We’re going to make a
great stride with this addition: a key ingredient group that’s still missing
from our bar are the bitters.
There are two kinds
of bitters: those that can be consumed directly (such as Campari, Aperol and
Fernet Branca) and the bitters that live up to their name in such a way that
they are only used as a mixing ingredient. Even during Prohibition these latter
bitters were still legal to sell, because no sane person would drink the stuff
directly.
The bitters originate
from the elixirs and tonics that were sold as medicinal drinks through the
ages. In that aspect, they share the same history as vermouth, although the
alcohol percentage of bitters is much higher than what is used for fortified
wines like vermouth.
As has already been
pointed out, the original concept of a cocktail was a mixture of spirit, sugar,
bitters and water. According to Ted Haigh in his book*, it’s a kind
of strange idea to come up with: you’re practically mixing drugs with alcohol.
On top of this, it was supposed to be a morning drink, for after a night of
heavy partying. No wonder cocktails were not considered to be for proper
people. But this also made them dangerous and interesting.
Today, we have a
different view on the medicinal properties of bitters. The ‘undrinkable’ kind
of bitters is actually only used for making cocktails. It’s sort of used like
seasoning: in very small amounts (i.e. dashes). You might not even notice when
bitters are added to the cocktail. But ideally, you’ll certainly notice when
they are lacking. They should pull all the flavors of the drink together, and
give that little extra kick to the cocktail.
With the recent
cocktail revival, numerous bitters have resurged and have become available on
the market. Orange bitters, in particular, have been absent for ages, but are
widely available again (although not at your local liquor store, probably).
The three most
important bitters for cocktails are:
·
aromatic
bitters (if no specific kind of bitters is called for, use aromatic bitters)
·
Peychaud’s
bitters (a key ingredient in the Sazerac)
·
orange
bitters (a classic component of any Martini)
Most famous of the
aromatic bitters (and actually most famous of the bitters in general) are
Angostura bitters. They are an invention of the German Dr. Johann Siegert, and
have been available since 1824. Siegert was a Surgeon-General in the army of revolutionary
Simón Bolívar. When Bolívar left Venezuela to liberate other parts of Latin
America, Siegert instead settled in Angostura (later renamed Ciudad Bolívar).
He was determined to find a natural tonic to improve digestion.
This was to become amargos aromáticos, literally aromatic
bitters. Only later did the name change to Angostura bitters. Production has
since been moved from Angostura to Trinidad.
As is the case with
Bénédictine and Chartreuse, the recipe is a closely guarded secret. For
Angostura, only five people will know the complete recipe at the same time.
Angostura sports an
oversized label. As you can see, I’ve been kind of rude and have torn off the
top of the label. It would have been classier to crumple-fold the label against
the neck of the bottle. Live and learn, I guess.
* In
‘Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails’
D.O.M.
Deo Optimo Maximo.
The ultimate Bénédictine
cocktail contains no base, but instead opts for an enormous amount of the
wonderful stuff. The recipe can be found in the Café Royal Cocktail Book.
I like to drink this
in a small cocktail glass: I don’t think it’s appropriate to mix this in large
amounts. Because the original recipe calls for three dashes of Angostura, I’ve
adjusted this a bit as well. Angostura bitters are kind of an acquired taste.
It’s possible to add a larger amount if you’re used to them, but for most people
two dashes will suffice here. If that’s still too much of a bitters shock, don’t
hesitate to switch to one dash only.
3 parts Bénédictine
1 part sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
glass: cocktail
Stir with ice and strain into the
glass.
This cocktail kind of
reminds me of sweet liqueurs such as Drambuie. It’s not the same taste, but the
sensation lies in the same spectrum.
