A while back I used very similar ingredients and followed the same initial process to make an amaro. I learned from the experience that not all bitter flavours are equal, turns out there’s bitter good - like dandelion or gentian - and there’s bitter bad - like citrus pith, and it’s hard to find the right words to explain the reason why! It has nothing to do with the degree of bitterness, pith being a lot less bitter than many, but it seems to have a really hard time integrating with other flavours, to the point it’s hard to notice anything else, and it leaves that nasty aftertaste we’re all familiar with. I used quite a lot of grapefruit pith and it’s the worst of all the citrus fruits.... so I thought my adventure into amaro land was a complete failure and I stuck it in a cupboard and forgot about it. I checked it @6 months later and it was still a pithy disaster, but after a year the pith punch in the face was all but gone and it was actually pretty good. So in the end, pith turned out to be not quite the wrecking ball I thought it would be - but I’d be looking to take an easier path to making my bitters bitter😉
My favourite non-alcoholic thing to make with bitters is a fruit cocktail/mixed fruit salad. Cut up your favourite mix of fruit, take a can of lychee (including the syrup), and mix in a splash of bitters. The fruit just pops after the addition of the lychee syrup (sweet and floral) and the bitters help bring out the flavours as well.
Stupid me started this about 2-3 weeks ago. I misheard the first time and thought you said to let it sit for 2 weeks. So I was all amped up to add some to an Old Fashioned tonight. I guess I have another month and a half of waiting to do! Lmao
Salvatore Di Luccio around 60% proof is better, you’d have to dilute the 95% one or the bitters taste too much of alcohol and not the aromatics you add
I am going to ask my mom to get a bottle of noteral spirts so i can make some of it for putting in the kitchen for cooking and making juice drinks and stuff.
remember that it is soaked in high grain liquor. Have you ever tried adding vodka to tea? Not everything has a second and third life. I myself i always try to practice zero waste, but this won't be it. Maybe make add sugar to it and candy it.
The vodka will mostly evaporate off but these next two suggestions you wont even need to dry it for. My suggestions would be try soaking a bit (not all) in a dark or golden rum for about 2 months to make your own spiced rum or try adding some finally chopped up to a fruit loaf or Christmas pudding recipie.
You can make Swedish Bitters as a tea, no alcohol; great for digestion (www.wellbeingherbs.com/product/schwedenkrauter-schwedenbitter-original/). Like other bitters, may add to seltzer on the "rocks."
you just need something else to extract the oils with. I think those would be vinegar (may still contain alcohol) and maybe vegetable glycerin (double check that).
