:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/basic-homemade-bitters-recipe-760289-hero-01-71ebbe4b43524bd0a085a1bcb02f4246.jpg)
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
7 | Calories |
0g | Fat |
1g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 189 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 7 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 0g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 0mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 1g | 0% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 0mg | 0% |
Iron 0mg | 0% |
Potassium 0mg | 0% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Bitters are essential in the bar and a key ingredient for many cocktails, from the martini to the Sazerac and beyond. While it's great to have popular brands like Angostura or Scrappy's in stock, it's actually quite easy to make your own using this basic bitters recipe. Also, personalizing the recipe to your own taste by using a variety of herbs and spices will give you room to experiment and create many unique flavor profiles. While this recipe will yield an aromatic style of bitters with an emphasis on orange, experiment with something different like salty-sour celery or flowery lavender.
Great for overall use in a variety of cocktails, bitters actually have culinary uses in sauces, soups, dressings, and pie fillings as well. Just a couple of drops can enhance the flavor of savory preparations and bitters are used in flavoring sodas and ice creams, too. Don't be afraid to try them out.
Making homemade bitters is easy, but it will take about 25 days to complete your first batch of bitters; the joy of having your very own bitters is worth the wait. Because this process requires many steps over a few weeks, you will want to keep track of where you are by printing out the directions and checking off each step as you complete it. You'll need grain alcohol, alcohol obtained from the distillation of fermented grains, like Everclear (from corn)—typically 151 proof (75.5 percent ABV) or more. In a pinch, use a 100-proof vodka. Have a small funnel and recycled bitter bottles, or a bottle with a drip.
Ingredients
-
1 teaspoon orange peel
-
1 teaspoon cardamom
-
1 teaspoon coriander
-
1/2 teaspoon caraway ​(or anise seeds)
-
2 cups grain alcohol
-
4 cups water
-
3/4 cup sugar
Steps to Make It
Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, it is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for infusing.
Infuse Alcohol With Herbs and Spices
-
Gather the ingredients.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Place the spices in a Mason jar and cover them with the grain alcohol.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Seal the jar and let the mixture stand in a cool, dark place for 15 days.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Give the jar a good, vigorous shake once a day.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
After 15 days, strain the alcohol through a cheesecloth into a clean Mason jar to separate the liquid from the dry ingredients.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Once the majority is strained, gather the cloth into a ball and squeeze it to release as much liquid as possible.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Save the strained alcohol infusion for later. Label the bottle so you don't mistake it for something else.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Infuse Water With Herbs and Spices
-
Muddle the strained ingredients to break up all of the seeds and create a fine mixture—almost like a slurry or paste.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Place this paste into a saucepan and add 4 cups of water. You may not use all of this, but it's good to have an excess of aromatic water, just in case.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Bring the water to a boil. Cover and lower the heat and allow it to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Pour this mixture, without straining, into a jar. Cover and allow it to sit for 5 days in a cool and dry place.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Again, shake vigorously once a day.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
After 5 days, strain the water through a cheesecloth and discard the solid pieces.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Measure the alcohol mixture and add an equal amount of the infused water.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Save the excess water for cutting. Cover the alcohol mixture and set it to the side.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Caramelize Sugar for Sweetener
-
Place the sugar in a small pan over medium-to-high heat.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Stir constantly and allow the sugar to caramelize until it becomes liquid and dark brown.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Combine the Three Mixtures
-
Add the caramelized sugar to the alcohol and water mixture—the sugar may solidify for a minute, but it will eventually dissolve.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Seal the jar and allow the mix to sit for another 5 days.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Once again, shake daily.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Finally, after 25 days, strain the mixture of alcohol, infused water, and sugar, and pour into a bitters bottle or small decanter with a tight-sealing lid.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Cut the bitters with the extra infused water, or plain water, following a 1:2 ratio. For each cup of bitters, add 1/2 cup of infused water.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Your bitters can be stored for up to 12 months unrefrigerated in a cool place.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Use in your favorite cocktail and enjoy.
​The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Can I Replace Bitters With Something Else?
Not really. Bitters have such a strong character and flavor that attempting to find something in your kitchen to replace them is pointless. You may get some tartness and sourness from a citrus peel, but you'll never achieve the strength and flavor of a couple of dashes of bitters.