The Bitter Truth & Bittermens Bitters
About.com Rating
Visit Their Website
Cocktails love bitters. It is the ingredient that defined a "cocktail" back in the days when toddies, fizzes and slings just about it. With the cocktail renaissance of recent years bitters have made a comeback and new companies are producing new and interesting bitters. Bittermens and The Bitter Truth are two of those and the entire collection now boasts an impressive, 7 bottle portfolio between the two that pay homage to old-fashioned bitters and bitters with a modern twist.
With the 5 bitters I tasted, I added a few dashes to a 1/4 shot of the very smooth Boru Vodka to get the true flavor of the bitters.
The Bitter Truth Bittermens Xocolatl Mole (Chocolate) Bitters
I was not sure what to think about a chocolate bitters at first but am now sold on its beauty and cannot wait to explore the cocktail ideas now swimming in my head where these can be used. The xocolatl mole bitters was inspired by the spicy, chocolate flavored sauce used in Mexican cuisine and cocktails in that genre, such as Misty Kalkofen's The Guadalajara and Joy Richard's Cocoa Old Fashioned are ideal for these bitters. Though, with a taste of the rich, chocolate bitters one can imagine the flavor enhancement it would give a Manhattan or a Rusty Nail, or how a bitter note in the same vein could significantly improve the many Chocolate or Vanilla Martinis that are being made.
I think the possible uses of xocolatl mole bitters are endless, one simply needs to break through the mindset that chocolate is for dessert drinks - these bitters have the surprising ability to open up earthy notes in drinks, especially those with a tequila base.
Tasting Notes:
A sultry, dark chocolate aroma leads to a nicely cinnamon-spiced cocoa and caramel. At the end you will find that trademark bitterness of herbs, also mixed with a spicy chocolate only found in mole sauce.
The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
Celery seems like a semi-natural flavor for bitters because the vegetable itself has that crisp, freshness that I first associate with bitters. The Bitter Truth Celery is a revival of a cocktail ingredient from the 1800's that has not been commercially available for years - until now, anyway.
I can see why the old-time bartenders enjoyed celery bitters, especially for the more savory and dry cocktails like the Bloody Mary and Martini. Even a Gin & Tonic has an extra garden freshness that no other bitters can create. These celery bitters are great with gin, vodka, tequila, and many of the herbal liqueurs. Think of what is in the garden (tomato, hot peppers, ginger, potato vodka, etc.) and go from there. Now I must go dig in my old cocktail books and see where celery bitters may have been used.
Tasting Notes:
The aroma, taste, and finish of these bitters have that crispness that you would expect from celery. The fragrance alone wants me to grab a jar of peanut butter and enjoy that favorite childhood snack.
Grapefruit, Lemon and Orange Bitters
The Bitter Truth's citrus bitters are all fantastic and can be used interchangeably depending on your taste or mood of the moment. They are vibrant, natural, and invigorating. I recommend tasting each in vodka as I did to fully examine their attributes because it is then that you will be able to place them from your taste memory into drinks that are most appropriate to your individual style.
Lemon Bitters:
This is a zesty fruit bitter which I can see accenting the lime of a Gimletsid, adding a bitter aspect to a Sidecar, and balancing a Cosmopolitan. The bitter side of these bring to a drink a nice background of coriander and cardamom.
The Bitter Truth Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters:
Lance Mayhew suggested that these grapefruit bitters be used in drinks with rye whiskey and I couldn't agree more. They are bright and invigorating with floral notes and can be used to take the fruit juice cocktail to another level of interest. Whether it's an Algonquin or bringing life to a Firefly, these bitters should be a bar staple and can be used interchangeably with orange bitters almost any time.
Orange Bitters:
Orange bitters are nothing new, in fact they were once used more than aromatic bitters. The Bitter Truth orange takes a darker side to orange - that of burnt fruit - compared to Angostura and Regans' No. 6. Use it anywhere you would orange bitters.
About The Bitter Truth
Review Published: May 30,2010
Visit Their Website
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
Visit Their Website
Cocktails love bitters. It is the ingredient that defined a "cocktail" back in the days when toddies, fizzes and slings just about it. With the cocktail renaissance of recent years bitters have made a comeback and new companies are producing new and interesting bitters. Bittermens and The Bitter Truth are two of those and the entire collection now boasts an impressive, 7 bottle portfolio between the two that pay homage to old-fashioned bitters and bitters with a modern twist.
