Bitter (spirit)

Various bitter spirits

As bitter (also bitter spirit or Amer ) refers flavored spirits with predominantly bitter taste.

properties

Bitters have a volume alcohol content of at least 15%. They are mainly used as an aperitif , digestif or as an ingredient in cocktails .

In addition to agricultural alcohol , bitters typically contain extracts of herbs , citrus plants , tart berries , Angostura bark , cinchona bark or anise .

Product groups and brands

Since the “bitter taste” property required by the EU regulation is subjective and not clearly defined, the boundaries are fluid. So sometimes sweet, non-bitter herbal liqueurs are counted among the gastric bitters , although according to EU regulations they are not officially allowed to be called that.

Well-known product groups and brands are

• Absinthe (not all products, as some do not taste bitter)
• Angostura
• Aniseed (not all products, as some do not taste bitter)
• Aperol
• Averna
• Becherovka
• Campari and various similar copycat products , e.g. B. from Martini & Rossi or Cinzano
• Lucano
• Ramazzotti
• Suze
• Digestive bitters if they actually taste bitter, e.g. B .:
  • Fernet-Branca
  • Gammel Dansk from Denmark
  • Meyer's bitter
  • Pelinkovac from Croatia
  • Underberg
  • Unicum from Hungary

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Regulation (EC) No. 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of January 15, 2008 on the definition, description, presentation and labeling of spirits and the protection of geographical indications for spirits and the repeal of Regulation (EEC) No. . 1576/89, Appendix II No. 30