Making your own Aromatic Bitters

When we talk about aromatic bitters, there is one brand that comes to mind first, Angostura Bitters. Angostura made aromatic bitters popular worldwide, so it comes to no surprise that aromatic bitters is often the go-to flavor for all first time bitters diyers . Besides being one of the most versatile flavors, aromatic bitters is also one of the easiest flavors to make. You won’t need any vegetable peelers or coffee filters for this recipe. In its simplest form, all you need is some herbs and spices and a high proof alcohol like grain alcohol or everclear. You then just add all the ingredients to a jar and shake it daily until its ready.

Here at the Bitters Club we create each and every bitters flavor for a specific purpose. For this recipe, we will be using 2 different bittering agents, angelica root and gentian root. We chose angelica root instead of cinchona bark, because of the herbal characteristics it imparts to the bitter. We also chose each and every ingredient carefully, to ensure that the final result will specifically pair well with any whiskey or bourbon based cocktail. This bitters recipe is meant to add an array of bold flavor and complexity to your drink, so start by only adding 1 or 2 dashes when using it. We also didn’t want to push the flavor profile too far, we wanted to make something that has some versatility and can be used with almost any other liquor type. It’s important to us that this aromatic bitter can hold its own no matter what cocktail you add it to.

The recipe we crafted below will create a high quality, robust and flavourful aromatic bitter that will enhance and compliment any whiskey cocktail. However, the great thing by making it yourself, is that you can tailor the recipe to fit your specific taste. You’ll notice that the recipe will call for a High Proof Whiskey, Bourbon or Rye. If you are a big rum drinker, replace this spirit with a high proof rum. If you drink mostly gin cocktails, replace this spirit with your favorite gin. You get the point, feel free to experiment and make it your own!

Things You Will Need

Before we start making aromatic bitters, there are a couple of items that we recommend you have on hand. Having the right tools will make this process a whole lot easier.

• (1) 16oz clean mason jar
• Cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer
• Small funnel
• (2-4)  2oz dropper bitters bottles

We know that not everyone might have the right tools laying around their kitchen, so we put together a 6 piece DIY Bitters Equipment Kit that contains everything you need. You can purchase one of our DIY Bitters Equipment kits for $12.99. 

Recipe Ingredients:

This recipe will make approx. 8oz of aromatic bitters.

Aromatic Bitters Spice Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Dried Orange Peel
• 1 tsp Dried Lime Peel
• 1 tsp Dried Lemon Peel
• 1 tsp Raisins
• 1 tsp Dried Blue Berries
• 1/2 tsp Dried Cranberries
• 1 tsp Cacao Nibs
• 1 tsp Dried Angelica Root
• 1 tsp Dried Lavender
• 1 tsp Dried Gentian Root
• 1 tsp Dried Wild Cherry Bark
• 1 tsp Dried Dandelion Leaf
• 1/4 tsp White Peppercorns
• 1 tsp Dried Walnut Hulls
• 1 tsp Dried Coriander
• 4 Cardamom Pods
• 1/8 tsp Dried Allspice
• 2 Cloves
• 1/3 of a Dried Star Anise
• 1/2 Cinnamon Stick

tsp = teaspoon

We know, to some this might seem like a whole lot of spices for one recipe. If you don't want to go through the trouble of buying all of these spices individually, we pre-packaged all of them in a single DIY Aromatic Bitters Spice Blend pouch for just $5.99.

Liquid Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup (4 fl. oz) 190 Proof Everclear or a High Proof Grain 
• 1/2 Cup (4 fl. oz) High Proof Whiskey, Bourbon or Rye
• 2 tbsp Simple Syrup

tbsp = tablespoon

Steps For Making DIY Aromatic Bitters

Once you have all of your ingredients and equipment together, the steps for making bitters are pretty easy to follow.

Step 1: Add the spices and any other dry ingredients to your infusion jar.

Step 2: Add the spirits and simple syrup to the infusion jar and close the lid tightly.

Step 3: Place the jar out of any direct sunlight and let it steep for 21 days. Shake it every other day

Step 4: After 21 days strain the contents of the jar through a cheesecloth and into dropper bottles.

Congratulations!, you now have bitters that you can use in your favorite cocktails.

Give this DIY Aromatic Bitters Recipe a try and let us know what you think. We always love to hear how it turns out form fellow diyers. Feel free to take picture of your jar and finished bitters and tag us on Instagram! #thebittersclub