The (Twenty-Something) Idiot's Guide to Bitters

Gone are the days when it was acceptable for our generation to be spied sipping on a White Russian, Whiskey Sour (or its weaker and even more shameful cousin, the Midori Sour), or Long Island Ice Tea. I ordered a Long Island this St. Patty’s Day—mostly for old times’ sake, and because it’s in the best interest of a sober millennial at a bar full of undergraduate youngins to dispense with sobriety as quickly as possible—and was appalled by just how foul it was. Yet I downed those babies every weekend for almost four years of college. How could I have been so misguided?
 
If you’ve ever had the same experience with a previously beloved beverage, don’t be too hard on yourself. As a function of not being assaulted on a regular basis by lukewarm beverages in plastic cups, our palates are evolving. This evolution happens to fortuitously coincide with the renaissance of bitters as a cocktail ingredient, which means that most of us routinely encounter them on drink menus. For those who relish interesting flavors that depart from the ranks of the citrusy and sweet—and also for those who like to at least maintain the appearance of enjoying sophisticated concoctions—here’s the lowdown on bittery goodness.  

What are they: Bitters are highly concentrated spirits containing a variety of herbs, spices, fruit, and roots distilled in a base liquor. Once used as medicinal tonics, they are now added to cocktails, often in minute quantities, to render the flavor more complex. Bitters were especially popular in the pre-prohibition cocktails of the 1860s to the 1920s, and fell out favor until the recent revival of classic cocktails.

Popular brands:
Aromatic bitters, used only for flavoring, include:

• Angostura
• Peychaud’s
• Bittermens (especially the Xolocatl Mole variety)
• The Bitter Truth (especially the Celery Bitters variety)
• Fee Brothers
• Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
• Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6

“Potable” bitters, which can be enjoyed on their own, include:

• Campari
• Averna
• Ramazzotti
• Fernet Branca 

Popular cocktails featuring bitters (from SheKnows):

• The Manhattan
• The Old Fashioned
• The Sazerac
• The Lillet
• The Vesper Martini
• The Corpse Reviver

My favorite: Whiskey cocktails with a dash of Angostura Orange.

My least favorite: Fernet Branca, similar in flavor to the death of small children.

Although aromatic bitters aren’t meant to be drunk neat or on the rocks, mixologists love to be fancy and give samples to interested customers, so be adventurous and ask for a taste.