347868 Sun Dec 03 22:29:53 -0800 2006 18 36 Spirits 0 2066667 I like to put a dash or two of orange bitters in my martinis. In all humility, this takes a good drink and turns it into a transcendant one. :o) But, I dropped and broke my bottle of homemade orange bitters! :'( I'm going to try to sweet talk my way into another bottle from my original source. However, assuming I can't, which are better for this purpose, Fee Bros or Regan? I would have thought they were the same, but I recall seeing people saying one is better for the classic martini. Any opinions out there? Sun Dec 03 22:29:53 -0800 2006 11148 Alcachofa 1 2067325 I prefer Regan's, as it's more layered and complex than the Fee's. Though there's a new product being made--I hesitate to say it's "available," as it's made in Germany and you have to special order it--that strikes a middle ground between the two bitters, with the bright citrusy note of Fees and the aromatic complexity of Regan's. It's called The Bitter Truth, and you can find them at www.the-bitter-truth.com. They also make an incredible aromatic bitters. Mon Dec 04 04:22:56 -0800 2006 2066667 37676 pclarke 1 2071098 Thanks. I think the homemade bitters I had were definitely more on the complex aromatic side of the spectrum, than the citrusy side. Dammit, I just remembered I use orange bitters in my Pegu cocktail as well! Tue Dec 05 12:12:40 -0800 2006 2066667 11148 Alcachofa 1 2090406 Fee brothers is more readily availiable and is quite passable. For a martini, however, I would definitely use Regan's. Much more pleasing flavor, in my opion. If you are in New York you can but them at Pegu Club and, I think, Flatiron. Othewise buffalotrace.com has them. The shipping is horribly expensive from what I remember. There are more and more coming out all the time, so hopefully avaliability will increase. Mon Dec 11 22:39:02 -0800 2006 2066667 43321 garcon 1 2271952 I agree about Regan's. Although one drop of Angostura and three drops of Fee's Peach makes an great martini. Especially with Vya Vermouth. Thu Feb 08 07:34:14 -0800 2007 2066667 10732 JMF 1 2272136 I went with the Regan's. I did try Fee's and it is definitely more citrusy. Almost lemony! That could also work well, probably, but I'm glad I went with Regan. Thu Feb 08 08:28:10 -0800 2007 2066667 11148 Alcachofa 1 2272622 Once Angosutra comes out with their orange bitters it will be the one for your martinis. Thu Feb 08 10:25:29 -0800 2007 2066667 40841 fafner 1 2282432 Amazing: People are talking about orange bitters in Martinis lately. Just a few years ago, no one seemed to've heard of that. Here's some info from experience. Common styles of Martinis (in Barnaby Conrad's popular 1995 illustrated history) went through a transition early 20th century when they became "drier," sometimes almost pure gin, and also the pickled vegetables appeared. Earlier classic recipes and also modern ones winning blind taste tests (when Conrad wrote his book) were based on gin and vermouth, seasoned with citrus: lemon zest rubbed, or often twisted and dropped in, and usually a hint of orange in some form. (Pickled vegetables unnecessary.) Everything extremely cold, naturally. Taste tests with friends demonstrated the bracing but refreshing quality of the result, enhanced by the citrus. Orange bitters will do this, but in a pinch, you can use a little orange zest (the colored outer peel) or even a drop of orange liqueur (Curaçao or Grand Marnier by preference, they seem to have more bitter orange essence than Cointreau or well "triple sec"). The liqueurs are sweetened of course, but in trace amounts that's not noticeable while the orange flavor is. Everyone I know who has tried this trick agrees. (I've heard reports that some people even made Martinis with vodka instead of gin, but I don't know anything about that or other eccentric variations which are many.) Sun Feb 11 14:53:43 -0800 2007 2066667 69634 eatzalot 1 2283099 The catalyst for orange bitters came shortly after Gary Regan came out with his bitters #6 which, although not widely available, was