{"id":9039,"date":"2023-11-24T04:12:05","date_gmt":"2023-11-23T21:12:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9039"},"modified":"2023-11-24T04:12:05","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T21:12:05","slug":"what-are-bitters-a-mixologist-and-rd-explain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9039","title":{"rendered":"What Are Bitters? A Mixologist and RD Explain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">H<\/span>ere&#8217;s a riddle for you: What do old fashioneds, Manhattans, martinis, margaritas, and negronis all have in common\u2014other than being alcoholic cocktails, of course? The answer? Bitters. \u201cThrough a bitter, you can bring a lot of different flavors to a cocktail, which helps elevate them to have more complexity and more dimensions than they would have with just spirits, sugar, or sodas,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/briancummins1973\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/briancummins1973\">Brian Cummins<\/a>, a chemical engineer, mixologist, and the founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greatnortherndistilling.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.greatnortherndistilling.com\/\">Great Northern Distilling<\/a> in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.<\/div>\n<p>Similar to how chefs season meats and veggies with salt, pepper, and other spices, mixologists use bitters to \u201cseason\u201d beverages. However, while bitters are most often found on a bar, there are myriad ways to use them in cooking, not just cocktails.\u00a0A prime example of this is vanilla extract. Whether you use it in a drink or dessert, the extract imparts a rich and aromatic vanilla flavor to enhance the taste.<\/p>\n<h2>But what <em>are<\/em> bitters?<\/h2>\n<p>Simply put: \u201cBitters are concentrated herbal or botanical extracts that are used to add flavor,&#8221; says registered dietitian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/your.latina.nutritionist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/your.latina.nutritionist\/\">Dalina Soto, RD, LDN<\/a>, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutritiouslyyoursllc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nutritiouslyyoursllc.com\/\">Nutritiously Yours<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/yourlatinanutritionist.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/yourlatinanutritionist.com\/\">Your Latina Nutritionist<\/a>. She adds that they have a long history in Indigenous cultures across Latin America\u2014like Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. (For example, Angostura bitters, named after a former Venezuelan town, are extremely common in the mixology world and found in both the classic cocktails old fashioned and Manhattan.) \u201cThey were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/arts-culture\/a-brief-history-of-bitters-159271950\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/arts-culture\/a-brief-history-of-bitters-159271950\/\">initially developed for medicinal purposes<\/a>, but over time, they have been used in food [and beverages],\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>This is primarily because bitters, in addition to providing flavor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4446506\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4446506\/\">may offer potential digestive benefits<\/a> by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes and saliva, promoting smoother digestion, and alleviating feelings of bloating.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-are-bitters\/\" current-title=\"A Mixologist and Registered Dietitian Answer an Age-Old Question: What Are Bitters?\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GettyImages-1199380247-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-05-23\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-are-bitters\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-are-bitters\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-are-bitters\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There are two different ways to make bitters, according to Cummins. \u201cTechnically, most\u00a0are tinctures\u2014meaning that the flavors are extracted with alcohol,\u201d he says. \u201cEssentially, you put whatever combination of herbs and spices into a high-proof alcohol solution. This extracts all those flavors and essential oils out of the spices over time to create the tincture.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As you may have guessed, tinctures are alcoholic. Now, you can also have bitters in the form of extracts, which is done using <em>any<\/em> solution to draw out the flavors\u2014alcoholic or otherwise. \u201cAll tinctures are extracts, but not all extracts are tinctures,\u201d Cummins explains. Extracts\u2014like vanilla, almond, or peppermint\u2014are created by using <em>any<\/em> liquid to draw out the flavors. \u201cFrom a chemical standpoint, an extract can be made with water, glycerin, non-alcoholic solutions, and alcoholic solutions,\u201d says Cummins. Non-alcoholic solutions could be vinegar or oils, like olive oil.<\/p>\n<p>Just like there are two different ways to make bitters, there are also two different classifications: cocktail and digestive. Per Cummins, the distinction between cocktail bitters and digestive bitters is a governmental classification. \u201cCocktail bitters, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ttb.gov\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ttb.gov\/\">Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau<\/a>, are non-potable\u2014meaning they&#8217;re not intended to be drunk on their own,\u201d he says. For that reason, they\u2019re not taxed like or sold with regular spirits, Cummins adds. These are things like vanilla or citrus extracts.<\/p>\n<p>In the context of this classification, cocktail bitters, which are often used as flavor enhancers in mixed drinks, fall under the non-potable category. They are not meant to be consumed undiluted due to their concentrated and intense flavor profiles. This distinction allows them to be exempt from certain regulations and taxes that apply to regular spirits.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, digestive bitters are alcoholic drinks made from tinctures. Think <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/aperol-spritz-cocktail-trend\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/aperol-spritz-cocktail-trend\/\">Aperol<\/a> or Campari. \u201cThey are more in the European, specifically Italian, tradition of bitter liquors that are used either as an aperitif, which is drunk before a meal, or a digestif, which is a post-dinner drink,\u201d says Cummins. \u201cDigestive bitters will typically include a high amount of sugar to make it more palatable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s worth noting that while this is a regulatory classification, consumers often use both cocktail and digestive bitters in various ways, and the distinction is primarily for administrative and tax purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of what type of bitters you choose, what&#8217;s important to remember is that you can use them in a multitude of ways just like any spice or seasoning since their primary purpose is to add flavors. However, unless you\u2019re a mixologist or master home chef, just starting to add a dash of bitters here or there isn\u2019t the best way to go about utilizing them. &#8220;Ideally, you would want to learn about them and their flavor profile and utilize them in dishes you think they fit,\u201d Soto says. For instance, if you want something to taste like cloves or cinnamon, Angostura bitters are your go-to. On the other hand, for a citrus-forward dish or drink, you may want to grab a bottle of orange bitters. Bottom line: Don&#8217;t relegate bitters to just your bar cart\u2014bring them into your kitchen too.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              McMullen, Michael K et al. \u201cBitters: Time for a New Paradigm.\u201d\u00a0<i>Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM<\/i>\u00a0vol. 2015 (2015): 670504. doi:10.1155\/2015\/670504            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here&#8217;s a riddle for you: What do old fashioneds, Manhattans, martinis, margaritas, and negronis all have in common\u2014other than being alcoholic cocktails, of course? The answer? Bitters. \u201cThrough a bitter, you can bring a lot of different flavors to a cocktail, which helps elevate them to have more complexity and more dimensions than they would &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9039\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}