BittermensAG
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Posts posted by BittermensAG
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Went to PDT a few weeks ago, and did what I always do, leave it up to the bartender to mix me up something.
I know it was Rye and Campari, but don't know what else nor the name.
Was served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass. I tried a boulevardier
1.5 rye
3/4 campari
3/4 italian vermouth
but It's not it. Any ideas?
It's a 1794, created by Dominic Venegas a few years ago while he was at Range in San Francisco.
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Is there any law formulating what has to be in a cocktail bitters to get the appelation? If yes, when did that law dated from?
I've done also a bit of work on bitters presentation, and I find it fascinating and a bit confusing, especially when it comes to search in books and etc...
Is it possible that Aperitif & digestive bitters are a kind of diluted expression of Aromatic Bitters.
for example, Chartreuse elixir vegetal could be an "Aromatic bitters", and Green Chartreuse, how would you classify it? It's the same, but diluted, isn't it?
Mickael,
There are no laws stipulating what needs to be in a cocktail bitter to get the "appelation" - actually, there is no category for non-potable bitters within the TTB regulations. Technically, they fall under Flavor or Flavoring Agent. Bitters are considered a trade name, and any flavoring that defines itself as bitter can be a "bitter"
The nature of cocktail bitters, which are true flavoring agents, and potable bitters (such as Chartreuse, Campari and others) which typically derive themselves from medicinal herbal tonics.
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Yeah I saw that, I'm just wondering if that applies when you make and sell them only in-house. I know of at least one store where you can buy house-made bitters, and I doubt that they are going through the TTB.
I guess its analogous to making and selling cookies in a store, versus producing them to ship to other retailers? I'm pretty sure that the laws that govern those two activities vary......
Nope. If they are going to be sold, they need to get approved by the TTB.
If you make it in house for use only in food and cocktails in-house and it never leaves the premises in a finished (or even intermediary form), then it's fine. However, as soon as it goes in a bottle - for sale, or even ostensibly for trade or for free, it falls under the control of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms' Taxation and Trade Bureau. You'll also need to have a commercial kitchen license with an endorsement to create product for sale.
Any time you're working with alcohol, the laws are significantly more stringent.
The store that is making them in-house and selling them is technically in violation of federal law and can face fines or even a shut-down.
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Try expandable stepped shelves...
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.as...13983119&RN=205
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During the US prohibition, the sale / manufacture / transportation & consumption of Alcohol was banned. But, was it possible to buy Angostura Bitters?
At that time, I think that angostura bitters was in a category on its own, Aromatic Bitters. And the US law described this category as being undrinkable alone.
Now, I'm thinking if it could have been possible to buy aromatic bitters, in a pharmacy for example, during the US prohibition?
Cheers for you help,
Mick
It was because of Prohibition that the US Government (now the Taxation and Trade Bureau of the Division of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) set up a category for non-potable alcohol, which includes things such as vanilla extract and non-potable bitters (such as Angostura).
Bitters such as Angostura still need to be approved by the TTB before being classified as non-potable before being sellable.
Avery
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Last night Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli at Eastern Standard in Boston made a fantastic little nightcap...
1 part Thomas Handy
1 part Chartreuse Yellow VEP
1 part Fernet Branca
Dash orange bitters
Stir and serve in a crushed-ice filled rocks glass with an orange twist.
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Hello All,
We will shortly be visiting Germany and Italy and of course will be looking for interesting bottles to add to our bar. We'd love to hear any recommendations for things we can't get in America.
If you're in Bavaria (Munich Area) take a look for:
- Slyrs (Bavarian Single Malt Whisky)
- Andechs Kraeuter Schnapps (herb liquors)
- Blutwurz (a more medicinal liqueur)
- Bodensee Obstler (fruit eaux de vie)
From Ziegler, look for:
- Wildkirsche (wild cherry)
- Quitte (quince)
- Walnuss
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Just stopped in at 9th Street Espresso for a cappuccino and noticed that the staff was in the middle of a cupping. More curious was that boxes were being opened and bags were being moved into the kitchen area that were definitely not the typical Counter Culture beans that 9th Street uses. Being the nosy person that I am - I peeked in to see who the beans were from.
Stumptown.
Yes, after almost a year of discussion, 9th Street Espresso is becoming the first NY shop to use Stumptown beans. The espresso blend is Hairbender and there are going to be a couple of varietals for french press available as well. Even more encouraging, the folks from Stumptown confirmed that they're setting up a Brooklyn roasting facility to be able to supply 9th Street.
Now, if you're hankering for a Stumptown shot, give them some time. When I left, they were still in the process of shifting everything over - though they were gracious enough to weigh me out a half pound to go. I think they were trying to get everything turned over for Stumptown this afternoon, but honestly, since they're going to have to adjust the grinders and espresso machine temp - give them a day or two to get everything dialed in perfectly.
It was confirmed that deliveries will be on Wednesdays and Fridays to start, and possibly daily once the local roasting facility is up and running.
Avery
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We did alot of experimenting over here - to get good extraction, we always had to be well over 100 proof to get decent extraction... even when heat is involved. I've also found that extracting at low proof ends up reducing the shelf-stability.
You have to be careful, because depending on what you're extracting, over 150 proof can end up extracting too much oil out too quickly, leaving a bitter almost resin-like taste.
The only technique that I have seen when working with 100 proof or below is to run it through a still... but then again, if you're using lots of fresh peel or anything sugary, that can be a real pain in the backside to clean.
