Bitters are the unsung heroes of cocktails, the supporting characters if you will. I often say you should never taste the bitters in your cocktail as an individual ingredient, but you will probably notice if they’re missing. Just a few dashes can take your drink to a whole new level and I promise, they won’t make your drink bitter.
▸How many drops/dashes of bitters should I use in a drink? When creating our own cocktails we always start with 2 dashes, or in our case 20-24 drops, of bitters for a cocktail 6 oz or larger and then increase or decrease as we see fit.
What is a dash of bitters?
A very unscientific measurement that consists of 2 or 3 drops. I know, what is a drop… Part of the issue is that bitters come with different tops. Some like ours have dasher tops which are a plastic insert in the neck of the bottle with a hole in it. You’ll see other companies that use dropper caps, meaning there is a long dropper attached to the cap of the bottle. Both of these methods allow you to more easily dispense a small amount of bitters instead of just pouring straight from the bottle.
A dash is taking a bottle with a dasher cap, turning it upside down over your drink and giving it one good shake. You’ll see a few drops come out. Most recipes will call for a few dashes, this does not mean a few drops, it does indeed mean a few shakes into your cocktail. You’ll most likely be adding anywhere from ½ to a full teaspoon of bitters. If you’re using a bottle with a dropper cap, remember that a couple of drops make a dash. It’s always best to start and add more to taste.
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Bitters are the unsung heroes of cocktails, the supporting characters if you will. I often say you should never taste the bitters in your cocktail as an individual ingredient, but you will probably notice if they’re missing. Just a few dashes can take your drink to a whole new level and I promise, they won’t make your drink bitter.
Cocktail Bitters & How to Use Them!
FAQ
How many drops equals a dash of bitters?
Is a dash of bitters one drop?
How many bitters do you put in a drink?
What is the difference between a dash and a drop of bitters?
Can you add bitters to a drink?
Any type of drink can taste even better when you add some drops of bitters. It does not only limit itself to cocktails but even non-alcoholic drinks as well. Soda water and tonics are refreshing on their own. Since soda water is quite plain, this is the best drink to experiment with your bitters.
What is a good ratio for bitters?
The best thing about bitters is that you can really experiment. While there’s no set-in-stone ratio for bitters, the general proportion is typically 1 part bittering agents to 5 parts alcohol (1:5). Botanicals and aromatics are generally a 1:2 ratio to bitters or equal parts.
How much alcohol is used to make bitters?
Alcohol used to make bitters is typically between 40-50 percent ABV. Alcohol helps extract as much as possible from the bittering agents, while also preserving the shelf life of the bitters. The amount of alcohol in a single dose of bitters is very minimal. However, you can still make bitters without alcohol.
How do you store bitters?
Place the bitters in clean glass jars with a tight-fitting lid (mason jars work well). Label the bitters. Store the bitters in a cool, dry place, like a cupboard. Shake the jar of bitters daily. Infuse the bitters for several weeks. The length of time needed will depend on the ingredients used.