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# Make Aromatic Cocktail Bitters at Home

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/u/kairenner/make-aromatic-cocktail-bitters-at-home-757)
- By [KaiRenner](https://slatesource.com/u/KaiRenner)
- Food & Drinks
- Created on Mar 20, 2026

> Bitters are the salt and pepper of the cocktail world. A few dashes change everything.
>
> — KaiRenner · 26th of April 2026

## What Are Cocktail Bitters

Bitters are a concentrated botanical tincture made by steeping roots, bark, spices, and citrus peel in high-proof alcohol. The resulting liquid is intensely flavored and used by the dash. A single 4 oz bottle can last months of regular use.

What You Need to Get Started

0%

375 ml of high-proof neutral spirit (at least 100 proof, 150 proof is better)

2 teaspoons gentian root (the primary bittering agent)

1 teaspoon dried orange peel

1 teaspoon cardamom pods, lightly cracked

Half a cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

Quarter teaspoon black peppercorns

Quarter teaspoon dried ginger

Small glass jar with a tight lid

Fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth

Small dark glass dropper bottles for storage

Step 1: Combine and Steep

Add all botanicals to your jar and pour the spirit over them.

## Step 1: Combine and Steep

Add all botanicals to your jar and pour the spirit over them. Seal the jar tightly and store it somewhere dark and cool. Shake it once a day. After 2 weeks the liquid will be deeply colored and intensely aromatic.

Step 2: Strain

Pour the infusion through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a

## Step 2: Strain

Pour the infusion through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a clean jar. Squeeze the cheesecloth firmly to extract every drop. The liquid should be clear and dark amber. Discard the spent botanicals.

Step 3: Taste and Adjust

Taste your bitters by adding 2 to 3 dashes to a small glass of soda water.

## Step 3: Taste and Adjust

Taste your bitters by adding 2 to 3 dashes to a small glass of soda water. If the bitterness is too sharp, add a teaspoon of simple syrup to the batch and stir well. If the aroma feels flat, steep a fresh pinch of cardamom for another 3 days.

**2** Weeks

Bottling and Shelf Life Transfer your finished bitters into small dark dropper or dasher bottles. Label them with the date and the botanical blend. A high-proof base means bitters keep almost indefinitely at room temperature. They make excellent gifts, and experimenting with different botanical combinations is half the fun.