bitters are named after the town of Angostura in Venezuela, originally formulated in 1824 by a doctor who was looking for a concoction to bring relief to military patients who would suffer from fever and stomach ailments. It wasn't until 1862 that a man named Don Carlos thought to mix the bitters with gin, the monotony of which would be forever altered. Bitters became the "magic ingredient," to be used in exotic cocktails.

Bitters are an intensely concentrated alcohol that is flavored with herbs and spices and is used not only in drinks, but also has uses in cooking as well. In fact, bitters have been known to temper the acidity of citrus ingredients, so adding a few drops to a citric cocktail may make the drink more palatable to people who are sensitive to acid. You may have noticed the odd bottle on the shelf, with the label that sticks over the top of the bottle. A little research found this gem from the Angostura website:

"Many stories surround why the label ended up being too large for the bottle but probably the most well known is that it was simply a result of the laid back Caribbean attitude. When someone ordered the wrong size of label and the mistake was spotted, everyone thought someone else would correct it. When no one did, they decided to stick with the oversized label rather than change it and so it became the trade mark of the brand."

When I think of Bitters, the only drink that comes to mind is the Old Fashioned.

-2 oz bourbon whiskey
-2 dashes Angostura® bitters
-1 splash water
-1 tsp sugar
-1 maraschino cherry
-1 orange wedge

Mix sugar, water and angostura bitters in an old-fashioned glass. Drop in a cherry and an orange wedge. Muddle into a paste using a muddler or the back end of a spoon. Pour in bourbon, fill with ice cubes, and stir.

However, that's not the only cocktail that uses this interesting and flavorful ingredient. With a bottle of Angostura on hand, your cocktail options multiply!

Angostura Royale

2 oz rum
1 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
3-4 dashes Angostura® aromatic bitters

Shake with ice and serve in a snifter glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.


* * * Planters Punch
2 oz dark rum
2 oz orange juice
3/4 shot lime juice
1 teaspoon caster sugar
4 dashes Angostura® aromatic bitters

Shake first four ingredients and strain over cubed ice into a tumbler. Add Angostura® aromatic bitters and squeeze a wedge of lime into the drink.

* * * Napoleon
2 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Red Wine
3 dashes of Angostura® aromatic bitters

Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

* * *
Bitters can even enhance your frozen, frosty beverages:
Angostura Connection
1.5 oz vodka
1.5 oz Amaretto
2 oz. coconut cream
1 oz heavy cream
3-4 dashes Angostura® aromatic bitters

Blend with ice and serve in a snifter with chocolate coated bottom.