A Guide to Making Bitters
As you will discover, bitters can follow a range of instructions and recipes. There is simply no "right" way to making them. Here is a short overview to making bitters using our D.I.Y. Bitters Sets.
1. Game plan
There are many resources available in books and online to find inspiration for your next bitter. Check out some of our favourite books in the Questions section on our website, here. Nevertheless, the first question you want to ask yourself is:
Do I want to create an aromatic flavouring or a herbal remedy?
Top tip: If you are open for ideas, a wonderful place to start is in your very own kitchen. Perhaps you have half a grapefruit left over from breakfast or black cherries are in season. These items can form the foundation of your bitter recipe.
2. What's in a Bitters Recipe?
Husk Cherry Bitters*
1½ cup husk cherries
Zest of ¼ lemon, cut into strips
½ teaspoon orris root
1/4 teaspoon gentian root
5 green cardamom pods, cracked
2 cups high proof rye
1 cup water
2 tablespoons agave nectar
Recipe from Brad Thomas Parson's book,
Bitters: A spirited history of a classic cure-all
page 64-65
Bitters are composed of one or more items that give a distinct bitter taste, called bittering agents, and other ingredients that add flavour and complexity. These aromatic ingredients are limitless, and make up the bulk of the recipe. Common bitters recipes include spiced, coffee, orange, cherry vanilla, and lavender.
You can make a bitter out of almost anything- as long as it's safe to consume. In the Ingredients page of this website, you will find a list of bitter and aromatic ingredients to experiment with.
The ingredients in a sample recipe look something like this:
This sample recipe will produce considerably more bitters than will fit in the Trailing Wild D.I.Y. Bitters Sets, however! So if you are planning on using the infusion jars and dropper bottles that come in our kit, remember that the infusion jars fit 145 mL (5 oz) and the dropper bottles fit 50 mL (1.7 oz). The dry ingredients will soak up some of the liquid, so your bitters will be less volume than you originally added to the recipe.
Top tip: Begin with a small amount of bittering agents in your initial recipe. These ingredients can be overpowering and their full strength isn't apparent until the bitter has infused for a couple of weeks. We recommend adding less than ¾ tsp of dry bittering agents per 1 cup of liquid. You can always add more bittering agents after the initial infusion period of 2-3 weeks.
3. Pick a Liquid
Bitters are dry ingredients infused (typically) in high-proof alcohol. A recipe may call for a liquor such as Spirytus Gdanski vodka (76%), topped up later with a little bit of water. Any bitters "watered down" with fresh fruits containing lots of juice will have a shorter shelf life.
If you are experimenting for the first time, we recommend using high-quality vodka. It readily picks up the taste of your dry ingredients and you may even have some in your cupboard already.
Top tip: For anyone wishing to go alcohol-free, try using vegetable glycerine. With this method, soak the botanicals in water first for 2-3 days before adding glycerine to 'awaken' the flavours. Use approximately 2 parts water to 3 parts glycerine. If you are using fresh and moist herbs, however, you can use only glycerine - just mix well! Bitters made using glycerine will have a shorter shelf life.
4. Mixing the Ingredients
There are two common ways to combine ingredients when mixing your bitters recipe:
Firstly, combine both the bittering and aromatic ingredients in one jar and infuse simultaneously. This method is simple and requires less hassle later, especially during clean-up.
Secondly, infuse the ingredients separately and combine the infused liquids later, to taste. This method gives you more control over flavours and the final outcome if the bitters. Using the Cherry Husk Bitters recipe listed above, for example, you may decide to split the infusion into three jars: One with the orris root, one with gentian root, and one with the remainder of the ingredients. After two weeks, you can combine the strained infusions together in varying degrees, tasting along the way, to produce a bitter that is exactly to your liking.
You will come across recipes calling for additional steps to the process. Some require two different infusion stages, whereby certain ingredients are added after the bitters have already been infusing a short period of time. Other recipes (including the Cherry Husk Bitters) call for the dry ingredients to simmer in a saucepan at one point or another. In other words, recipes vary widely and you will come to learn, through experimentation, what works best for your ingredients and your taste buds.
