Homemade Cocktail Bitters
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4.9
60 reviews
Excellent
Homemade Cocktail Bitters
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Homemade Cocktail Bitters are concentrated infusions of herbs, spices, fruits, and botanicals in high-proof spirits like bourbon and rye whiskey. This recipe details several bitters variations including cherry vanilla, chocolate, grapefruit, and strawberry ginger, each using diverse aromatic and bitter ingredients carefully combined and steeped over days to develop complex flavors that can enhance cocktails.
Description
These Homemade Cocktail Bitters recipes use mixtures of dried fruits, spices, herbs, and roots soaked in high-proof alcohol such as 101 proof bourbon, rye whiskey, or vodka. Each version employs specific ingredients like dried cherries, cacao nibs, grapefruit rind, or strawberries paired with bittering agents like gentian root, cardamom pods, tonka beans, and cinnamon chips. The infusions are prepared in separate jars, shaken daily, and filtered at different intervals to extract flavor and aroma while removing sediment.
The process emphasizes layering bitter and aromatic flavors, with a resting period after combining various jars for balance. Bitters prepared this way provide concentrated flavor additions to cocktails, offering unique notes from the included botanicals and fruit extracts.
These bitters require careful handling, especially regarding certain ingredients like tonka beans, which should be used cautiously. Researching ingredient safety and storage in small labeled bottles is advised. The bitters are suitable for knowledgeable home mixologists seeking customized cocktail flavors and can be stored for extended periods when properly filtered and sealed.
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Ingredients
cherry vanilla bitters
- 8 ounces dried cherries
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon 101 proof
- 6 cardamom pod crushed
- 2 tonka bean cracked
- 2 Vanilla Beans scraped
- 2 star anise
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon 101 proof
- 1/2 tablespoon gentian root
- 1/2 tablespoon cassia cinnamon chips
- 1/2 tablespoon wild cherry bark
- 1 cup rye whiskey 100 proof
chocolate bitters
- 1/2 cup cacao nibs
- 1 1/4 cups bourbon 101 proof
- 6 cardamom pod chopped
- 2 tonka bean cracked
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 vanilla bean scraped
- 1 1/4 cups bourbon 101 proof
- 1 tablespoon gentian root
- 1 tablespoon sarsaparilla
- 1 teaspoon wild cherry bark
- 1 teaspoon cassia cinnamon chips
- 1 teaspoon black walnut leaf
- 1 cup rye whiskey 100 proof
- 1/4 cup simple syrup
grapefruit bitters
- 3 grapefruit rind removed
- 2 1/4 cups vodka 100 proof
- 1 ginger thumb-sized piece, fresh
- 1 tonka bean cracked
- 1/2 tablespoon lavender culinary variety
- 1/2 tablespoon juniper berries
- 1/2 tablespoon gentian root
- 1 teaspoon black walnut leaf
- 2 cups vodka 100 proof
- 1/4 cup simple syrup
strawberry ginger one-jar bitters
- 2/3 cups strawberries dried
- 1/2 tablespoon lavender culinary variety
- 1/2 tablespoon gentian root
- 1/2 tablespoon sarsaparilla
- 1/2 tablespoons wild cherry bark
- 1 teaspoon black walnut leaf
- 1 teaspoon cassia cinnamon chips
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries
- 1 star anise
- 1 ginger thumb-sized pieces, fresh
- 2 tonka bean cracked
- 3 cups bourbon 101 proof
- *please note that tonka beans are not illegal to purchase but i believe it is illegal for restaurants to use them in food in the US. apparently when ingested in large quantities, they can be toxic. before using them, i suggest doing your own research. i felt comfortable enough to purchase a few and only used them to infuse the alcohol.
Instructions
cherry vanilla bitters
- Jar #1: In one jar, add the dried cherries and bourbon. Shake well.
- Jar #2: In the second jar, add the tonka beans, cardamom pods, scraped vanilla beans and pods, star anise and bourbon. Shake well.
