Beverages › Demystifying Bitters

Aromatic Bitters - For the Manhattan (traditionally 2:1)

• 2 oz rye
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 1-3 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• cracked ice
• brandied or maraschino cherry for garnish

Orange Bitters - For the Original Martini (traditionally 2:1)

• 1 oz dry vermouth
• 2 oz gin
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• lemon peel for garnish

Peychaud’s Bitters - For the Sazerac Cocktail

• 1 sugar cube
• 2-6 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters (or o taste)
• 2 oz rye
• Abisinthe or Absithe substitute to rinse glass
• cracked ice
• lemon peel for garnish

The Manhattan

1. Put cocktail glass into the freezer to chill
2. Add ingredients to a mixing glass, then add ice, (preferably cracked)
3. Stir with a bar spoon until the glass gets very cold and the proper amount of dilution is achieved, about 20-30 seconds
4. Remove cocktail glass from freezer and strain mixture using a julep strainer from mixing glass to the chilled cocktail glass
5. Put a good brandied or maraschino cherry on a cocktail pick and lay over or in drink and enjoy while still cold

The Original Martini

1. Put cocktail glass into the freezer to chill
2. Add ingredients to a mixing glass, then add ice, (preferably cracked)
3. Stir with a bar spoon until the glass gets very cold and the proper amount of dilution is achieved, about 20-30 seconds
4. Remove cocktail glass from freezer and strain mixture using a julep strainer from mixing glass to the chilled cocktail glass
5. Using a channel knife, cut a long lemon twist over the drink so the oils from the peel land on the drink's surface.  Rub the peel over the rim of the glass and drop in and enjoy while still cold

The Sazerac Cocktail

The directions below look and feel long and cumbersome, but it's a very pleasurable preparation that you should enjoy almost as much as the drink itself

1. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice and let sit to chill while preparing the drink
2. In another glass, traditionally another old-fashioned glass but a mixing glass will work just fine, add the sugar cube and Peychaud's bitters.  Muddle the cube into the bitters.  Add the rye
3. Add ice and stir until chilled
4. Discard the ice from the original prepped glass and pour a small amount of absinthe in and slowly turn the glass on it's side to coat the inside of the glass.  Discard any extra absinthe.  (You'll want to leave it in there because it'd be a waste to toss it, but it's too strong to leave in the glass and it'll ruin the proportions of the Sazerac)
5. Strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the, now rinsed, old-fashioned glass
6. Cut a piece of lemon peel and squeeze over the glass to release it's oils