5. Infusing the Bitter
A test of patience, to be sure! The initial infusion of your dry ingredients typically takes 2-3 weeks. The dry bittering agents may not smell like much but you will discover that they are very potent. Giving your bitters time to infuse means their flavours can be coaxed out from hiding.
Shake your bitters every day during this time. The infusion jars in the D.I.Y. Bitters Set are not screw-tops. Use both hands to hold the lid firmly closed and turn the jar upside down several times to mix the bitters infusion.
6. Tasting and Adjusting
Taste test your bitters every few days throughout the initial infusion period. Using the plastic pipette included in the D.I.Y. Bitters Set, put a drop on the back of your hand and smell the bitters first. You can taste it in sparkling water, or as droplets on your tongue. You may find you want to add more ingredients, after which the bitters need to infuse for another week or two. If you are happy with its overall structure and flavouring, consider adding a sweetener, such as honey, molasses, agave nectar, or a homemade simple syrup.
Top tip: Don't overdo the sweetener. If you plan on using the bitters in cocktails or mocktails, remember that its bitterness should balance and "play" with the drink's sweet ingredients. If your bitters are super sweet, you will end up with a cocktail that tastes like a cavity.
You are aiming for a strong aromatic flavour that is mildly bitter, or bittersweet. Bitters are used in small quantities, so you should be able to taste a few droplets in a dash of sparkling water. The infusion should also have some "body"—you don't want the droplets to look watery.
7. When It Tastes Just Right
Run the mixture through a stainless steel strainer and push out as much excess liquid as possible using a spoon. You could also line the strainer with cheesecloth and then use the cloth to squeeze out any excess liquid. Repeat these steps twice, if necessary.
Using a funnel, decant the bitters into your dropper bottles. Do this holding the stainless steel funnel slightly above the edges of the bottle with one hand and slowly pouring the bitters with the other.
Optional: For a clearer bitter, filter the bitters after straining using coffee filter paper. Take one of the round paper filters from the D.I.Y. Bitters Sets and make one cut from the edge to the center of the paper. Adjust the filter paper to make a cone shape and put this inside the funnel before decanting into dropper bottles.
8. Storing the Bitter
Store the bitters in a cool, dark place and always keep them out of direct sunlight.
If you used high-percentage alcohol to make your bitters, use them within 1 year. After this time, they won't spoil but their flavour will diminish. If your bitters were made using whole fruits (like the meat of an orange) or vegetable glycerine, use them within 4 months.
9. Caring for Your Equipment
After making your bitter, clean your equipment using warm, soapy water. Rinse well. Store the lids and glass jars separately to ensure that they dry properly. Otherwise, the bamboo lids of the infusion jars may swell slightly due to moisture content.
If the glass pipettes in the dropper bottles have have residue inside, gently pull the glass pipette from the lid to release it from the rubber. Soak the glass items in warm, soapy water to remove this crust. Rinse well.
We recommend using the dry ingredients in the D.I.Y. Bitters Sets within 1 year, if they are kept in the included sealed kraft ziplock bags.
Grapefruit Blossom Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker, mix:
1.5 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz gin
2 dashes homemade lavender bitters
Pour into a glass.
Top with prosecco.
Recipe for 1 drink.
10. Using and Enjoying Your Bitter
Think of bitters as a liquid seasoning for both drinks and food. Today, they are most often enjoyed in cocktails or mocktails and are a vital component of any bartender's toolbox. As Parsons writes in his book, bitters can be considered a bartender's "salt and pepper."
They can also be enjoyed in sparkling water or as droplets, particularly when being used as a herbal remedy. Digestive bitters are good for indigestion, constipation, or cramps. Traditional spiced bitters can be used to combat fatigue, headaches, and even hangovers. To learn more about the history of bitters and their uses, visit the About page on this website, here.
Share your own recipes, tips, and tricks with fellow wildcrafters on Instagram @trailingwild #DIYBitters.
Have fun!