Cocktails

Angostura Bitters: The famous bitter liqueur for mixing

Angostura Bitter mit Dekoration und gefülltem Glas auf braunem Hintergrund

Learn what Angostura Bitters is, why it's so popular in cocktails, and how to use it correctly. All the important information at a glance.

The History of Angostura Bitters

Much like Absinthe and tonic water, Angostura Bitters also originally saw the light of day as a medicine against tropical stomach and intestinal ailments. This happened in 1823 in the South American region now known as "Venezuela" – specifically, in the city of Angostura, located on the Orinoco River.

There, the German physician Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siebert was personally commissioned by Simón Bolivar, who went down in history as "El Libertador," to develop a remedy that would protect or, if necessary, restore the health of his freedom fighters. Siebert fulfilled this order by creating a high-proof tonic from regional herbs and spices, the exact composition of which he kept secret. Legend has it that only five people know the precise formula of Angostura Bitters.

It was soon discovered that the "bitter medicine" was excellent for mixing with other spirits, and one of the most important cocktail ingredients was "born." It should also be mentioned that the bitters quickly became known all over the world through merchants and sailors, which made Siebert's sons, who had relocated production to Trinidad after their father's death due to political unrest in Venezuela, very wealthy. It is also noteworthy that Angostura Bitters won a total of twelve gold medals at world exhibitions! As for its health effects, the bitters can indeed also be consumed for stomach and intestinal complaints.

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Recipe and Production of Angostura Bitters

The manufacturer of the original Angostura Bitters in Trinidad, which we offer in our shop, emphasizes that the spirit is still produced according to the original recipe from 1824. However, we ordinary mortals will probably never know what this precisely means, as the original composition, as already mentioned, is strictly confidential. It is only known that more than 40 different herbs and spices are said to be included, among them gentian root, bitter orange, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, tonka beans, and cinchona bark, although angostura bark is explicitly not used. It is also known that the ingredients are first prepared, mixed together, and then steeped in high-proof alcohol. After they have imparted their very bitter, herbal-tart taste to the alcohol, the herbal bitters are diluted to 44.7% alcohol content before finally being sweetened with sugar and colored before bottling.

The Use of Angostura Bitters (with Cocktail Recipes)

In addition to its use as a seasoning in cooking, there are basically two ways to use Angostura Bitters in cocktails: drop by drop for "seasoning" or as a main ingredient in larger quantities. Before we present recipes for both variants, we would like to briefly explain why it makes sense to include Angostura Bitters in the preparation of cocktails:

Cloves and cardamom pods lie on a cinnamon stick, against a white background.

First, in a cocktail, it acts as a spice that makes the mix more interesting and perfectly rounds it off with its savory taste. Furthermore, the bitters ensure that the individual components of the drink harmonize better – especially in sour cocktails, as it mitigates their acidity and thus increases palatability.

You can easily try all this yourself with the following simple recipes!

Trinidad Sour

we start right away with the first classic, which, despite its name, does not come from the Caribbean.

A cocktail glass with red liquid rests on a gray surface, surrounded by bar tools.

Ingredients:
• 4 cl Rye Whiskey
• 2 cl Angostura Bitters
• 3 cl fresh lemon juice
• 2 cl almond syrup
• Ice cubes

Perfect Glass:
Coupe glass

Preparation:
1. Chill the coupe glass; either in the refrigerator or with ice cubes.
2. Add all ingredients to the shaker, then fill it to the top with ice.
3. Shake the shaker until the outside is frosted.
4. Remove the ice cubes from the chilled glass and strain the drink from the shaker through a bar sieve.

Manhattan

The Manhattan, popular worldwide and often enjoyed as an aperitif, is also a classic, although in this extremely simple recipe, Angostura Bitters is indeed used only "drop by drop."

A man holds a cocktail glass with a cherry in a bar.

Ingredients:
• 5 cl Rye Whisky
• 2 cl sweet vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Ice cubes
• 1 cocktail cherry for garnish

Perfect Glass:
Cocktail glass

Preparation:
1. Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes and stir well.
2. Strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail glass, garnished with a cocktail cherry.

Old Fashioned

Now let's move on to a legendary American short drink, prepared directly in the glass.

Two whiskey glasses with ice and cherries sit on slate boards on a rustic wooden table.

Ingredients:
• 5 cl Bourbon Whiskey
• Angostura Bitters (2 dashes)
• 1 sugar cube
• 1 orange (for garnish)
• 1 cocktail cherry (for garnish)

Perfect Glass:
Tumbler

Preparation:
1. Place the sugar cube, soaked in Angostura Bitters, into a tumbler and add a small amount of clear water.
2. Muddle the sugar with a bar spoon until it dissolves.
3. Add ice cubes to the glass and pour the whiskey over them.
4. Stir everything well.
5. Garnish the Old Fashioned with an orange or lemon peel and a cocktail cherry in the glass.

Vieux Carré

The last cocktail presented today was invented in New Orleans in 1937 and is for those who enjoy stronger mixed drinks. Spoiler: It includes another representative of its kind in addition to Angostura Bitters.

A cocktail glass with ice cubes and orange peel sits on a wooden table in a bar.

Ingredients:
• 3 cl Rye Whiskey
• 3 cl Cognac
• 3 cl Sweet Vermouth
• 0.5 cl Bénédictine
• 2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Perfect glass:
Tumbler

Preparation:
1. Stir all ingredients together with ice in a mixing glass.
2. Strain into a tumbler with fresh ice.
3. Garnish the cocktail with a lemon peel.

Angostura Bitters at delicando

So that you can start mixing an Angostura cocktail right away, we would like to introduce you to the three Angostura Bitters that you can conveniently order in our shop.

First, there's the classic Angostura Aromatic Bitters. This dark brown spirit with a spicy, sweet aroma and a tart-fruity, yet slightly sweet taste not only enhances the flavors in alcoholic and non-alcoholic mixed drinks but can also be excellently used in savory and sweet dishes—for instance, in sauces for fish and meat.

A hand holds an Angostura Bitter bottle in front of a supermarket shelf with other bottles.

A variant with a cocoa aroma, particularly interesting for cocktails, is the Angostura Cocoa Bitters, which features alcohol, water, cocoa nibs, glycerin, gentian, spices, sugar, and natural colorings.

The Angostura Orange Bitters also cuts a fine figure in mixed drinks: this amber-colored beverage, exuding strong aromas of oranges, herbs, and spices, not only shines in cocktails but also enhances the inherent flavor of sauces and sweet desserts with its somewhat tart, intense orange notes.

Now that you've learned more about cocktails and the essential ingredient Angostura Bitters, put your knowledge into practice: cook with it or create your own cocktails. Discover how versatile Angostura Bitters can be, and enjoy your homemade drinks!