This recipe creates an Italian-style aromatic bitters. The source of this recipe groups aromatic bitters with things like Benedictine and Chartreuse. Cocktail type bitters would be called “Strong Bitters”.
Italian Bitters Recipe:
- Rosemary Leaves
- 2 oz
- Thyme
- 5 oz
- Sage
- 5 oz
- Majoram
- 5 oz
- Cloves
- 7 oz
- Cinnamon
- 8 oz
- Orris Root
- 12 oz
- Wormwood
- 12 oz
- Fennel
- 12 oz
- Calamus Root
- 12 oz
- Anise
- 12 oz
- Buckbean Leaves
- 1 lb
- Angelica Root
- 1 lb
- Lemon Peel
- 1 lb
- Bitter Orange Peel
- 1¼ lb
Instructions
Combine the ingredients in a mortar and grind to a coarse powder and then pack in a percolator or other suitable maceration vessel. Pass the alcohol through the percolator over a period of 48 hours to create the Italian Bitters essence. If macerating, allow the mixture to macerate for 2 days with occasional agitation, then filter and reserve the liquid.
To make the bitters, take 1 ounce of the bitter essence and add it to 4 pints of 40% alcohol.
To make the Italian Aromatic Bitters liqueur from the above essence, take 1 oz of essence and combine it with 1700 ml of 25% alcohol, 300 ml of 60% simple syrup.
