Bitters are alcoholic beverages infused with herbs and roots, commonly used to enhance the flavor of other spirits or settle the stomach. They were first developed in the 1820s as a digestive aid and are still used today in cocktails and as a home remedy for indigestion.
Bitters are distilled alcoholic beverages heavily infused with the essences of aromatic herbs and roots. Common ingredients include gentian, quinine, orange peels and angostura bark. Although the alcohol content can reach 45% or more, most consumers use only a few drops at a time to increase appetite, flavor other spirits such as gin, or to settle the stomach after a heavy dinner.
First developed in the 1820s as a digestive aid, bitters also became popular as a flavoring agent for various alcoholic beverages, especially pink gin. Bartenders first rinse a few drops of aromatic bitters around a glass before adding your favorite drink. This tradition of using them as a flavor enhancer is still practiced by mixologists today. Classic martini recipes often call for a swirl of orange-based bitters.
Patrons of traveling medicine shows during the 19th century often purchased highly concentrated distillates containing bitters. These proprietary medicines, usually sold as miracle elixirs, actually served medical purposes. A small taste could be served as an aperitif to stimulate a person’s appetite or as a digestif to help prepare for a heavy meal or alcoholic overindulgence.
Bitters are still sold today in many grocery stores, either with other condiments such as Worcestershire sauce or in drink mixers such as grenadine. A few drops can be added to recipes to enhance the sweetness of other ingredients, in the same sense that salt can bring out the inherent sweetness of melons or other fruits. Bitters are usually added in dashes and a little really goes a long way.
They’re mostly used in cocktail making, so it helps to keep a bottle of Angostura amaros in a well-stocked wet bar. Drinks that may become too sweet, such as lemonade, can be tempered by swirling a few drops of bitters in the shaker before preparation. They can also be added to tonic or soda water as a home cure for indigestion and other stomach ailments.
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