DIY Bitters
At its core, a bitter concoction consists of three parts: a bittering agent, aromatics and alcohol. Making bitters is similar to steeping tea leaves in water. To keep things simple, and party friendly, we stuck to a basic strategy, which is done in two parts: starting the infusion at the party and then straining it after a few days at home. Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco is one of the best places to get nearly everything you need, including gentian root for bittering, aromatics for infusing, as well as canning jars and dropper bottles. For partygoers looking to take a deep dive into making bitters, Mark Bitterman’s recently published “Field Guide to Bitters and Amari” (Andrews McMeel Publishing) is worth a gander.
1 tablespoon gentian root (see Note) Aromatics, such as cacao nibs, celery, celery seed, dried cherries, chile peppers, cilantro, cinnamon stick, citrus peel, whole cloves, dried figs, ginger, juniper berries, lavender, lemongrass, mint, rosemary, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, whole tea leaves, vanilla bean. (Experimentation is all part of the fun, so there are no exact measurements here.) 6 half-pint canning jars 1 750-ml bottle of high-proof, neutral-flavored spirits, such as vodka or Everclear. (Cheap stuff will work just fine.)
Special tools for the party
Mortar and pestle and/or a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon Masking tape or labels for labeling jars
Tools for finishing at home
Small funnel Coffee filters for straining 6 4-ounce dropper bottles or 12 2-ounce dropper bottles for finished bitters Labels (plain or decorative)
Instructions at the party: Place ½ teaspoon bittering agent inside each half-pint jar and fill by one-third or one-half with aromatics, depending on the desired strength. Use muddler or wooden spoon to gently bruise aromatics and release their essential oils. (For heartier whole spices, like cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves, a mortar and pestle works really well.) Pour enough alcohol in to cover the aromatics and bittering agents. Place lids and canning rings on the jars and secure. Give the jars a shake.
To finish at home: Every day or so, give the jars a shake and open to smell how strong the infusion is getting. You can also taste by dabbing a bit of the liquid on the back of your hand. After 2 to 5 days, or when the infusion is as strong as you want it, place a small funnel lined with coffee filter into a dropper bottle or other dispensing bottle, and pour the infused liquid into the bottles. Gently push on solids to release all the liquid, then discard solids. Seal and label the finished bitters. When stored in a cool, dark place, bitters can last a very long time.
Note: Other bittering agents include cinchona bark, dandelion leaf, hibiscus, hops and quassia bark, but their strength varies.
Recommended flavor combinations: Pink grapefruit peel, rosemary and juniper berries (for gin-based cocktails); coffee beans, cinnamon and vanilla bean (good with dark aged rum); orange peel, cloves and star anise (for whiskey-based cocktails).
Serve your guests: You’ll be working with booze, so salty and savory cocktail-party finger foods are the way to go — think gougeres, pigs in blankets and olive-stuffed cheese balls. If you have some extra vodka on hand, and if you make any bitters using fresh citrus peel, use the juice of leftover peeled fruit to make cocktails for your guests.