Bitterness used to be a central component of cocktails, but today it 's regularly overlooked.

[Lethe]

If you look back in the old cocktail guides, there is almost always a bitter component. Bitter, IMO, is essential to most cocktails, but it seems like no bartenders these days understands this concept. Usually what they do is just a drop of bitter, if at all. Most drinks tend towards the monolithicly sweet.

The Gin and Tonic.
The Negroni.
The Manhattan.
The Rob Roy.

Classics and will remain so.

[Chan790]

1. Yeah, but those are all terrible...

I love a good classic cocktail probably more than the next guy but really man:

The Gimlet.
The Caipirinha.
The Dark and Stormy.
The Bellini.
Whiskey, neat, dirty glass, no ice.

Bitter is for bitter people, man.

(Edit: I need to be clearer, I'm goofing on you, man. You named 4 old drinks which have a bitter component...I named 5 older ones that don't. I love a good Manhattan...the rest I could do with out.)

[unpossibles]

2. terrible?

them's fightin words....

[Chan790]

3. aw, man...you're just bitter.

:hide:


:rofl:

[unpossibles]

4. I figured I like those drinks to offset my natural sweetness.... :)

[Graybeard]

5. "A dash of bitters" was commonly heard

...when ordering a cocktail but almost never now.

My drink of choice this past summer was Gin & Tonic with a lime wedge. I dislike overly sweet drinks preferring instead a Scotch Sour or Rusty Nail.

And of course nothing beats a good Bloody Mary with horseradish, Tabasco and Worcestershire.

[XemaSab]

10. Tonic is too sweet for me

I prefer lime Calistoga water. :9

[mikeytherat]

6. "Two gin and tonics, hold the tonic. And put them both in one glass."

"Why? Because when I say 'Double Beefeater, rocks, with a twist' you just stare at me blankly."

mikey_the_rat

[Orrex]

7. A pinch of snuff can be most efficacious

[LynneSin]

8. I love Angostura Bitters - great for an upset stomach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angostura_bitters

I use to drink this all the time - club soda, lemon, line and a few shakes of bitters. Was yummy for my tummy

[monmouth]

9. Scotch old-fashioned, bitters in first then muddle the fruit...Delish...n/t

[Kali]

11. while it IS a sweet drink

a real mojito gets some bitterness from mulling the sugar and lime peel - I agree it need there. Have even seen some recipes that call for additional bitters in a mojito.

(I'm obsessing a bit because my mint plant has come back nicely from the summer's heat and I have about 6 huge limes on my potted lime tree!)

[ipfilter]

12. I have a bottle of Angostura Bitters in my cabinet right now.

I use it when I have a Manhattan.

3 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Dash of Bitters.

Mix with ice in a shaker and shake well. Pour into glass and garnish with a cherry.