Homemade Cocktail Bitters

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/31/24
Basic homemade cocktails bitters in etched glasses and jars

​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Infuse: 456 hrs
Total: 456 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 200 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Bitters are essential in the bar and a key ingredient for many cocktails, from the martini to the old-fashioned and beyond. While it's great to have popular brands like Angostura or Scrappy's in stock, it's quite easy to make your own using this basic bitters recipe.

Creating homemade bitters is simple, though it takes about 20 days to complete one batch. Most of the time is hands-off as you wait for the botanicals to infuse the alcohol and then the water. These are nonpotable bitters used by the dash to accent beverages and food; they're not meant to be drunk on their own. Be sure to use grain alcohol, such as Everclear, that is 151 proof (75.5 percent ABV) or stronger. In a pinch, a 100-proof vodka will do.

This recipe yields an aromatic style of bitters. Quassia bark and gentian root are the bittering ingredients, while the remaining botanicals—from orange peel to caraway seeds—add depth to the flavor. The recipe can be personalized by using a variety of herbs and spices to create orange or lavender bitters or fun combinations like coriander-lime.

Great for cocktails, bitters have culinary uses in sauces, soups, dressings, and pie fillings as well. Just a couple of drops can enhance the flavor of savory preparations, and bitters are used to flavor sodas and ice cream, too.

Can I Replace Bitters With Something Else?

There is no great substitute for bitters because it's a unique ingredient with a strong character and flavor. You may get some tartness from a citrus peel, but you'll never achieve the complex flavor of a couple of dashes of bitters.

Tips for Making Cocktail Bitters Recipe

  • It's unlikely that you will use all of the water - The suggested volume allows for some loss when the water is heated and infused with an excess if you'd like to cut the bitters further.
  • When using 100-proof vodka - Blend the alcohol infusion with just half the amount of aromatized water.
  • Bitters are designed to be strong - Taste-testing them straight can burn your taste buds. A good way to taste the flavor of your experiments is to add several drops to a small amount of plain soda water.
What You'll Need to Make This Cocktail Bitters Recipe
Commerce Photo Composite
A Nice Non-Reactive Saucepan
mortar and pestle sets
A Handy Dandy Mortar and Pestle
Bormioli Rocco Fido Glass Canning Jar
An Air-Tight Glass Jar

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 151-proof grain alcohol

  • 1 tablespoon quassia bark

  • 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 1 teaspoon dried orange peel, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried gentian root

  • 2 cups water

  • 1/3 cup sugar

Steps to Make It

Make the Alcohol Infusion

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for homemade cocktail bitters gathered

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a 1-pint (or larger) jar, add 1 cup 151-proof grain alcohol, 1 tablespoons quassia bark, 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon dried orange peel (minced), 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon dried gentian root. Seal the jar, shake, and let the mixture stand in a cool, dark place for 14 days. Shake it vigorously once a day.

    Spices in a glass canning jar with grain alcohol

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Strain the infused alcohol into a clean jar through cheesecloth to remove the botanicals. Gather the cloth into a ball and squeeze it to release as much liquid as possible.

    Alcohol and herbs strained through cheesecloth

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Save the strained alcohol infusion for later. Label the bottle so you don't mistake it for something else.

    Glass jar full of strained alcohol, along with a label and a pen

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Make Aromatic Water

  1. Use a muddler or mortar and pestle to break up the strained botanicals as much as possible.

    Spices with a mortar and pestle

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, add 2 cups water and botanicals.

    Spices and water in a saucepan

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Bring the water to a boil. Cover and lower the heat. Allow it to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

    Spices simmering in water in a saucepan with a clear lid

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour this mixture, without straining, into a 1-pint (or larger) jar. Cover and allow it to sit for 5 days in a cool and dry place. Shake vigorously once a day.

    Spice mixture poured into a jar without straining

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Strain the infused water through cheesecloth and discard the botanicals.

    Strained liquid with botanicals removed

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Finish the Bitters

  1. Measure the infused alcohol and combine it with an equal amount of aromatic water in a 1-pint (or larger) jar.

    Aromatic water in a measuring cup and infused alcohol in a glass jar

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1/3 cup sugar. Stir constantly and allow the sugar to caramelize until it becomes liquid and dark brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

    Sugar caramelizing in a saucepan with a wooden spoon

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add the caramelized sugar to the alcohol and water mixture—the caramel will solidify, but it will dissolve within a few minutes.

    Caramelized sugar, alcohol, and aromatic water in a jar

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Shake the bitters, then strain through cheesecloth to remove any sediment. Pour into a bitters bottle or small decanter with a tight-sealing lid.

    A decanter with homemade bitters

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. The bitters can be stored for up to 12 months unrefrigerated in a cool place. Use in your favorite cocktail and enjoy.

    Cocktail made with bitters and garnished with a cherry alongside a bottle of bitters

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • No caraway seeds, no problem! - Anise seeds are a good substitute for caraway seeds.
  • Add dandelion - Dandelion root is another bitter flavoring option. Avoid using cinchona bark; as advised in homemade tonic syrup, using too much can be toxic.
  • More spiced flavor - Increase any of the spices to create bitters with a concentration of that flavor. For instance, coriander-lime bitters and cardamom bitters are popular flavors among commercial bitter makers.
  • To make citrus bitters - Increase the dried orange peel to 1 tablespoon or more. Alternatively, you can switch to dried grapefruit, lemon, or lime peel, or use a combination of citrus peels.
  • Make it lavender - Lavender bitters can be made with about 1 tablespoon of culinary lavender buds.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
3 Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 200
Amount per serving
Calories 3
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 1mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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