What are bitters? Everything you need to know

Cocktail bitters can be intimidating to those unfamiliar with them. There are umpteen different varieties now that come in all shapes, sizes and flavours, and their alarmingly small bottles can be unnerving to even the most seasoned home mixologists.

Once you get to know them, however, cocktail bitters really are crucial to taking your tipples to the next level. Even just a drop can make a massive difference to the flavour profile and overall balance of a serve.

Read on to discover some of the most popular cocktail bitter variations, their flavour profiles and how to use them to create an utterly sumptuous sip.

What is a cocktail bitter?

Simply put, a cocktail bitter is a very concentrated liquid made by infusing a neutral base alcohol or vegetable glycerin with a blend of botanicals.

The botanicals used can vary from herbs, roots and barks to leaves, flowers and fruits, but will typically include at least one bittering agent such as cinchona bark or gentian root.

The resultant liquid is extremely pungent, with only a drop or two needed to pack a flavoursome punch.

How do you use cocktail bitters?

One of the best things about bitters is that they're so versatile. View bitters the same way you would a spice - if there's a specific flavour you'd like to add to your drink, a drop of bitters will do the trick!

Experimenting with different flavours in a variety of cocktails is the best way to ascertain which are best suited to your taste, but there are definitely more popular choices for certain serves (which we'll get into later).

Many cocktail recipes will also call for a dash or two of a particular type of bitters. The type of bitter will have been selected specifically to enhance and balance the other flavours in a drink, so it's best to use what the recipe calls for instead of subbing out with whatever is to hand or leaving them out altogether - try a cocktail with and without and you'll see exactly what we mean!

What are the different types of cocktail bitters?

Within the cocktail bitters category nowadays there’s an abundance of flavours to suit anyone’s palate. Here’s a run down of the most popular variations.

Aromatic bitters are the best known bitters for a reason. They're a careful balance of a variety of contrasting botanicals, making them a great all-rounder. They're often seen in strong, complex cocktails like an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.

Different Types:

Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Angostura is easily the most popular and widely recognised bitters brand, with their iconic aromatic bitters boasting bar staple status across the world. Its flavour profile is a powerful medley of botanicals like coffee, dried fruits, clove, cinnamon, jasmine and mint, making it a particularly well-balanced bitter.

Peychaud’s Aromatic Cocktail Bitters

This bright red bitter is another historically popular choice of aromatic bitter. Carrying heavy aromas of anise with accompanying notes of cherry, orange zest and mint, its distinctive flavour is a favourite amongst mixologists for a slightly sweet and complex twist on classic cocktails.

Unsurprisingly, these bitters are citrus-forward with a backbone of spice and quinine. They're a popular choice to give a zesty twist to a Martini or G&T, and work especially well to enhance the tangy notes and boozy flavours of a Margarita.

Different Types:

Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

This is a popular choice of orange bitters owing to its powerful zestiness, unrivalled bitterness and subtle aromas of rooty spice. Bartenders often use orange bitters to add complexity to cocktails like a Zombie or Rob Roy, but they’re also popularly used for refreshing twists on classic cocktails that are normally infused with aromatic bitters.

The Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters

The first of their kind on the market, The Bitter Truth launched its take on the long-forgotten lemon bitter in 2006. With notes of spice and lemon zest, these lemon bitters are a popular choice to lift the flavours of a Martini or classic G&T.

These complex, aromatic bitters contain strong vegetal flavours that are fantastic dropped into a Bloody Mary, Red Snapper or other savoury cocktail.

Different Types:

The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters

These award-winning bitters exude dominant notes of white grapes, tea, lemongrass, celery leaf and fresh ginger root, with undertones of coriander seed, fresh celery and chicory. Celery bitters are a wonderful addition to popular savoury cocktails like a Bloody Mary or Red Snapper, or can give dry serves like a Martini or a classic G&T a bright, aromatic edge.

Fee Brothers Celery Bitters

A strong savoury aroma including notes of garlic salt, chicken stock, lime zest and white pepper prepares the palate for sweet yet bitter flavours of salt, white pepper, celery and cucumber while lime and cocktail onions join the foray in the finish.

Sweet and spicy with a warming finish, chocolate bitters are brilliant to open up the indulgent flavours of an Espresso Martini or add another luxurious layer to an Old Fashioned.

Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters

Made using a glycerin base as opposed to an alcohol base, these chocolate bitters have a low ABV and are less harsh than others on the market. They possess a light, milk chocolate flavour with a hint of cinnamon spice, and are perfect for a creamy dessert cocktail concoction.

Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

A delicious symphony of dark chocolate and spice with a hint of heat and a powerful bitter backbone, these are the perfect addition to dark spirits like rum and tequila. Just a drop or two into a rum Old Fashioned or a tequila sour will add a warm, luxurious edge to your serve – a perfect digestif or nightcap.

Honourable Mentions

Fruit Bitters

Beyond citrus, fruit bitters offer a brilliant opportunity to add some sweetness and seasonality to your drinks. Try rhubarb bitters for spring, plum bitters for summer and autumn and cranberry bitters for the festive season.  

Herbal Bitters

From cardamom to clove, there are a wealth of herbal bitters on the market that are a popular choice for their fragrance and warmth, and are particularly delicious in hot cocktails!

Spiced Bitters

You can find plenty of chilli-infused bitters that are favoured for their spicy, smoky flavours. Use them for a hit of heat in any cocktail you prefer, but they work especially well with tequila and mezcal.