- Avery
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So Avery, are you using the same method and seeing the bitters turn cloudy at the same point? And are you saying that the oils will eventually emulsify over time as opposed to settle to the bottom?
Actually, the process we use is very different, but the result of having a higher proof bitter with a high volatile oil percentage is the same. We've experimented since then by just taking pure essential oils in high proof then adding water, watching it louche, then waiting to see it all fall out of suspension at room temperature. It takes about 2 weeks, but eventually it's crystal clear (or at least it is for us).
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i need to learn more about what beer brewers do to fine and filter their products...
The thing is that the reason for clarification of a bitter and a beer are different. Most beer cloudiness is due to proteins. Because of this, isinglass, irish moss and even sawdust (aka "Beechwood Aging") help to bond the proteins together into larger clumps which are then filterable.
Slkinsey hit it on the head with the reasons for why bitters and other high alcohol/high oil mixes get cloudy - the oil moves out of solution and creates a pearlescent "louche". In this case, Buechner funnels, filtration, or any of the other beer techniques will not work to clarify the mix. In fact, a Buechner funnel's filtration paper might actually change the end product as it will absorb some of the suspended oils. In my opinion, just wait and eventually it will clarify itself.
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It may be cloudy because the water interacts with the citrus oil, which creates a louche-like suspension.
Let it sit for about 2 weeks and it should clarify nicely.
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You are so, so mean. Don't you think that the eGullet Society membership need to do some test marketing for you?
Sorry about that - unfortunately we need to be very strict and most importantly, be able to account for every bottle and be able to justify to the ATF/TTB every person who receives a sample up until we gain regulatory approval.
Hopefully we'll receive approval soon...
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If you only need a couple of bottles - Mountain Rose Herbs can do single bottles. The Euro-Dropper (what Mountain Rose calls a dropper bottle) behaves a little different than the typical Angostura bottle, but it still works.
If you want to go bulk, SKS Bottle is great - I've been using them for over a year. The classic dasher-style bottle used by Angostura/Fees/etc are called "Woozy" bottles and they have it in 12 pack cases.
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Brian Miller (Death & Company - NYC) made a Fernet cocktail for me that we're now calling the Second Sip. Why the second sip? Because everyone takes a second sip to try and figure it out.
2 oz Compass Box Asyla Scotch
1/2 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
1/2 oz Cockburn 20 yr old Tawny Port
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Stir, strain and serve in a coupe. Please, no garnish!
Now, I know that the bitters aren't available to the general public yet (we're working on it). In the mean time, the drink still works without any bitters - or you can try a dash of Fee Brothers Aromatic, which should still work very well - just in a slightly different manner.
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The inspiration to do Mole bitters was thanks to Joselino Solis, the ex-lead bartender at Bacar in San Francisco. Bacar was our closest cocktail bar when living in SF and we spent many an evening with Craig, Joselino and the rest of the team as guinea pigs for new recipes.
Joselino was a lover of tequila and mescal. When Craig invited us to come along with the Bacar staff on a tour of Distillery 209, we decided to come up with a bitter that Joselino could use to augment some of his tequila cocktails.
Sorry to say, but I've never seen your recipe before reading your post this afternoon - but it does seem to be an interesting infusion.
Will Jiggers Kill the Bar Star?
in Spirits & Cocktails
Posted
It's not jiggers that makes cocktails slow - take a look at the volume they do at the Lonsdale in London, Death and Co in New York or Eastern Standard in Boston: all jigger-measured cocktails and able to come through quickly.
The reason that cocktail bars tend to be slow has nothing to do with jiggers, it has to do with the fact that it simply takes longer to make 40 different cocktails for 40 different customers: assembling ingredients, cracking ice and stirring or shaking. Proper measuring is actually only a fraction of a second longer than eyeballing a free-pour. In comparison, pouring 40 glasses of wine, 40 pints of beer or opening 40 bottles at a sports bar is going to be faster.
The problem is that you just can't compare apples to oranges here. Go to the Brandy Library in NYC and see how long it takes to pour a $12 scotch. Now compare that to the time it takes to get a $12 cocktail at Death and Company.
Sports bars tend to have a higher ratio of low-effort drinks and deep-fried (or pre-frozen) foods. This means fast to serve and higher margin. Sports bars are typically larger venues which can justify a higher staff count. Put this all together, and this means fast service. It almost means an inexperienced and transient staff. Compare this to the cocktail bar where you tend to get knowledgeable service and long-term staff.
Sports bars are the fast food of the bar industry. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's all designed around overstimulation (televisions! female servers in tight shirts!) and fast service for a typically ADD-addled clientele. It's the appeal of TGI Fridays: flair, wacky crap to look at on the walls and service designed to get you in and out quickly while maximizing the amount of food and drink that can be shoved down their awaiting gullets.
Compared to this, cocktail bars are the fine dining establishments: where you pay for the experience, knowledge and execution.
Not sure what crack Dale was smoking. Free-pouring isn't the answer and neither is dumbing down the cocktail concept to make it have "mass appeal". That's what created the Cosmo, Lemon Drop and Slush-ball Margaritas and Daiquiris of the 80s and 90s. I'd rather give sports bar patrons a better selection of beer than sugary crap cocktails.
Creating an experience that people enjoy, with complex flavor profiles like those you would find at a great restaurant, at a price people can afford - that's the future.