the one of the first commercial bitters that could be purchased easily. Since then people have taken an interest in using them again. As I mentioned earlier, the use of orange bitters will be even more prominent once Angostura saturates supermarket shelves with its orange bitters. Sun Feb 11 19:14:42 -0800 2007 2066667 40841 fafner 2 2304717 I see I have Fee Brothers (West Indian) Orange Bitters on hand (complete with three suggested Martini recipes printed on the wrapper), bought 2001 at a reasonably well-stocked wine and spirits shop. I was interested in Martini history at that time (2000-2001), and orange bitters (like the Gary Regan product as reported above) weren't routinely available. But retailers told me (2000-2001) that there was little consumer interest too, otherwise they'd stock more. I'm wondering now if the Gary Regan product stimulated consumer interest in orange bitters, or vice versa? (The chicken or the egg?) It is easy to assume the causality in these kinds of situations, incidentally (and people with an interest find it easier still), but I'm curious of the larger story and would appreciate any pointers. Sun Feb 18 11:57:52 -0800 2007 2283099 69634 eatzalot 1 2283755 Slightly off topic, but since homemade orange bitters were the catalyst for this thread, does anyone have a recipe for homemade peach bitters? Mon Feb 12 05:36:27 -0800 2007 2066667 64045 negronilover 1 2328351 So, based on this post and some other discussion we managed to track down orange bitters locally (the shop only had Fee's, alas). Other than a gin martini what are good uses for orange bitters? Favorite cocktails that would NOT be the same without them? Sun Feb 25 15:14:09 -0800 2007 2066667 12450 Sgt Snackers 1 2328416 Try a drop or two in almost any cocktail. I used some in a Manhattan the other night. (as well as Angostura) Tasty. Sun Feb 25 15:40:34 -0800 2007 2066667 10732 JMF 1 2328831 I don't think that it is part of the classic recipe, but I prefer a couple of dashes of orange bitters in my negronis. If nothing else, it saves me from burning down my house trying to flame orange peels (with apologies to Dale DeGroff). Sun Feb 25 18:48:57 -0800 2007 2066667 64045 negronilover 2 2351593 Good to hear that someone else occasionally puts a few drops of orange bitters in their Negronis. I got a bottle of Fees several months ago and put in a couple of drops as a lark and found that I liked it -- lent an additional nuance of flavor in a great cocktail that already has multiple layers of flavor to enjoy. Sun Mar 04 13:11:09 -0800 2007 2328831 10875 BHAppeal 3 3076098 Apologies for bumping such an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what else you can do with orange bitters? I'm off to Munich soon and I plan to bring back some bottles of Bitter Truth orange & aromatic, but I'd like to have plenty of uses for them so they don't end up gathering dust! Mon Oct 29 08:30:58 -0700 2007 2351593 131605 babybat 4 3077686 They're worth trying in almost anything, really. Cocktails, punches, highballs. Mon Oct 29 14:43:43 -0700 2007 3076098 11148 Alcachofa 5 3078757 At this point, I still like my 1940's DeKuyper's orange bitters the best for a martini. I also like Ragan's, Fee bros and Stirrings as well in Manhattans and Negronis and a host of other cocktails that I've concocted over the years. I also like to use an orange bitters that is in a green bottle with the lable missing, that I found in my grandfather's bar after he died about 20 years ago( along with the DeKuyper's). I use bitters(any of the 12 different ones wwe have ) to cook with as well as using in mixological pursuits Mon Oct 29 21:49:57 -0700 2007 3077686 106255 chazzerking 4 4799760 I realize it's been a few years now, but i was looking for orange bitters and ran across my old friend, the chowhound site! I saw your questions and thought I"d post: http://ardentspirits.com/blogs/oddsandends/archive/2009/01/07/cocktails-with-regans-orange-bitters-no-6.aspx some recipe's posted by the creater of regans Tue Jun 23 17:08:59 -0700 2009 3076098 49252 kluemaster