DIY jberks DIY jberks

Spiced Vanilla Bitters

These are the perfect Fall bitters.

Vanilla is one of my favorite flavors. I could eat vanilla on mostly anything. These bitters have a good spice component to them, so they have added depth. Use them in your favorite rum, brandy or whiskey drink.

Recipe adapted from Jesse Smith's homemade Vanilla bitters featured on Imbibe.View here.

Spiced Vanilla Bitters recipe:

Makes roughly 16 oz.

You will need 1 glass mason jar (sterilized).

  • 2 cups of 100 proof/50% ABV vodka or white rum (Rittenhouse Rye can be used instead)

  • 8 vanilla beans, split lengthwise (recommend Madagascar)

  • 2 tsp gentian

  • 1 tsp green cardamom pods, cracked

  • 1 tbsp cocoa nibs

  • 1 tbsp roasted barley

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, whole

  • 2 small cinnamon sticks, whole or cracked

  • 1 tsp clove, whole

  • 1 tsp allspice, whole

  • 1 star anise

You will also need:

  1. Place all solid ingredients into the mason jar. 

  2. Pour your vodka or rum over the solids and seal the jar tightly.

  3. Place jar in cool, shaded location and agitate daily. 

  4. After 2 weeks taste the bitters and check flavor level. If good enough, strain out the solids using cheesecloth. 

  5. If need more time or more vanilla flavor, you can add a tsp of good vanilla extract or let the mixture sit for another week or two. 

  6. Once the flavor is to your liking, strain out and discard the solids and add 1 to 2 ounces of blackstrap molasses to the mixture. Let sit for another 3 days.

  7. When the flavors have married, bottle your bitters or store them in the original mason jar. 

  8. If more flavor is wanted, you can add an Oak Spiral Aging stick (x2) for 1 month. They can be bought online at Amazon. 

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DIY jberks DIY jberks

Orange Saffron Bitters

Homemade orange saffron bitters.

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I've probably made over 30 different types of homemade bitters over the last 3 years or so. This flavor has been one of my most successful. 

A familiar blend of bitters with a unique twist to use with gin, whiskey, brandy and rum based drinks. These bitters have great natural spice and tremendous depth to add complexity to any stirred drink.

Orange Saffron Bitters recipe:

Makes roughly 20 oz. 

To begin, get 2 large glass mason jars (sterilized). 

In 1 bottle (Flavoring), put:

  • 1 cup vodka* (overproof)

  • .5 tsp cloves (whole)

  • .25 tsp allspice (whole)

  • 1 tsp green cardamom pods (whole - cracked)

  • peel from 1 large orange

  • 1 tbsp dried orange peel

  • 1 tsp dried lemon peel

  • .5 tsp cinnamon chips (cassia)

  • 1 tbsp saffron

  • .5 tsp tellicherry peppercorns (whole)

  • .25 tsp coriander seeds

In the 2nd bottle (Bittering), put:

  • 1.5 cups of bourbon (overproof)

  • 1 tsp gentian 

  • 1 tsp quassia chips

  • .5 tsp wormwood

You will also need: 

  1. Place all ingredients in corresponding jars.  Store in a cool, shaded place.

  2. Turn the jars upside down daily or gently shake each jar.

  3. After 7 days, taste bottle 1 (Flavoring). If desired flavor is reached, strain out solids and return mixture to bottle. Typically, 10 to 14 days are needed, but taste early and often.

  4. After 10 days, strain out bottle 2 (Bittering) using cheesecloth and return mixture to original mason jar. 

  5. When bottle 1 (Flavoring) is ready and strained, pour either bottle into the other to create 1 mixture.

  6. Store in cool, shaded place and let mixture marry for another 7 days. 

  7. Add 1 or 2 ounces (your preference) of Demerara simple syrup (not white sugar) to mixture. 

  8. Store for another 5 days. Agitate daily. 

  9. When done, strain one more time with cheesecloth and bottle your bitters or store in original mason jar. 

  10. Bitters will keep indefinitely. 

*Note: Overproof white rum (Wray and Nephew) can also be used to impart more depth. Overproof is anything 100 proof or 50% ABV (or higher).

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