Happiest · Infusions & Tinctures

Homemade Non-Alcoholic Bitters

Name: Homemade Non-Alcoholic Bitters
Total time: 3 d
Yield: About 1 cup (16 tbsp / roughly 48 dashes)
Ingredients: ½ cup food-grade vegetable glycerin; ¾ cup filtered water, boiled then cooled; 1 tbsp dried orange peel; 1 tsp dried lemon peel; ½ tsp culinary-grade dried gentian root; ½ tsp dried ginger; ½ tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed; 1 small cinnamon stick; 2 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked; 2 whole cloves; ½ tsp dried rosemary

Dried citrus, gentian, warm spice, and a few precise drops of structure.

About 1 cup (16 tbsp / roughly 48 dashes)Active: 20 minutes active, plus 3 days steepingTotal: 20 minutes active, plus 3 days steeping

Keep it well

Storage: Keep refrigerated in a clean, sealed bottle at all times. This glycerin-and-water infusion is alcohol-free, low-acid, and not shelf stable; do not can it, leave it out for service, or use it if cloudy, fizzy, moldy, or off-smelling. Gentian is intensely bitter; use only culinary-grade gentian and check with a clinician before serving it to anyone with allergies, a medical condition, or medication concerns.
Shelf life: Use within 2 weeks refrigerated for the best flavor and food-safety margin. Make a fresh batch rather than trying to extend its life.
Zero-proof use: Use with sparkling water, tea, citrus, or a zero-proof base; start with a small pour and adjust to taste.
Substitutions: Use a close seasonal fruit, herb, spice, or sweetener where sensible. Taste before adding it to a finished drink.

What you need

Ingredients.

½ cup food-grade vegetable glycerin
¾ cup filtered water, boiled then cooled
1 tbsp dried orange peel
1 tsp dried lemon peel
½ tsp culinary-grade dried gentian root
½ tsp dried ginger
½ tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed
1 small cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
2 whole cloves
½ tsp dried rosemary

Make it

Method.

01
Wash a 16 oz heat-safe jar and its lid in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and let both air-dry completely. Use only culinary-grade botanicals from a reputable food supplier; do not substitute wild-harvested roots, bark, or peels.
02
Add the dried citrus, gentian, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and rosemary to the dry jar. Pour in the glycerin and cooled water, then stir with a clean spoon until every botanical is wet.
03
Seal, label with the date, and refrigerate for 3 days. Shake the jar once a day to keep the botanicals moving; do not leave this low-acid, alcohol-free infusion at room temperature.
04
On day 3, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then strain again through a damp coffee filter or tightly woven cloth. Do not squeeze the solids, which can make the bitters muddy and harsh.
05
Bottle the clear liquid in a clean, sealed dash bottle or small jar and refrigerate promptly. Start with 2 to 4 dashes (about ⅛ tsp) per drink; add a dash at a time, because gentian arrives quickly.

Safety & allergens

Use clean bottles and utensils. These are refrigerator preparations, not shelf-stable preserves; discard at any sign of mold, fizzing, cloudiness, or off odor.

Use it in

A good next glass.

2 to 4 dashes in soda, tonic-style drinks, or a zero-proof Old Fashioned direction
A dash in orange, grapefruit, or ginger highballs when a drink needs structure
2 dashes in an Old Fashioned, Martini, or Manhattan-style cocktail in place of commercial aromatic bitters

Keep exploring

Food-Grade Vegetable Glycerin Filtered Water, Boiled Then Cooled Dried Orange Peel Culinary-Grade Dried Gentian Root Drink Finder