Post #601842 by arriano on Wed, Aug 10, 2011 1:27 PM

OK, I'm just going to throw myself out there and admit it: I'm confused about bitters. Intrigued by all the choices that are available nowadays, but confused nonetheless.

I may be wrong, but I was basically going along the assumption that aromatic bitters such as Angostura and Peychaud's were best for aged spirits, such as bourbon and rum; and that citrus bitters were best for spirits such as gin and vodka. That's probably an oversimplification, but it was what I generally was going by.

Therefore, I have no idea what cocktails to include rhubarb bitters or black walnut bitters or plum bitters, etc etc etc. Should bitters be used to enhance a flavor already in a cocktail (cherry bitters in a Singapore Sling, for example), or should they be used to provide an all new flavor element?

I've read several articles about bitters, and see cocktail recipes with various different kinds of bitters. But I've yet to see any real direction or explanation of why to use one particular bitters over another, or how to incorporate various flavored bitters.

"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge

[ Edited by: arriano 2011-08-11 08:09 ]