Repeal Day

In honor of Repeal Day (12/5, the date prohibition ended), I am making some bitters. Actualy, Repeal Day happens to be on the same day I am making the bitters, but, whatever). You know what bitters are... the elusive droplets that are the hallmark of cocktails.

According to wikipedia:

A bitters is an alcoholic beverage prepared with herbs and citrus dissolved in alcohol or glycerine and having a bitter or bittersweet flavor. There are numerous brands of bitters, which were formerly marketed as patent medicines but are now drunk as digestifs.

Bitters are principally used as digestifs and as flavorings in cocktails. While bitters commonly have an alcoholic strength of up to 45%, they are normally consumed in small amounts, added as a flavoring agent (similar to vanilla flavoring which is also dissolved in alcohol.) In the United Kingdom angostura bitters are not classified as alcoholic beverages due to their bitter taste and can be bought by a person of any age.

Common ingredients in bitters include angostura bark, cascarilla, cassia, gentian, orange peel, and quinine. The flavor of both Angostura bitters and Peychaud's Bitters derives primarily from gentian, a bitter herb. Bitters are prepared by infusion or distillation, using aromatic herbs, bark, roots, and/or fruit for their flavor and medicinal properties.

SO, after combining some different recipes I've found, tomorrow is the day to make it happen!