Bitters are a group of alcoholic beverages, which contain bitter tinctures. Bitter: description, types, composition and reviews

In the classification of alcoholic (and even non-alcoholic) beverages, this group occupies a rather large place, since it includes numerous tinctures, mostly bitter: vermouth and liqueurs, low-alcohol products with a strength of 5% and some other types of drinking. Bitters are drinks on herbs (spicy ingredients, root extracts, stems, leaves of plants considered medicinal) produced by infusion. Many raw materials are used as raw materials. The recipe for bitter of every known brand is kept in the strictest secrecy. The word itself comes from German and means literally "bitter".

What is bitter today?

In modern alcoholic culture, a wide range of beverages is called so, the strength of which varies from 5 to 50%. This grandiose circle includes such names known to the Russian consumers as "Riga Balsam (black)", "Kampari", "Becherovka", even "Zubrovka" and honey with pepper tincture. What unites these seemingly too many-sided drinks? And the whole point is that bitters are alcoholic, in which there is bitterness, obtained as a result of cooking with the use of herbs, roots, bark, fruits and seeds of plants. This is precisely their classification similarity, regardless of the number of degrees and even in the absence of these.

Tincture bitter. A bit of history

Even in ancient times, in some countries, there was a certain practice of using bitterness in the preparation of tinctures and other drinks containing (and not even containing) alcohol. The first bitter is an ancient Greek bitter wine, used by Hippocrates exclusively for medicinal purposes, the prototype of the present vermouth. Or Nubian variant of bitter beer. Some other ancient drinks can be conditionally recognized as bitters, especially if one takes into account their described healing properties.

Middle Ages

But the most powerful development of such drinks begins in the Middle Ages with the appearance in Europe of the "water of life" - ethyl distillate (roughly in the 12th century, and the method of its production is borrowed from the Arabs). In the monastery of Southern Italy (Salerno) appears the first of the known tinctures based on bitterness. It includes juniper berries and cones. And later in France they learned how to make such a drink. In these years, the bitter is a drink, taken exclusively for medicinal purposes. Monks and socialists perceived it so even in the Renaissance, and for a long time this wonderful drug could be found more at the pharmacist than at the vintner. And bitter decoctes prescribed in cases of problems with digestion, colds. It is interesting that, for example, the same Becherovka was created for medical purposes.

New World

The widest horizons for creating bitterness open before fans of such drinks due to the discovery of the properties of plants in America. For example, this is how the legendary "Angostura" appeared, which is present in every solid bar. And thanks to their qualities (they quenched thirst well, disinfected), bitters became one of the elements of the drink ration for European settlers of the United States. True, still bitters are an assortment of pharmacies.

Entrance to the restaurant business

In drinking establishments and restaurants, alcohol-based bitterness began to appear only in the 19th century. So, the famous Italian "Campari" became the first drink-bitter that was oriented to the restaurant business (1861). From Italy, the fashion for bitterness began to spread around the world in dozens of countries.

"Angostura"

This red-brown bitter leads a pedigree from Venezuela. It is concentrated and dense, all over the world often used in the art of bartenders. His recipe has been kept secret for almost 200 years, and the alcoholic strength is almost 45 degrees. Like many other bitters, Angostura from its birth (1824) was first used as a medicinal tincture. The main production of Angostura is in Trinidad and Tobago. Bitter is the main or complementary ingredient for many famous cocktails due to its very pleasant and original aftertaste.

Campari

Italian bitter liquor with a strength of 20 to 28% in various variations. It is produced on the basis of herbs and fruits. "Campari" - and today the most famous drink. It is popular as an aperitif, used independently, and as an invariable component of many and many cocktails, "Americano", "Garibaldi" for example. His victorious procession of liquor began in 1861 from Italy to France. And today it is supplied to 200 countries of the world. Connoisseurs say that in taste and aroma you can feel notes of honey and zest, blackberries and vines of grapes, quinine. According to some reports (the original recipe is still kept secret by the manufacturer), the "Campari" includes more than 50 ingredients.

"Riga Balsam" (Rīgas Melnais balsams)

This strong black bitter until recently was one of the most famous on the territory of the USSR and then in the CIS. At least it was even sold in the shops of the Soviet republics, and the average citizen could put a bottle in the bar. The buyers note that the balsam "Riga" has an excellent fortress (45%) and a density, rich color and rich palatable palette. Traces of lime-colored flowers, raspberries and cowberries, ginger bitterness (total of 24 ingredients). Produced in the original bottles of ceramics, which is designed to protect the contents from exposure to sunlight. This drink has been known in Europe since 1752. It is not used in its pure form. Add to coffee (the most popular way to do this in Russia), in tea, ice cream. Used with ice in some cocktails. Still use balsam bitter as a drug for some diseases, so to speak, for their intended purpose.

Cocktails with bitter

Is it added to the cocktail? Bitter is most often used in beverage mixes in the US, Mexico and Canada. This component gives cocktails a special bitterness, originality and uniqueness in flavor and aromatic characteristics. In general, for connoisseurs.

• "Honolulu". Gin - 60 ml, pineapple juice - 15, juice of oranges - 15, juice of lemons - 10, sugar syrup - 10, "Angostura" - one splash of a bottle. For decoration - lemon spiral. For sifting the edge of the glass - sugar. Ice is welcome in the amount of 5 medium cubes. It is prepared in a shaker by shaking.
• "Million dollars". Gin - 30 ml, Angostura - 1 splash, dry martini - 1 spoon, sweet - 1 spoon, pineapple juice - half cup, raw egg white, ice. Preparing in a shaker.
• "Mango tonic." Vodka - 30 ml, mango liquor - 15, tonic for dilution, "Angostura" - 2 splashes. For decoration, a lime slice is used. Cocktail must be built in layers in a high highball glass. They should alternate in color. Order: tonic, bitter, liquor with vodka. To drink it you need their tubes, gradually drinking each layer one by one.
• "Sauer the apple". This is a rather specific category of cocktails that have a characteristic sourness. Bourbon - 45 ml, apple juice - 40, triple-sec - 20, lemon juice - 10, bitter orange - 2 splashes of the bottle, 3 ice cubes. Preparing in a shaker. The best capacity for drinking this cocktail is an old-fashioned ordinary glass. Cocktail bitter is prepared very quickly and has a unique taste.

"Schweppes Bitter Lemon"

It's a refreshing drink (nonalcoholic). It is made by a special technology, which allows you to use lemon juice squeezed together with zest (hence the characteristic bitterness). Technology is classified, so the full composition of the drink is unknown. In the world culture of use, "Schwepps bitter" is mainly used in cocktails. Judging by the reviews of consumers, in Russia many people are accustomed to drinking it as ordinary soda, without mixing anything.

Undoubtedly, the culture of consumption of bitters in our country is not at the highest level yet. Many people consider the cocktail to be a real pampering and a waste of money. However, club and bar culture with its variety of drinks, which include various bitterness, is gaining popularity in recent years in Russia.