With the 5 bitters I tasted, I added a few dashes to a 1/4 shot of the very smooth Boru Vodka to get the true flavor of the bitters.
The Bitter Truth Bittermens Xocolatl Mole (Chocolate) Bitters
I was not sure what to think about a chocolate bitters at first but am now sold on its beauty and cannot wait to explore the cocktail ideas now swimming in my head where these can be used. The xocolatl mole bitters was inspired by the spicy, chocolate flavored sauce used in Mexican cuisine and cocktails in that genre, such as Misty Kalkofen's The Guadalajara and Joy Richard's Cocoa Old Fashioned are ideal for these bitters. Though, with a taste of the rich, chocolate bitters one can imagine the flavor enhancement it would give a Manhattan or a Rusty Nail, or how a bitter note in the same vein could significantly improve the many Chocolate or Vanilla Martinis that are being made.
I think the possible uses of xocolatl mole bitters are endless, one simply needs to break through the mindset that chocolate is for dessert drinks - these bitters have the surprising ability to open up earthy notes in drinks, especially those with a tequila base.
Tasting Notes:
A sultry, dark chocolate aroma leads to a nicely cinnamon-spiced cocoa and caramel. At the end you will find that trademark bitterness of herbs, also mixed with a spicy chocolate only found in mole sauce.
The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
Celery seems like a semi-natural flavor for bitters because the vegetable itself has that crisp, freshness that I first associate with bitters. The Bitter Truth Celery is a revival of a cocktail ingredient from the 1800's that has not been commercially available for years - until now, anyway.
I can see why the old-time bartenders enjoyed celery bitters, especially for the more savory and dry cocktails like the Bloody Mary and Martini. Even a Gin & Tonic has an extra garden freshness that no other bitters can create. These celery bitters are great with gin, vodka, tequila, and many of the herbal liqueurs. Think of what is in the garden (tomato, hot peppers, ginger, potato vodka, etc.) and go from there. Now I must go dig in my old cocktail books and see where celery bitters may have been used.
Tasting Notes:
The aroma, taste, and finish of these bitters have that crispness that you would expect from celery. The fragrance alone wants me to grab a jar of peanut butter and enjoy that favorite childhood snack.
Grapefruit, Lemon and Orange Bitters
The Bitter Truth's citrus bitters are all fantastic and can be used interchangeably depending on your taste or mood of the moment. They are vibrant, natural, and invigorating. I recommend tasting each in vodka as I did to fully examine their attributes because it is then that you will be able to place them from your taste memory into drinks that are most appropriate to your individual style.
Lemon Bitters:
This is a zesty fruit bitter which I can see accenting the lime of a Gimletsid, adding a bitter aspect to a Sidecar, and balancing a Cosmopolitan. The bitter side of these bring to a drink a nice background of coriander and cardamom.
The Bitter Truth Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters:
Lance Mayhew suggested that these grapefruit bitters be used in drinks with rye whiskey and I couldn't agree more. They are bright and invigorating with floral notes and can be used to take the fruit juice cocktail to another level of interest. Whether it's an Algonquin or bringing life to a Firefly, these bitters should be a bar staple and can be used interchangeably with orange bitters almost any time.
Orange Bitters:
Orange bitters are nothing new, in fact they were once used more than aromatic bitters. The Bitter Truth orange takes a darker side to orange - that of burnt fruit - compared to Angostura and Regans' No. 6. Use it anywhere you would orange bitters.
About The Bitter Truth
- The Bitter Truth started in 2006 by Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck... Visit Their Website
- Bittermens, Inc. started in 2007 by Avery and Janet Glasser... Visit Their Website
- Partnered with Bittermens for production of Xocolatl Mole and Grapefruit Bitters.
- Available online and in (select) stores for around $16 for 5 oz bottle.
- Other bitters: Old-time Aromatic Bitters and Jerry Thomas' Own Decanter Bitters
- The Bitter Truth also produces other hard to find, classic cocktail ingredients: SloeBerry SloeGin, Apricot Brandy, Creme de Violette, Pimento Dram
Review Published: May 30,2010
Visit Their Website
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
Source...