As cocktail culture has been revitalized over the past few years, mixologists everywhere are dropping personal touches into their handcrafted concoctions. House bitters is a term you will see on menus at respected cocktail bars across the country, some of which are in our own backyard (Zig Zag Café and Tavern Law to name a few). Bartenders who put forth the effort to make their own bitters are given a certain amount of credibility I believe; you appreciate the craftsmanship behind the cocktail.
So…reusing an empty angostura bottle I recently put the cap on my own homemade bitters! Using a vodka base, I added anise, cardamom, licorice root, coriander, and cinnamon. I let that sit for about a week. I then strained the liquid and added lavender seeds and vanilla beans. After another week of rest I strained it into the bottle. I was pleasantly surprised on how it turned out and have already tested it with a few different recipes… My favorite: Gin. St Germain. Lemon. Lavender Vanilla Bitters.
My love for the craft began around the first time I saw the film Cocktail, at the age of ten. With a sing-along soundtrack (Aruba, Jamaica oooh I wanna take ya…) and Elizabeth Shue, it quickly became one of my favorite rentals. Tom Cruise plays a down and out student turn consummate bartender. With every high-flying bottle flip and suave bar trick, Cruise made me believe that being a bartender would be the coolest job ever. Even at a young age, the idea of being someone people seek out for good drinks and good company appealed to me. I don’t think anyone really grows up aspiring to be a bartender though, and so as I grew reality caught up. Years passed and I never seriously thought about the craft…until now.
