Bitters—the 40ish% ABV, cocktail staple, packaged in paper-wrapped hot sauce bottles, sold to humans of all ages on Amazon—are strange. They’re also popular. NA beer-like growth forecasts , a longstanding presence in many of the world’s most drunk cocktails, and the alarmingly positive reaction this article (still) receives whenever we share it on Instagram all surely suggest that bitters have escaped the micro-tattooed clutch of Mr. & Mrs. Mixologist and returned to the mainstream.
This is a good thing. Bitters make cocktails—like martinis, Manhattans, and rum punch—better. They keep stomachs (somewhat) functional by way of transforming soda water into something drinkable. And these benefits aren’t trapped behind some insurmountable price tag: A four ounce bottle of bitters, which can last you months, costs less than a Chipotle burrito, sans guac. Read More >>
