I learned about the joy of this drink in 2011 while living in Oregon. When I asked for a seltzer water one day, the waitress at the excellent German beer bar Prost! casually asked me if I wanted bitters in it. I had never thought of this idea and said, why not. What returned was a pleasant spicy (they used Angostura) and slightly citrus creation that made me sit up and take notice. From then on, this became my drink of choice for moderation and is a great drink for Dry January.
But Bitters Are Alcoholic So It’s Not A Mocktail, Right?
While not technically 0.0% ABV, a few dashes in soda water is essentially negligible. Two dashes in 6 oz. of water gives you about 0.20% ABV according to famed bitters company House of Angostura (their bitters by itself is 44.7% ABV). Amor y Amargo Beverage Director Sother Teague likes to add a little more than a couple of dashes, using a teaspoon of bitters in a 12 oz. can of seltzer. This tsp. plus the 12 oz. of soda water is about 0.63% ABV, slightly over the limit for what can pass as officially non-alcoholic, which is anything under 0.5% ABV, but still very low.
The main takeaway is that this blend of two items creates the illusion that more alcohol than 0.63% ABV is there, especially put in a Collins glass with a fruit wedge, giving it the appearance of some unknown alcoholic long drink.
“There’s really no wrong answer especially when you’re starting with plain soda/seltzer water,” said Teague. “Choose a flavor you enjoy and it’ll translate into a refreshing sparkling beverage with a minimal ABV and very low in calories.”
Bitters To Try
The classic, easy to find bitters is Angostura, a bitters from the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Angostura, named for the city where it was created (the city is now known as Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela) was created as a health tonic and has been made in Port of Spain, Trinidad since the late 19th century.
“The taste (of Angostura) features prominent bitterness from gentian root, warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, bright citrus notes, and an herbal, earthy complexity,” said Angostura Global Brand Ambassador Danyiel Jones. “Soda water’s effervescence softens and highlights these bold, aromatic flavors, resulting in a balanced and invigorating drink with a sophisticated, subtly spiced profile.”
Angostura is my go-to but there are lots of different bitters out there with many different flavors that are perfect for any mood. Teague had many suggestions for bitters, including two of his own limited edition blends. Some of his favorites are actually savory.
“I love Scrappy’s Celery Bitters for a vegetal yet sweet/savory seltzer, great with a pastrami sandwich.” said Teague. “If you want to chase the savory vibe and add spice, try Bitter End Chesapeake Bay Bitters. It’s like Old Bay Seasoning and goes great while snacking on potato chips.”
Teague’s other suggestions run from nostalgic like Bitter Cube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters, which can give soda water a cherry vanilla Coca-Cola sensation to King Floyd’s Grapefruit Rosemary Bitters, which remind him of flavors of the winter season.
And soda water not your thing? Try this creation of 7 oz. of chilled coconut water with a few dashes of Angostura bitters over ice plus a lime wheel or a spring of mint. Angostura’s Jones called this mocktail,“an island favorite,” showing the limitless potential of bitters.
”As I always say,” remarked Teague, “the only way to misuse bitters is to miss using bitters.”
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