A bitters (plural also bitters) is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Originally, numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines, but now are sold as digestifs, sometimes with herbal properties, and as cocktail flavorings.
An old bottle of "Kuyavian Stomach Essence", bitters from Posen, Germany (now Poznań in Poland).
Since cocktails often contain sour and sweet flavors, bitters are used to engage another primary taste and thereby balance out the drink and make it more complex, giving it a more complete flavor profile.[1]
The botanical ingredients used historically in preparing bitters have consisted of aromatic herbs, bark, roots, and/or fruit for their flavor and medicinal properties. Some of the more common ingredients are cascarilla, cassia (Chinese cinnamon), gentian, orange peel, and cinchona bark.
Most bitters contain both water and alcohol, the latter of which functions as a solvent for botanical extracts as well as a preservative. The alcoholic strength of bitters varies widely across brands and styles. Some modern bitters are made with vegetable glycerin[2] instead, allowing those avoiding alcohol to enjoy them.
History
This 1883 advertisement promised help with a variety of ailments.
The origins of bitters go back to the ancient Egyptians, who may have infused medicinal herbs in jars of wine.[3] This practice was further developed during the Middle Ages, when the availability of distilled alcohol coincided with a renaissance in pharmacognosy,[4] which made possible more-concentrated herbal bitters and tonic preparations. Many of the brands and styles of digestive bitters today reflect herbal stomachic and tonic preparations whose roots are claimed to be traceable back to Renaissance-era pharmacopoeia and traditions.
By the nineteenth century, the British practice of adding herbal bitters (used as preventive medicines) to Canary wine had become immensely popular in the former American colonies.[5] By 1806, American publications referenced the popularity of a new preparation, termed a cocktail, which was described as a combination of "a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters."[6]
Of the commercial aromatic bitters that would emerge from this period, perhaps the best known is Angostura bitters. In spite of its name, the preparation contains no medicinal bark from the angostura tree; instead, it is named after the town of Angostura, present-day Ciudad Bolívar, in Venezuela. Eventually the factory was moved from Bolivar to Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1875. German physician Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert had compounded a cure for sea sickness and stomach maladies, among other medicinal uses.[7] Siegert subsequently formed the House of Angostura to sell the bitters to sailors.
Another renowned aromatic bitters with nineteenth-century roots is Peychaud's Bitters, originally developed by apothecary Antoine Amédée Peychaud in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is most commonly associated with the Sazerac cocktail.
A popular style of bitters that emerged from the period is orange bitters, the flavor of which ranges from dryly aromatic to fruity, and which is most commonly made from the rinds of Seville oranges and spices. Orange bitters are commonly called for in older cocktail recipes. An early recipe for such bitters is in The English and Australian Cookery Book:[8] "Make your own bitters as follows, and we can vouch for their superiority. One ounce and a half of gentian-root, one ounce and a half of lemon-peel, one ounce and a half of orange-peel. Steep these ingredients for about a month in a quart of sherry, and then strain and bottle for use. Bitters are a fine stomachic, but they must be used with caution."
Bitters prepared from the tree bark containing the antimalarial quinine occasionally were included in historical cocktail recipes. It masked the medicine's intensely bitter flavor. Trace quantities of quinine are still included as a flavoring in tonic water, which is used today mostly in drinks with gin.
Pioneering mixologist Jerry Thomas was largely responsible for an increase in the popularity of bitters in the United States when he released How to Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant's Companion in 1862.[9][10]
Digestive bitters
Digestive bitters are typically consumed in many European and South American countries either neat or on the rocks at the end of a meal. Many, including popular Italian-style amaros and German-style Kräuterlikörs, are often used in cocktails as well.
Some notable examples of modern digestive bitters include:
Cocktail bitters are used for flavoring cocktails in drops or dashes. In the United States, many cocktail bitters are classified as alcoholic non-beverage products (non-beverage meaning not consumed like a typical beverage). As alcoholic non-beverage products, they are often available from retailers who do not sell liquor, such as supermarkets in many USA states.[citation needed]
Some notable examples of cocktail bitters include:[11]
^"A Brief History of Bitters". smithsonianmag.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
^. imbibemagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2013-08-20. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
^Hayes, Annie (2016-10-05). "Angostura: a brand history". The Spirit Business. The Spirit Business. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
^Abbott, Edward (1864). The English and Australian Cookery Book.
