Change The Game With Big Bitters Pours

Since the very beginning of cocktail culture, ANGOSTURA bitters has been an essential element of any quality drink.

The ANGOSTURA portfolio of bitters is one of the best ways to add complexity, depth, and drama to cocktails. Most cocktail recipes use just a few dashes to balance the spirits and transform even the simplest mixed drinks into elevated cocktails.

Since the explosion of craft cocktailing, consumers and professionals alike are more creative in exploring interesting drinks with character. Enter #BittersGameChangers, the cocktail upgrade we’ve been waiting for. These drinks use ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters in a larger pour than the standard couple of dashes, making the bitters’ aromatic and floral complexity the star of the cocktail.

Two better-known cocktails that beautifully showcase the impact of a larger bitters pour include the ANGOSTURA Sour and the Trinidad Sour, both of which use a full ounce of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters. While the name might mislead those not familiar, bitters do not have an inherently bitter flavor profile. Instead, they are a mix of bright, dynamic, floral, and spice notes and, depending on the style, can feature numerous other flavors in a concentrated and complex way. For example, ANGOSTURA recently launched a cocoa bitters flavor to join the brand’s collection of aromatic and orange bitters. Each of these flavors imbues depth into whichever drink they’re added in a way no other ingredient can.

The Full Angostura Bitters Family

When it comes to cocktailing, the popularity of using ANGOSTURA as a leading or even standalone cocktail ingredient is not limited to the brand’s home of Trinidad in the Caribbean, despite the island’s namesake take on the Sour. Since the age of Prohibition, bars have been using more than just a dash of ANGOSTURA bitters. One legendary example is Nelsen’s Hall Bitters Pub on Washington Island in Wisconsin, which obtained a pharmaceutical license at the beginning of Prohibition allowing them to sidestep alcohol bans by serving ANGOSTURA bitters as a neat pour. At the time, bitters were considered a medicinal tonic that helped the stomach. After Prohibition was repealed and the pub was able to return to business as usual, Nelsen’s continued to serve bitters straight as part of a Bitters Club, which exists to this day.

To demonstrate just how stunning ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters can be as the main ingredient within cocktails, Natalie Migliarini of Beautiful Booze and Brenton Mowforth of Cheers to Happy Hour developed two beautiful drinks implementing higher-than-usual volumes of this complex blend. The Bitter Sidecar and the Bitter Last Spritz are both takes on iconic cocktails that swap out the traditional base spirits for a full ounce of ANGOSTURA.

Give these two dramatic drinks a try and see for yourself just how wonderful exploring new uses for bitters can be!

Bitter Sidecar

Bitter Sidecar

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters
• 1/2 oz. VS Cognac
• 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 3/4 oz. Orange Liqueur
• Garnish: Lemon Peel

Preparation: Rim a coupe glass with sugar and set aside. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake then strain into glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

Bitter Last Spritz

Bitter Last Spritz

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters
• 1 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 1 oz Maraschino Liqueur
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• A splash of sparkling wine
• Top with Soda Water

Preparation: Shake all ingredients except soda and sparkling wine with ice. Strain into a highball or goblet glass filled with fresh ice. Add splash of sparkling wine and top with Soda. Garnish with lime zest and a cherry.

If you mix up one of these delights, be sure to share it with us on social and tag #BittersGamechangers. We’d love to see how you upgrade your cocktail game with ANGOSTURA!