Beers & Bitters are Better !!

When your day ends and you are completely bursted, nothing feels better than having some booze to temporarily drown your stress. What if we say there's an easy fix for your spices, barks, fruits, roots, flowers, leaves, and herbs. Bitters give your drinks complexity and depth of flavor. In the last few years, bitters have regained their rightful place on bar shelves; earlier there were just a handful of bitters brands, whereas today, we have a vast problem with Beers & Bitters! The pairing isn't as odd as it sounds. Beer and bitters are good companions. Bitters are a liquid flavoring agent infused with botanicals. People have started using them in all kinds of drinks—not only those that call for bitters. 

One of the most traditional examples of pairing bitters and beer is found in the Northeast part of France, the locals enjoy mixing light lagers and the French bitter, Amer Picon. This bitters has a distinct orange flavor that adds a pleasant spiced aroma, while the sugar content smoothes out the mouth feel.

Like in cocktails and long drinks, a few dashes add a certain spiciness and complex flavors without making the beer significantly bitter, Orange and Grapefruit bitters work especially well.  

Thinking of trying the beer cocktail? Then all you need is a tall, ice-cold glass of beer and your choice of bitters. But remember the rule- Dark bitters go well with dark beers; light bitters go well with light beers. Aromatic bitters, chocolate bitters are great with stouts, porters, or other malty beers. Grapefruit, orange, lemon bitters pairs really well with lagers, pilsners and pale ales. You should start with two or three dashes in a pint. Sometimes this is enough, but it might take a bit to find the right ratio. 

Two simplest beer cocktail you’ll ever make:

1. Beer Shandy

Ingredients 

• 12-ounce chilled pale ale
• 12-ounce ginger beer
• 4 dash orange bitters
• 8 lemon slices

Directions

Chill a 4-quart pitcher and beer mugs in the freezer for about 1 hour. Once the pitcher is frosty, slowly pour 3 (12-ounce) bottles of chilled pale ale and 3 (12-ounce) bottles of ginger beer into the pitcher. Add 4 dashes of orange bitters and stir briefly to blend. Place a lemon slice in each mug and fill with shandy. Cheers!

2. Moscow Mule

Ingredients 

• 2 -ounce vodka
• 1/2 cup ginger beer
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters
• 1 lime wedge, for garnish
• 1/2 fresh squeezed lime

Directions

1. Squeeze 1/2 lime.
2. Fill a copper mug with ice.
3. Add vodka and lime.
4. Fill to top with ginger beer.
5. Add 2 dashes of aromatic bitters.
6. Mix to stir.
7. Garnish with a wedge of lime. Cheers!