^William Grimes, The Bartender Who Started It All, New York Times, October 31, 2007.
^"Uncorked: The bitter revolution". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 11 March 2019.; . imbibe.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^. punchdrink.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^"Cocktail History: Bogart's Bitters is a Recreation of a 150-Year-Old Recipe". themanual.com. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bitters.
May 10, 2023
bitters, other, uses, bitter, disambiguation, bitters, plural, also, bitters, traditionally, alcoholic, preparation, flavored, with, botanical, matter, bitter, bittersweet, flavor, originally, numerous, longstanding, brands, bitters, were, developed, patent, m. For other uses see Bitter disambiguation A bitters plural also bitters is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor Originally numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines but now are sold as digestifs sometimes with herbal properties and as cocktail flavorings An old bottle of Kuyavian Stomach Essence bitters from Posen Germany now Poznan in Poland Since cocktails often contain sour and sweet flavors bitters are used to engage another primary taste and thereby balance out the drink and make it more complex giving it a more complete flavor profile 1 Contents 1 Ingredients 2 History 3 Digestive bitters 4 Cocktail bitters 5 See also 6 ReferencesIngredients EditThe botanical ingredients used historically in preparing bitters have consisted of aromatic herbs bark roots and or fruit for their flavor and medicinal properties Some of the more common ingredients are cascarilla cassia Chinese cinnamon gentian orange peel and cinchona bark Most bitters contain both water and alcohol the latter of which functions as a solvent for botanical extracts as well as a preservative The alcoholic strength of bitters varies widely across brands and styles Some modern bitters are made with vegetable glycerin 2 instead allowing those avoiding alcohol to enjoy them History Edit This 1883 advertisement promised help with a variety of ailments The origins of bitters go back to the ancient Egyptians who may have infused medicinal herbs in jars of wine 3 This practice was further developed during the Middle Ages when the availability of distilled alcohol coincided with a renaissance in pharmacognosy 4 which made possible more concentrated herbal bitters and tonic preparations Many of the brands and styles of digestive bitters today reflect herbal stomachic and tonic preparations whose roots are claimed to be traceable back to Renaissance era pharmacopoeia and traditions By the nineteenth century the British practice of adding herbal bitters used as preventive medicines to Canary wine had become immensely popular in the former American colonies 5 By 1806 American publications referenced the popularity of a new preparation termed a cocktail which was described as a combination of a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind sugar water and bitters 6 Of the commercial aromatic bitters that would emerge from this period perhaps the best known is Angostura bitters In spite of its name the preparation contains no medicinal bark from the angostura tree instead it is named after the town of Angostura present day Ciudad Bolivar in Venezuela Eventually the factory was moved from Bolivar to Port of Spain Trinidad in 1875 German physician Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert had compounded a cure for sea sickness and stomach maladies among other medicinal uses 7 Siegert subsequently formed the House of Angostura to sell the bitters to sailors Another renowned aromatic bitters with nineteenth century roots is Peychaud s Bitters originally developed by apothecary Antoine Amedee Peychaud in New Orleans Louisiana It is most commonly associated with the Sazerac cocktail A popular style of bitters that emerged from the period is orange bitters the flavor of which ranges from dryly aromatic to fruity and which is most commonly made from the rinds of Seville oranges and spices Orange bitters are commonly called for in older cocktail recipes An early recipe for such bitters is in The English and Australian Cookery Book 8 Make your own bitters as follows and we can vouch for their superiority One ounce and a half of gentian root one ounce and a half of lemon peel one ounce and a half of orange peel Steep these ingredients for about a month in a quart of sherry and then strain and bottle for use Bitters are a fine stomachic but they must be used with caution Bitters prepared from the tree bark containing the antimalarial quinine