- Jar #3: In the third jar, add the gentian root, cassia chips, wild cherry bark and rye whiskey. Shake well.
- Store all jars in a cool dark place. Shake the jars once per day.
- After 5 days, strain jar #3, removing all the herbs and anything that has settled on the bottom. Place the bitters back in the jar (cleaned or at least free of any bitter “sediment”) until ready to use. After 10 days, strain jars #1 and #2, and combine them together into one jar. Allow the mixture to sit for 3 days.
- Now it’s time to combine your bitters! I found that I needed to strain mine again, so do that if needed. You want them as clear as possible. There is no set “recipe” here – simply combine a few ounces of the cherry vanilla liquid and a few ounces of the bittering liquid until it reaches a bitterness you are content with. One you find it, use a mini funnel (I actually use parchment paper rolled into a funnel) and add the bitters to a jar with a dropper. Let them sit for another week before use, straining once again if needed before use. I found that the final strain got them super clear.
chocolate bitters
- Jar #1: Add the cocoa nibs and 101-proof bourbon. Shake well
- Jar #2: Add the tonka beans, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, vanilla beans and 101-proof bourbon.
- Jar #3: Add the gentian root, saspararilla, wild cherry bark, cassia chips, black walnut leaf and 100-proof rye whiskey.
- Store all jars in a cool dark place. Shake the jars once per day.
- After 5 days, strain jar #3, removing all the herbs and anything that has settled on the bottom. Place the bitters back in the jar (cleaned or at least free of any bitter “sediment”) until ready to use. After 10 days, strain jars #1 and #2, and combine them together into one jar. Allow the mixture to sit for 3 days.
- After 3 days, strain your jars again add 1/4 cup simple syrup to the chocolate-flavored jar. Combine a few ounces of the chocolate liquid and a few ounces of the bittering liquid until it reaches a bitterness you are content with. Once you find it, use a mini funnel and add the bitters to a jar with a dropper. Let them sit for another week before use, straining once again if needed before use. I found that the final strain got them super clear.
grapefruit bitters
- Jar #1: Add the grapefruit rind 100-proof vodka. Shake well.
- Jar #2: Add the lavender, juniper berries, black walnut leaf, gentian root, tonka bean, ginger and 100-proof vodka. Shake well.
- Store all jars in a cool dark place. Shake the jars once per day.
- After 5 days, strain jar #2, removing all the herbs and anything that has settled on the bottom. Place the bitters back in the jar (cleaned or at least free of any bitter “sediment”) until ready to use. After 10 days, strain jar #1. Allow the mixture to sit for 3 days.
- After 3 days, strain your jars again add 1/4 cup simple syrup to the grapefruit-flavored jar. Combine a few ounces of the grapefruit liquid and a few ounces of the bittering liquid until it reaches a bitterness you are content with. Once you find it, use a mini funnel and add the bitters to a jar with a dropper. Let them sit for another week before use, straining once again if needed before use. I found that the final strain got them super clear.
strawberry ginger one-jar bitters
- Combine all ingredients together in one jar and let them sit for 10 days. Store the jar in cool, dark place and shake it once per day.
- After 10 days, strain the jar to remove the ingredients and sediment from the bottom. Let the mixture sit for another 3 days and strain again. Add the mixture to dropper jars, straining one more time in another day or two to remove any bits from the bottom.
Notes
- Use several mason jars to separate ingredients for initial infusion stages.
- Shake jars once daily to mix the ingredients and aid extraction.
- Strain infusions multiple times with fine mesh, coffee filters, or cheesecloth for clarity.
- Combine and rest the strained bitters for several days to balance flavors before bottling.
- Store finished bitters in small dropper bottles in a cool, dark place.
- Be cautious with tonka beans due to potential toxicity; research before use.
- High-proof alcohols like 101 proof bourbon are essential for proper extraction and preservation.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
60 reviews
Excellent
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