Your alcohol-free bitters. Miscible Aromatic Bitters Unlike a Screwdriver, the Greyhound isn’t nearly as sweet and even has a pleasant bitterness that is imparted by the grapefruit juice. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Amish may have brought it over. For no-alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients, see our range of substitutes here. I personally like adding it to Pellegrino or Spindrift lemon or grapefruit flavored sparkling water. Bitters aren’t just for fancy cocktails. A 5-ounce cocktail with 2 ounces of non-alcoholic spirit base and 2 dashes of bitters is barely over the .5 ABV limit, still under 1 percent ABV. I do not recommend drinking this recipe on its own (if you can, more power to ya!). Simply soaking herbs in water doesn’t extract the flavour oils, and it can also extract undesirable compounds that make the flavour less than pleasant. About | Contact Us | Disclosure | Privacy Policy. A 355 ml can of beer at 0.5% equals 1/10th of a standard drink. While bitters are usually used as a tincture meaning the herbs are infused into alcohol, if you must avoid alcohol, you can still benefit from bitter herbs. Make a homemade switchel! He used them for a variety of illnesses. But, there are limits to its use because too much caffeine can have unwanted side effects, like wakefulness—at 5 in the morning, when you want to be asleep. Good luck with that. As I describe in my Bitters and Alcohol Content post, a whole bottle of bitters contains a high alcohol by volume (ABV). First, measure out the herbs and spices. While Bitters generally do contain alcohol, using a few drops in a non-alcoholic cocktail is still considered a non-alcoholic drink.... think lemon lime & bitters. Add all ingredients in a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. To understand how bitters can enhance a drink, Parsons suggests mixing a Manhattan with and without them: "One will be beautiful, and the other will be overly sweet and cloying." To extract the most flavor out of a blend of aromatic ingredients, bitters are traditionally made by infusing the ingredients in a very high ABV neutral spirit. Storage: store in the fridge in mason jar with lid sealed for up to 2 weeks. When making flavoured simple syrups or liqueurs, I always add a teaspoon or three to help keep the oils in solution. Adding it to a glass of homemade iced sun tea on hot summer days is not a bad idea either. (and remember it the next day). This alcohol infusion method most effectively extracts and preserves the flavor and aroma. Having low stomach acid is a very common problem. A big guzzle of switchel gave them that much needed punch of energy and hydration. 2 drops Nutmeg Oil Yep, caffeine is a perfectly legal flavouring compound found in many things, like Pepsi, Red Bull or coffee. Alcohol-Free Preparation Mix the herbs used above in a bowl. The typical ratio of dried botanicals to alcohol is 1:5. Culinary Lore has bad news if you are trying to find a true replacement for bitters in your recipe without suffering any loss of complexity and flavor. If using a vegetable peeler feels awkward and too much flesh is cut off, use the edge of a spoon and the skin will scrape off easily. So you’re wondering, how do I make my favorite Sobertail drink without skipping the small but essential dash of bitters for that spirited kick? Use a citrus peeler to peel the skin off a lemon, orange, or grapefruit. It won’t be a true bitter as alcohol is mainly used as the solvent, but you would get somewhat of the same effect. They’re also an incredible digestive aid that’s perfect to accompany any meal. Using a mortar and pestle, rolling pin and zip top bag, or a Blendtec blender, crush the spices. Cocktail bitters are potions that, with just a few drops, add backbone to a drink: The Sazerac wouldn’t be what it is without them. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bitters are generally 35% to 45% alcohol, but using them in moderation like this means that the resulting drink is quite low in alcohol. 2 drops Black Pepper Oil But, with over 400-discernable flavour characteristics that our senses can detect, choosing which bitters are most pleasing to your palette requires some guidance. This is 1 part bitters and aromatics to 5 parts alcohol. Put the solids in a 2 quart (or bigger) soup pot. But thats where digestive bitters come in handy. Take your oils and mix them with 1 tablespoon of the burnt sugar colouring and optionally add ¼ teaspoon of Polysorbate 80 (a safe food grade solubilizer that is used in all sorts of foods, like ice cream). Like bitters, switchel is experiencing a revival. If all you wanted was a quick substitute, it would be … I did some rough calculations, and a drink with a teaspoon of bitters has probably about as much alcohol as 1/10th of a glass of wine. So how do we get the oils without using a solvent like alcohol? Alcohol Free Swedish Bitters – prepared as a tea, for those that are intolerant to alcohol. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into another mason jar and seal with lid. So you’re wondering, how do I make my favorite Sobertail drink without skipping the small but essential dash of bitters for that spirited kick? Cover and place jar in cool, dark location for 1 month. First, select a liquor that’s at least 100 proof for maximum flavor extraction and preservation. For the sourpuss, add more citrus fruit or apple cider vinegar (if you dare).