Bitters Flashcards
What is Cynar and recommend a drink with it in it?
Cynar is an Italian bitters made from artichokes.
Cyn- Cin- Gin, Vermouth, Cynar, Orange Bitters
Where is Angostura bitter from?
Trinidad
From what are Angostura bitter made?
Rum, Gentian and Vegetable spices
Describe the flavour of Amer Picon?
Orange flavoured French bitters
Describe the flavour of Campari?
Italian bitters flavoured with herbs and spices
Describe the flavour of Fernet Branca?
Strongly flavoured bitters from Italy and France
Describe the flavour of Underberg?
Spirit flavoured with natural herb bitters
What are low alcohol bitters used for? High alcohol?
Low Alcohol- Aperitifs and Mixers
High Alcohol- Digestifs
Wine -based Bitters and aperitifs
Wine-based bitters combine a wine base with spirits, herbs, spices and plants. They are often referred to as “aromatized” spirits. There are a few reasons that these spirits have come into existence. Some like Noilly Prat was created because the additives helped preserve the wine for long sea journeys while other were made for medicinal and digestive purposes and others for pure enjoyment because certain plants, herbs and spices added an extra dryness or sweetness and complexity to the wine. Most of these are between 14-18% ABV. They can be served chilled with a slice of lemon, orange or other fruit. They are also great in cocktails (like classic Martini’s and Manhattan’s) and can be served on ice with some soda water or seltzer.
Vermouth- Types of Wine-based bitters and aperitifs
Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with aromatic herbs, plants and spices using closely-guarded recipes. There are two main types of vermouth: the French style, which is usually dry or very dry with a light, golden color; and the Italian style, which is relatively sweet and is usually deep red or amber in color
Cinzano- Vermouth
The original Rosso Cinzano was created in 1786 by Carlo Stefano Cinzano using aromatic plants from the Italian Alps in a still-secret recipe combining 35 ingredients. Cinzano is the second biggest selling vermouth behind Martini & Rossi. There are four styles of CInzano produced: Rosso, Extra Dry, Bianco and Rosé. Cinzano was purchased by the Campari Group in 1999.
Noilly Prat- Vermouth
Noilly Prat is France’s first produced vermouth. It was created in 1813 by herbalist Joseph Noilly. There are red and amber styles produced here but they are best known for their Original French Dry style. Noilly Prat was acquired by Martini & Rossi in 1971 and is now part of the Bacardi Family of spirits.
Martini and Rossi- Vermouth
Martini & Rossi Rosso was created in 1863 in Turin, Italy by master blender Alessandro Martini and wine expert Luigi Rossi. The company created an Extra Dry in 1900 and a Bianco in 1910. Martini is the number one seller of vermouth in the world and was acquired by Bacardi in 1992.
Carpano Antica- Vermouth
In 1786, Antonio Benedetto Carpano invented Vermouth in Turin, made from white wine added to an infusion of herbs and spices, in more than 30 varieties. He believed a sweetened wine spirit would be a more suitable beverage for ladies than the local red wines. He is credited with naming vermouth after the German word for wordwood , “Wermut”.
Punt e Mes- Vermouth
Punt e Mes originates from Milan, Italy. It is one of the most distinctive vermouths and marked by a lovely bitterness that brings a freshness to stimulate the appetite. Punt e mes was made by the Carpano family from Turin until 2001, when Distillerie Fratelli Branca bought them.
Chambers- Vermouth
Chambery is an appellation in the Savoie region in southeast France. The most famous producer is Dolin. Chambery is produced by taking blended base wines from the Midi and treating them with herbs and plants. It is then combined with plant-derived alcohol to create the final blend. The flavor is akin to Fino Sherry or wines from the Savagnin grape in the Jura, France.
History- Bitters
Going back to the Greek and Roman empire.
Production- Bitters
Addition of a natural bittering agent (e.g. cinchon bark, gentia, bitter orange, etc.) either distilled or macerated with neutral alcohol and aromatised with clove, vanilla, coriander, etc. and potentially sweetened.
Styles- Bitters
Aperitifs: Campari (68 ingredients incl. bitter orange, rhubarb, cinchon), Cynar (artichoke & quinine), Génépi (gentian)
Digestifs:
A. Sweet: Averna (mix of herbs, barks & botanicals)
B. Bitter for digestive aid: Fernet Branca, Jágermeister.
Cocktails: bottled at hi strength e.g. Angostura (bitter barks + tropical botanicals) used as a cure for Malaria.
How are bitters made?
A base spirit is then flavoured by the addition of spices, herbs, fruits or botanicals.
Bitters taste profile…..
Many bitters, such as the Italian amaro (meaning “bitter”) have a level of sweetness balanced by bitterness, and are essentially aromatic herbal liqueurs
Fernet
Fernet is one of the most well known styles of amaro; Fernet Branca is its most famous producer. Amaro and other bitters can be divided between those typically enjoyed as an aperitif and those best served as a digestif.
Other Bitters information……
Often, alcohol content is an indication of its role at the table: lower-alcohol bitters, such as Aperol or Campari, make better aperitifs and mixers, whereas higher-alcohol spirits, such as Fernet and Averna, are an after-dinner drink. Some bitters are not liqueurs, and are more suitable for cocktail flavoring in small quantities, rather than straight drinking. Angustora bitters, produced from a base of Rum in Trinidad, are an example of cocktail bitters. Bitters, like most spirits, developed as medicinal tonic, and are still regarded to have digestive and restorative powers.
