Bitters

[Hank Koestner]

Finally found a site that had some different bitters, and ordered them.

I now have Pechauds Aromatic Cocktail Bitters, Regan's Orange Bitters #6, Fee Brothers Orange Bitters, and Fee Brothers Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters. And Angostura, of course.
I will be experimenting with them in my rum and gingers, among other things.
If any of you recommend other bitters for the supply, please let me know where to order them, or find them. They are hard to find here.

[primate77]

rHank - That is funny you bring this up today. Yesterday I was in a bookstore looking through a magazine, and there was an ad in the magazine for Fee Brothers bitters! I've not heard of this or seen it before!

I picked up a 5 oz bottle of the Peychauds this past week on my trip to Saint Louis.

[Tiare]

If any of you recommend other bitters for the supply, please let me know where to order them, or find them. They are hard to find here.

Hank, there is a EBay seller - KegWorks which has different bitters:
http://stores.ebay.com/KegWorks_Home-Bar-Accessories_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ8QQftidZ2QQpZ4Q QtZkm

For instance you can get these:

Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters
Fee Brothers Peach Bitters
Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters

[SamuraiBartender]

Those Stirrings bitters are really good - but they're non alcoholic (?!?) so if you do procure those be sure to refrigerate (and/or toss a splash of spirits in them).

The Fee's Peach & WI Orange are great - the Lemon & Grapefruit are so so (too sweet/potable).
There are a few other odd bitters - check out The Bitter Truth (http://the-bitter-truth.com/) or the Hermes line of products by Suntory (I don't think they have a website) are available from here (http://stores.ebay.com/tokyo-merchant).

There are some other ones out there also & you could always have a go at making your own.
Tiare's Grapefruit Bitters (http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1177)
My Spiced Lemon Bitters (http://groups.msn.com/DrinkBoy/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=17781&LastModified=4675666548664386694&all_topics=1)

[Tiare]

I`m waiting for those sellery bitters to be available from The bitter truth ...and even more, the Bittermens Mole xocoatl bitters,Tikidrink bitters and Squirrel nut bitters.

But i`m going to make the Spiced lemon bitters.

BTW have anyone yet tried Fees new whiskey barrel aged bittters?

[SamuraiBartender]

Are those available yet? I kept hearing about them being given out as samples but seems like they're having trouble getting U.S. "potable" approval..

[Tiare]

As far as i know these are not available for purchase yet..if i had lived in the US i would have been lucky to get a sample..

But if you visit their website you will see at which bars they use them.

http://bittermens.com/

[seabass]

I got some angostura bitters...what are some of the more popular drinks to use them in?

[Tiare]

Here are links to some:

http://www.scienceofdrink.com/category/angostura-bitters/

http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/test-pilot/

http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/zombie-recipe-comparison/

http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/category/bitters/angostura-bitters/page/2/

[forrest]

i have a steady and growing collection of bitters along w/ mixing them from scratch..
Right now i have:

Fee Brothers
Peach
Lemon
Orange
Mint (alright, but i do not recommend)
Cherry
Rhubarb (alright, but i do not recommend)
Old Fashioned
Bouborn Barrel Aged (the Best)
Grapefruit
Lemon
Angostura & AngosturaOrange
Regan's Orange
Stirrings Blood Orange (alright, but i do not recommend)
Amargo
Peychauds (i love these bitters)

and some home made ones
Chocolate/coffee (sucked-- i should say need to work recipe)
Red Fruit & Spice (great, but need another filter)
Hot pepper (great but not very useful)

There is more i'll look in fridge when i get home..

[Dood]

Forrest I'm surprised you don't like the rhubarb. I'm assuming it's the Fee's. I love the stuff. I have to restrain myself to keep from just dropping a straw in the bottle and drinking it.

Works really well in drinks with Fernet.

[RC]

Homemade bitters can be really awesome too. We spotted a cool recipe/article a few months ago.

http://rumconnection.com/?s=bitters&searchsubmit=Find

[forrest]

Forrest I'm surprised you don't like the rhubarb. I'm assuming it's the Fee's. I love the stuff. I have to restrain myself to keep from just dropping a straw in the bottle and drinking it.

Works really well in drinks with Fernet.

i'll try that, sound like possibilities..

i didn't hate them, but they were similar tones as the cherry, and a touch chemical-ly-- i'll give them another shot, and see what i see.

[rumdog007]

Hi, forrest, it's funny, I was not crazy about the Fee's Cherry (it was OK), but loved the Rhubarb. I just hit my Inner Circle Green Dot rum, Pimento Dram, Plymouth Gin, Cherry Herring, and soda with a healthy dose of the Rhubarb Bitters----GREAT! But, knowing you, I'd bet that you've already found some uses.....glass.gif

[BarNowON]

I got some angostura bitters...what are some of the more popular drinks to use them in?

Manhattan
Old Fashioned
Classic Champagne Cocktail
Rum Puch
LLB

I'm not sure yet if it is a fact, but I think that Angostura Aromatic Bitters is the ingredient the most used in cocktail recipes, not by quantity, but as compliment that help to create "bridges" between the flavours to combine them together. It mixes with everything, and I still have to find a spirit or an ingredient with which Angostura can't blend.
It is also a very good ingredient in cooking recipe, if you want to give a Caribbean twist to some of your recipes. For example, a marinated chicken for your barbecue.

cheers or Bonne Appйtit.
Mick

[rumdog007]

seabass, grab up one of the old cocktail guides. The, you'll be hard pressed to find many cocktails (early on, by definition) without some sort of bitters. Over the past few years, the number of bitters available has doubled. For a while, Angostura was the only "bitter" bitters that was easy to find. The Peychaud's has been available, but is used in certain cocktails. glass.gif

[rumdog007]

Dood, I found a bottle of Forest Floor Arromatic Bitters. They are made in Wisconsin. Not bad, at all. A little bit of non-bitter sweetness on the very first part of the sip. Then, a flood of Angostura-like bitters with spice and complexity. But, as I said, a step away from the stark bitter flavor of the Fee's Aromatic or Angostura. More like the Fee's Barrel Aged with a tad oil on the mouth feel. Glycerin has been added and listed as an ingredient.

[Dood]

Dood, I found a bottle of Forest Floor Arromatic Bitters. They are made in Wisconsin. Not bad, at all. A little bit of non-bitter sweetness on the very first part of the sip. Then, a flood of Angostura-like bitters with spice and complexity. But, as I said, a step away from the stark bitter flavor of the Fee's Aromatic or Angostura. More like the Fee's Barrel Aged with a tad oil on the mouth feel. Glycerin has been added and listed as an ingredient.

Ooooh, where did you find this? I can't know there's a bitters obtainable here in California that I don't have...I'll start twitching!

[rumdog007]

Ledger's Liqours in Berkeley on University. I'll score ya bottle next week if you want. I bought just one in case it was bad.

[Dood]

Ledger's Liqours in Berkeley on University. I'll score ya bottle next week if you want. I bought just one in case it was bad.

I would be in your debt forever...or until I bought you a drink...whichever came first. Actually, if you can grab 2 or 3 bottles, I'd promote you to my personal hero over Paul McFadyen...

[rumdog007]

Dood, you are on! They are the 12.5oz bottles, BTW. I know they have at least 2 more. But, there is no need to demote Paul. Those Brits are doing something special! You'll get a kick out of the label on the bottle. It's the oversized Angostura paper, ha. Story goes, that the label size/bottle size mismatch was a mistake at Angostura. They went with it to distinguish the product.