How do you use bitters?
It is always best to give your bitters a shake before use. Remove the dropper from the bottle, squeeze the dropper bulb to fill the dropper and begin by adding 10 drops to your cocktail. Add more, as needed, to achieve the desired flavour.
Bitters are not just for cocktails, but can also liven up your sparkling water, tea, coffee, kombucha and even used to enhance the flavour of a beer. Bitters can also be a great substitute for vanilla extract in your favourite recipes. They're also a great topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt.
How to store bitters after opening?
Blue Coast Bitters are 42% ABV (alcohol-by-volume). This amount of alcohol acts as a natural preservative for the bitters and therefore it is not necessary to refrigerate them. Similar to your household spices, we recommend storing bitters in a dry place away from natural sunlight.
How long do bitters last for?
The minimum shelf life for bitters is one year. Bitters can last for many years, however, as with wines or spirits, the flavour, aroma and colour of bitters may change or mature over time.
Is sediment in the bottle normal?
The ingredients used to make bitters are highly soluble n high proof alcohol, but not water. During the process of making bitters, water is added to the infusion to dilute the alcohol to a more palatable ABV. Decreasing this ABV can cause some of the organic compounds to separate from the solution and form a haze or sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Shaking the bitters before use is recommend to assist with mixing these compounds for an improved flavour and aroma. Although our bitters do include a filtration stage during their production, we limit how fine this filtration is to ensure a rich flavour profile and aroma.