ISO Cocktail bitters on US market

[mbrowley]

Hey all ~

A tangent from an earlier discussion on bitters...

I've got the great fortune to lead a team of folks deciding what products to stock at a new 6,000 square foot Di Bruno Bros. gourmet food store in center city Philadelphia (www.dibruno.com). We cannot carry beverage alcohol because of Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws, but in the bar/beverage section I want to carry the best selection of cocktail bitters available.

I've already got Peychaud's and Fee Brothers lined up as well as the ubiquitous Angostura. I'm hoping that the seasoned drinkers of eGullet may have suggestions on currently-produced bitters they'd love to see on the shelf -- and contact information for those companies. Beverage bitters such as Jagermeister, Cyan or Fernet Branca, Underberg, etc. are out, but those added in dashes, doses, dollops and spurts to other beverages are exactly what I want.

If it's domestic or imported to the US (or available to be imported), please let me know. Alternately, if anyone you know is developing new bitters (ginger maybe?) or reviving old styles, please contact me.

I'd love to follow up and grow this into an outstanding collection of artisan and regional cocktail bitters.

Thanks in advance,

Matthew Rowley

mrowley@dibruno.com

(please note that I am NOT looking for product recommendations for any other lines right now)

[slkinsey]

Hi Matthew. If you're looking for non-potable bitters and you already have Fee Brothers, Peychaud's and Angostura in mind -- well, that's about it as far as I know. This is, sadly, how far the use of bitters has fallen.

Although we've been hearing for what seems like a year that Gary Regan's Orange Bitters No. 6 will be on sale any minute now, I wouldn't hold my breath. When it does come on sale, however, you should definitely stock it.

The other bitters available to the cocktail enthuisiast tend to be either vintage examples purchased on eBay or homemade reproductions of defunct brands.

[mbrowley]

The other bitters available to the cocktail enthuisiast tend to be either vintage examples purchased on eBay or homemade reproductions of defunct brands.

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"Cocktail enthusiast." What a lovely notion. And so much more classy than "booze hound" or "knee-walking drunk."

I've just wrapped up a book on moonshining in the US (with a few dozen recipes) and was struck by how many people I interviewed are reviving old distilling traditions and exploring the maceration/infusion front. More than a handful have launched legitimate corn whiskey distilleries modeled on family moonshine recipes.

I can only hope that the kne...er...cocktail enthusiasts out there enamored of bitters as I am step up to the challenge of producing new retail products. Until then, it's Fee's Orange for my (re-filtered) vodka martinis and Peychaud's for water when the weather grows sultry...

[DrinkBoy]

Mr. Regan's "Orange Bitters No. 6" is -very- close to coming to market. I was just chatting with Gary, and he says that he'll be in Kentucky next week to see the first bottlles come off the packaging line!

So it's now just up to how long the whole "distribution" thing takes.

-Robert

[mbrowley]

Mr. Regan's "Orange Bitters No. 6" is -very- close to coming to market. I was just chatting with Gary, and he says that he'll be in Kentucky next week to see the first bottlles come off the packaging line!

So it's now just up to how long the whole "distribution" thing takes.

-Robert

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Robert ~

I'd be happy to discuss a distribution angle. When you speak to GR next, ask him to track me down.

Matt