Life is Better with Bitters

These words were spoken to me by a kind stranger while standing in line at a New Seasons Market in Portland; unlike here at home, a broad selection of Fee's and Angostura Bitters are available in grocery stores. I was picking up a bottle of Fee's Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters when the gentleman looked at me and shared the kind phrase. I then went on to share with him that I was in the process of collecting the ingredients to make my own bitters.

The basic to building a batch of bitters is putting together three basic components - a bittering agent, a spice tincture, and a flavouring tincture. Generally, the components to these agents can be quite difficult to find, but I was stoked to come across a bevy of amazing dried herbs while working in Portland. On Hawthorne street, there is a quaint little joint called The Herbe Shoppe. With very helpful staff, I was able to procure wormwood, licorice root, quassia chips, gentian root, calamus, and cinnamon chip. I purchased about an ounce and a half of each, which appears to take me a long way. It all added up to about $15 for the lot, which made this surprising find even better.

To keep it simple, I wanted to follow the Boker's Bitter Recipe, but the ingredients are impossible to find (Catechu...no where). But it did call for the gentian root, calamus, quassia, and cardamom, so I figured I could go from there. I wanted to go with some orange flavouring, but figured, as it was my first go at it, to keep it to just the bitter blend.

I broke it down into 3 small batches that I would blend together after two weeks of maceration.

First, the bittering blend:





wormwood

Wormwood is a herbaceous plant, and is famous for being a key ingredient in Absinthe, but has also been used as a bittering agent in vermouths and meads. For this recipe, I used 1 teaspoon.

gentian root

Gentian is the 4th ingredient you'll find in Angostura bitters, and is a commonly used digestive aid. For this recipe, I used 1/4 teaspoon

calamus   

Calamus has been an item of trade in many cultures for thousands of years. Calamus has been used medicinally for a wide variety of ailments, and its smell makes calamus essential oil valued in the perfume industry. In Britain the plant was also cut for use as a sweet smelling floor covering for the packed earth floors of medieval dwellings and churches. In Egypt, it was thought to be an aphrodisiac. For this recipe, I used 1 teaspoon

quassia chips

Born in Brazil, quassia amara is the most bitter substance in nature, so, naturally, it belongs in a batch of bitters! For this recipe, I went with 1 teaspoon.

Secondly, the Spice Tincture

licorice root

 Licorice root, originating in Europe and Asia, is not related to anise, star anise, or fennel, but is a strong licorice component in its own right, and used broadly as a solid flavouring. For this recipe, I used 1/2 a teaspoon

coriander seed



Coriander is commonly used in cooking, and are is a key component in middle eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. You can find the seeds in Garam Masala and Indian curry. Here, I used 1 teaspoon.



fennel seeds





Fennel is a highly aromatic and flavourful herb. Containing anethole, it is a positive medicinal aid for eyes and the intestinal tract (something in common there?). I used 1/2 a teaspoon.

And finally, The Cinnamon Clove Tincture

Cloves

Ah, cloves. This Indonesian spice is a very common flavour agent in many cuisines around the world. They are also used in Djarums (the clove cigarette of Indonesia) as well as an incense in India and China. For the bitters, I used 1 teaspoon.



Cinnamon Chips


Cinnamon has been known from remote antiquity. It was imported to Egypt as early as 2000 BCE. Its history is long, and probably warranting its own story. It was regarded fit for a monarch and even a god. For me, 2 teaspoons of these chips were the perfect flavouring addition for my first batch of bitters.




Each of these combinations was put into a mason jar with overproof vodka. I opted for the vodka as I wanted the flavours to speak for themselves and not be impacted by, say, an overproof rum.



Of course, everyone needs a Bitter Making Helper Hobbit!



everyone needs a helper!


Finally, after two weeks, and shaking each jar once each day, the bitters were ready to be combined and strained. Thankfully, my Krups Moka Brew coffee maker fit the job.

straining through my Krups Moka Brew coffee pot

Then, they get bottled! I thought the bitters would be darker, but I am quite happy with how they turned out. They certainly are bitter and so far are a fine additive to an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan!


Bottled! A bit lighter in colour than I had imagined

So, that is my first batch. I am hoping to get another batch up and running. I hope to do an Orange bitter and a rhubarb bitter. Cheers!



Made In America

I recently returned from a quick trip to Las Vegas and thought I'd show off a few choice items I picked up that, unfortunately, we can't get here in Alberta yet.  Up first is Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.  

As a patriotic Canadian, I do enjoy my Canadian whisky and have several bottles in my cabinet at the moment.  However, the priority for these whiskies seems to be in their smoothness and subtlety, which makes them great for sipping neat, but not so desirable for mixing in cocktails, where the spirit base must be able to hold its own with other bold flavours.  Consequently, I have been very excited to get my hands on some good ole' American Rye Whisky, which is known to be spicier and more flavorful than its Canadian counterpart.  

Rittenhouse Rye is no exception.  The bottle I found is the 100 Proof Bottled in Bond edition, which means that it conforms to the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897.  This legislation specifies that the spirit must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse under government supervision for a minimum of four years and must be bottled at 100 proof, or 50% alcohol.  These rules were put in place as a means of guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of American spirits.  

The quality of Rittenhouse Rye is evident at the first taste.  It has a huge peppery spiciness that is perfect for mixing with, and what better to mix than the classic Manhattan, a drink that cocktail historian Dave Wondrich feels is "as close to divine perfection as a cocktail can be."

Manhattan

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whisky

1 oz Noilly Pratt Sweet Vermouth

2 Dashes of Angostora bitters

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

After tasting my first true rye Manhattan I have to agree with Wondrich.  The spice of the Rye balances perfectly with the sweet herbal notes of Noilly's delicious vermouth.  Perhaps it's good that I can't get this Rye at my local store.  Perfection should not be so easily attainable.