occasionally were included in historical cocktail recipes It masked the medicine s intensely bitter flavor Trace quantities of quinine are still included as a flavoring in tonic water which is used today mostly in drinks with gin Pioneering mixologist Jerry Thomas was largely responsible for an increase in the popularity of bitters in the United States when he released How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant s Companion in 1862 9 10 Digestive bitters EditDigestive bitters are typically consumed in many European and South American countries either neat or on the rocks at the end of a meal Many including popular Italian style amaros and German style Krauterlikors are often used in cocktails as well Some notable examples of modern digestive bitters include Alomo Bitters Ghana Nigeria Amaro Averna Caltanissetta Italy Amaro Lucano Pisticci Italy Amaro Montenegro Bologna Italy Amaro Ramazzotti Asti Italy Amaro Sibilla Marche Italy Aperol Padova Italy Balsam Eastern Europe Becherovka Czech Republic Beerenburg Netherlands Blutwurz Bavaria Braulio Valtellina Italy Calisaya United States Campari Novara Milan Italy Cynar Padova Milan Italy Fernet Branca Milan Italy Fernet Stock Italy Czech Republic Gammel Dansk Denmark Gran Classico Bitter Switzerland Jagermeister Germany Jeppson s Malort United States Killepitsch Dusseldorf Germany Kuemmerling Germany Pelinkovac Balkans Quinquina France originally from South America Rabarbaro Zucca Milan Italy Ratzeputz Germany Riga Black Balsam Latvia St Vitus Germany Schierker Feuerstein Germany Schwartzhog Germany Sirop de Picon France Suze France Tubi 60 Israel Underberg Germany Unicum Hungary Wodka Zoladkowa Gorzka Poland Wurzelpeter Germany Cocktail bitters Edit A bottle of Angostura aromatic bitters with its distinctive over sized label A whiskey sour served in a coupe glass is garnished with drops of Peychaud s Bitters swirled into the foam from egg white atop the drink Cocktail bitters are used for flavoring cocktails in drops or dashes In the United States many cocktail bitters are classified as alcoholic non beverage products non beverage meaning not consumed like a typical beverage As alcoholic non beverage products they are often available from retailers who do not sell liquor such as supermarkets in many USA states citation needed Some notable examples of cocktail bitters include 11 Angostura bitters originally from Venezuela in 1830 currently from Trinidad and Tobago Boker s Bitters called for in many cocktails in Jerry Thomas drink guide 12 and essential to the Martinez cocktail Meinhard s Bitters a now defunct bitter with Venezuelan origins Peychaud s Bitters originally from New Orleans Louisiana but now produced in KentuckySee also Edit Liquor portal Drink portalFlavored liquor Alcoholic beverage with added flavoring and in some cases a small amount of added sugar Gentian spirit distilled alcoholic beverage made with the gentian flowerPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback Purl Alcoholic beverage Shrub drink Fruit liqueur or vinegared syrup cordial Swedish bitters traditional herbal tonicPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallbackReferences Edit Hubbard Lauren February 14 2022 Everything You Need to Know About Bitters Town amp Country McCarthy Kelly January 6 2022 No booze no problem How nonalcoholic drinks are shaking up the beverage industry Good Morning America Ancient Remedy Bitter Herbs and Sweet Wine 13 April 2009 Retrieved 2013 11 03 Medicinal Plants History Retrieved 2013 11 03 A Brief History of Bitters smithsonianmag com Archived from the original on January 12 2013 Retrieved 2013 11 03 Origin of the Cocktail imbibemagazine com Archived from the original on 2013 08 20 Retrieved 2013 11 03 Hayes Annie 2016 10 05 Angostura a brand history The Spirit Business The Spirit Business Retrieved 2019 11 29 Abbott Edward 1864 The English and Australian Cookery Book William Grimes The Bartender Who Started It All New York Times October 31 2007 Uncorked The bitter revolution chicagotribune com Retrieved 11 March 2019 The Bitter Truth imbibe com Archived from the original on 15 March 2019 Retrieved 11 March 2019 Ten Essential Bitters and How to Use Them punchdrink com Archived from the original on 19 March 2022 Retrieved 11 March 2019 Cocktail History Bogart s Bitters is a Recreation of a 150 Year Old Recipe themanual com 5 February 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2019 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bitters Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bitters amp oldid 1153067711, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
