All About Bitters (Part 2)

[jmfangio]

That sounds very nice indeed. And, I should add, that label is absolutely beautiful!

[haresfur]

Personally, I object to bitters advertising themselves as containing purported aphrodisiacs. Particularly when coupled to the moniker "Dr." (even if that is apparently tounge-in-cheek). Drinking culture is far too tied to "panty-removers", date rape, and other sexual manipulation.

[Tri2Cook]

Any updates on the new bitters? Not impatient, just making sure I'm not overlooking them somewhere.

[evo-lution]

Any updates on the new bitters? Not impatient, just making sure I'm not overlooking them somewhere.

Don't really want to post sales links up on the forum (don't think it's the done thing) but if you shoot me an email to adam.elmegirab@evo-lution.org I'll happily forward some sales links.

This is a pretty new review should you be interested - http://thecocktailgeek.com/2011/08/01/product-of-the-month-dr-adam-elmegirab-bitters/

[Tri2Cook]

After posting here, I did a google search (which I should have done first) and found them at the Boston Shaker. Their shopping cart doesn't seem to cooperate with orders going to Canada and I'm not the patient sort of shopper who likes to have to ask for permission to order things from a company so I'm keeping my eye on Cocktail Kingdom and I'll shoot you that email for the sales links. Thanks!

[Chris Amirault]

I guarantee that a phone call or email to Adam at Boston Shaker will get you satisfaction. I have no connection to his business other than being grateful that it exists, but I assure you that Adam has come through personally and professionally whenever we've needed him to do so.

[Tri2Cook]

Thanks Chris. I'm not doubting they're good people and a quality business. I was already planning to order a bunch of glassware from them before I found these bitters there. I just get frustrated when I put together an order, go through the entire checkout process and then get the "for orders outside of the U.S. please call/email/etc.". It's not just this particular case (I'm looking your way Kegworks, l'epicerie and Le Sanctuaire), I'm crotchety like that any time it happens. I just feel businesses that say they ship to Canada should either set up their cart to allow for that or let me know up front that I need to call before I spend a bunch of time trying to order through the site.

[EvergreenDan]

I suspect that a niche business like The Boston Shaker uses an off-the-shelf tool for its e-commerce. There may be complications shipping some products to Canada and the e-commerce tool may not be studly enough to handle them. For example, most bottles of bitters contain alcohol, and there may be shipping restrictions on flammable liquids to Canada.

Adam is a good guy, and The Boston Shaker is a first-rate store, with great customer service. I hope he can tend to this pain point for Canadian customers.

Or maybe this whole thing is actually about the Stanley Cup.

[Tri2Cook]

It's probably not a problem to Canadians in general, I'm probably just being a crab because it's happened to me a few times recently. I'll shoot them an email and see if there are any problems involved with shipping to Canada. I'm sure it's not a legal thing, Cocktail Kingdom ships bitters here, but maybe there's something related to the shipping company they use or something. Anyway, thanks. Didn't mean to shift my interest in this new bitters into a rant.

[Kerry Beal]

It's probably not a problem to Canadians in general, I'm probably just being a crab because it's happened to me a few times recently. I'll shoot them an email and see if there are any problems involved with shipping to Canada. I'm sure it's not a legal thing, Cocktail Kingdom ships bitters here, but maybe there's something related to the shipping company they use or something. Anyway, thanks. Didn't mean to shift my interest in this new bitters into a rant.

Adam (evo-lution) has shipped me bitters before with no problem I'm awaiting a new order now.

[Tri2Cook]

Adam (evo-lution) has shipped me bitters before with no problem I'm awaiting a new order now.

Yeah, I've had bitters shipped from the U.S. and other parts of Canada as well. I'm assuming there's something involved that causes some businesses to prefer not to (Kegworks won't ship bitters to Canada according to their website). I'm not sure about Boston Shaker, if they don't ship them to Canada or if it's just a matter of contacting them to arrange it. I'm going to contact them and find out though. I know Cocktail Kingdom has all of Adam's bitters listed except this one and they definitely ship to Canada so that's an option I'm watching as well. Regardless, didn't intend to sound like I was disparaging Boston Shaker, was just venting about an online shopping pet peeve

[haresfur]

Ok, 27 pages in... which are the top few bitters you consider important for your bar?

[Tri2Cook]

Ok, 27 pages in... which are the top few bitters you consider important for your bar?

I use orange (Angostura orange, Regan's orange or Twisted & Bitter orange depending on the drink), Angostura, Peychaud's, grapefruit (from the Canadian company House Made), Adam Elmegirab's Boker's and Bittermen's Xocolatl Mole regularly. I have many others but they don't make nearly as frequent appearances.

[KD1191]

My most frequently used bitters these days are all Bittercube products: Orange, Bolivar (almost anywhere Ango is called for) & Cherry Bark-Vanilla.

They don't work in everything, but they are definitely my first choice whether I'm experimenting or making an old favorite. I really enjoyed the bitters lab they put on at Tales. We created our own small batch of bitters, choosing from about a hundred different ingredients they had brought along with them. I'm very much looking forward to receiving the finished product in a few weeks (after they round out the rough edges).

[EvergreenDan]

Ok, 27 pages in... which are the top few bitters you consider important for your bar?

Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit (my favorite citrus bump)

Bittermens Mole

Fee Whiskey Barrel Aged (use where you might use Angostura)

Angostura Orange

Peychaud's

Some sort of lemon or lime bitters for making seltzer and bumping up the citrus without changing the acid/sweetness

Boker's to add bitterness

And you, haresfur?

Edited August 20, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[haresfur]

And you, haresfur?

That's the thing. My supply of bitters is pitiful, but I'm planning a resupply trip to the USA. Right now I have Peychaud's, Fee's Old Fashioned, Fee's Orange, and Regan's Orange. I probably use the Fee's Orange the least although I like them in some summer drinks and the 50:50 mix with Regan's is often nice. I use the Fee's Old Fashioned where Angostrua is called for, but would like to try the barrel aged.

Given the number of interesting bottles out there, I think I'll concentrate on the ones people use most, thus the question.

[evo-lution]

Not sure how many of the eGullet members have subscribed to the digital editions of CLASS Magazine from the UK but their latest issue (#20) reviewed my new Aphrodite Bitters giving them a rating of 4.5 / 5

http://www.diffordsguide.com/class-magazine/read-online?page=1%3Brelease%3D2011-09-13

[Chris Amirault]

That's too low. We have a bottle at Cook & Brown and they are an unqualified triumph, on par with Regan's #6 Orange, Scrappy's Grapefruit, Bittermens Xocolatl Mole, and the Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Decanter bitters as the best of a over-crowded and -hyped field.

It's the sort of product that gets you dreaming about ways to use it. All bitters fans should grab a bottle now.

[evo-lution]

Thanks for the kind words though I wouldn't agree with the overcrowded comment, wasn't too long ago we were bemoaning the fact we only had Ango Aromatic. We now have a vibrant market with some truly outstanding bottlings. So long as a bottling is well thought-out with a number of applications (I've half-written a piece covering my own portfolio that covers this in further depth) then it's worthy of exploring as with any category.

It's the sort of product that gets you dreaming about ways to use it.

Slight twist on the Baguio Skin is a very good start;

As per the receipt of Charles H. Baker but with the addition of Aphrodite Bitters;

50ml Havana Club 7 Year Old (or equivalent)

3 Dashes Aphrodite Bitters

1 Dash Regan's Orange Bitters #6

1 White sugar cube

2 Thinly sliced wheels of lime

Method: Add sugar cube to glass and add a little water, lightly muddle and stir until dissolved. Place two wheels of lime on base of glass then add a few cubes of ice. Add rum and bitters then stir for a few seconds

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Fresh grated nutmeg

Ice: Cubed

[evo-lution]

While I'm on I should mention that my bitters webpage was recently updated and is worth exploring. I'll be devoting some time to the recipes section in the coming days and have some more info to add, should anyone have a recipe they'd like to share on the page please let me know.

Edited September 15, 2011 by evo-lution (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks for the kind words though I wouldn't agree with the overcrowded comment, wasn't too long ago we were bemoaning the fact we only had Ango Aromatic. We now have a vibrant market with some truly outstanding bottlings. So long as a bottling is well thought-out with a number of applications (I've half-written a piece covering my own portfolio that covers this in further depth) then it's worthy of exploring as with any category.

Agreed. I'm just crabby about a line that has somehow made its way onto our backbar and it... uh... hrm....

[evo-lution]

Agreed. I'm just crabby about a line that has somehow made its way onto our backbar and it... uh... hrm....

Intrigued. I would agree that there are maybe a few too many coming onto market (specifically in the US) with huge ranges that seem to be perfected after little-to-no research/development and very little info available regarding their production other than brand name and flavour.

[haresfur]

Ok, 27 pages in... which are the top few bitters you consider important for your bar?

Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit (my favorite citrus bump)

Bittermens Mole

Fee Whiskey Barrel Aged (use where you might use Angostura)

Angostura Orange

Peychaud's

Some sort of lemon or lime bitters for making seltzer and bumping up the citrus without changing the acid/sweetness

Boker's to add bitterness

And you, haresfur?

I just bought some Fee Whiskey Barrel Aged, Bitterman's Xocolatl Mole, and a trial pack of Scrappy's Orange, Chocolate, Grapefruit, and Cardamom bitters. Would have bought some others except for the cost. Making progress, anyway.

[Ritty]

Does anyone know when orange bitters were largely dropped from the martini? I'm trying to do a timeline of this iconic cocktail and haven't nailed it down.

[Tsiologist]

I finally got around to buying some Everclear so I can make some Campfire bitters I've been planning on for a long time.

Lapsang Souchong smoked black tea bitters.

I'm taking these slowly and building on the profile as I go along.

So far just a strong tincture of lapsang. The bittering agents so far will be quassia, gentian, and calamus. Spices to be added are yet to be decided, likely just a whisper of clove. After that, I highly suspect an oz or two of mezcal will get dashed in just to vamp up the complexity of smokey quality in the mix.

I'm curious about actually taking the smoking gun to the batch in the end, but I have no idea how effective that might be in an ingredient used by the dash. To say nothing of whether or not the smoke grows overpowering or even goes bad over time...

More details to come, here:

http://tsiologist.tumblr.com/post/12507082341/lapsang-souchong-bitters-campfire-bitters-tea