What is Bitters?

Bitters is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Originally, numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines, but now are sold as digestifs, sometimes with herbal properties, and as cocktail flavorings.

What exactly is in bitters?

Bitters are neutral alcohol infused with herbs, spices, fruits, roots, tree bark, and other botanicals. Common ingredients in bitters include orange peel, gentian root, cassia bark, cascarilla, and cinchona bark. Cocktail bitters are different from Italian bitter liqueur or amaro (plural amari).

Are bitters alcoholic?
A bottle of cocktail bitters is generally 35–45% alcohol. Since most bitters are used by dashes or in drops, the amount of alcohol is minuscular, making the ABV difficult to trace. That’s why they’re often marketed as non-alcoholic, although they are made from alcohol.

What is the purpose of bitters?

The purpose of bitters is to balance out the taste of a cocktail. Cocktails primarily contain sweet and sour flavors. By adding another primary taste, bitter, into mixed drinks, a cocktail is given a more complex—and complete—flavor profile.

Can you get drunk off bitters?

Will I Get Drunk Off Bitters? Bit of an interesting question here with a complex, yet straightforward answer: Yes, but no. Yes in that, while bitters is typically comprised of about 45% alcohol, the truth is, you usually only put a few dashes in here or there for flavor, not additional alcohol.

It is available at Superspar Maerua Mall in Namibia.