The 6 Finest Non-Alcoholic Bitters to Strive in 2024

All The Bitter was based by hospitality veterans Carley and Ian Blessing, two former sommeliers at lauded Napa, California restaurant The French Laundry. Each slowed their alcohol consumption after having children and realized that the market lacked merchandise that met their requirements.

“Now, they’ve an entire lineup of cocktail bitters,” says Alex Pisi, lead bartender of The Wells in Washington, D.C. “Once I’m seeking to change Angostura bitters, All The Bitter gives lots by way of taste profile and selection.”

To make up for the dearth of alcohol, the model packs its bitters with two to a few occasions extra uncooked botanicals than normal alcoholic bitters to make sure intense taste.

“I like utilizing a mix of All of the Bitter Fragrant and Orange non-alcoholic bitters in cocktails like Previous Fashioneds and Manhattans,” says Michael Fifelski, beverage director for The Harvey Home in Madison, Wisconsin. “The fragrant bitters give an incredible earthy spicy taste, and the orange bitters steadiness the earthiness with refreshing citrusy tones. They’re additionally pretty when combined with membership soda or ginger ale for one thing extra refreshing.”

“I typically discover myself reaching for Colorado natural bitters maker Dram,” says Clint Rogers, the beverage supervisor at The Nationwide in Telluride, Colorado. “I notably love their Palo Santo bitters which give an incredible punch of woody, ephemeral, and savory notes to many cocktails. I discover this finest paired with gin or mezcal.”

Rogers factors out that whereas Palo Santo is a trendier taste, he respects how Dram sources its uncooked supplies. “They’re very centered on sustainability and transparency,” he says. “Palo santo has exploded in recent times and lots of on-line suppliers supply from less-than-ideal locations the place the wild ‘holy bark’ is harvested.” Dram works with a single supply farm that collects bark from fallen branches and sticks.

Owned and operated by New Orleans native Christa Cotton, all of El Guapo’s 12 bitters flavors are utterly non-alcoholic. The lineup contains extra normal flavors like barrel-aged vanilla, spicy fuego bitters, and seasonal scorching cocoa bitters. The place this model shines is in its off-the-beaten-path flavors, like crawfish boil (assume cajun spices with onion, garlic, and bay) or gumbo (creole, file, bell pepper, celery, and thyme). 

The model’s Polynesian Kiss bitters are constructed for tropical drinks like Daiquiris, Mai Tais, or different island-influenced zero-proof drinks. The bitters are made completely in New Orleans from native almonds, spices, guava, passionfruit, pineapple, coconut, and a glycerin and water base.

If you happen to’re in search of a lower-octane swap on your fragrant bitters, India-based Bab Louie makes the necessities: orange bitters and fragrant bitters (plus, bittersweet cherry bitters). The main focus right here is excessive taste: potently steeped bitters made with a mix of 15 botanicals and Indian spices.

The founders have famous that U.S.-made bitters seldom make it over to India and that the high-alcohol bitters could really feel misplaced in a society the place consuming alcohol is much less ubiquitous. So Bab Louie offers its bitters an Indian lean, constructing flavors with out alcohol and highlighting all-Indian spices.

Along with its Palo Santo bitters, Dram makes extra conventional citrus bitters with citrus rinds, orange blossom water, hibiscus petals, and lemon salt. As with the Palo Santo bitters, all components are sourced from natural farms, and largely native every time potential.

The ultimate product is vibrant and citrus-driven, with extremely floral aromatics and a tart, energetic chew on the palate. In comparison with normal orange bitters, Dram’s Citrus bitters rely much less on baking spices and gentian root and lean extra into extra floral, fragrant citrus—assume expressing a lemon over a glass. Add a number of drops to a typical soda, an Previous Normal variation, or to lighter drinks with vodka or mezcal. 

Over a decade in the past, Ben Branson based Seedlip, one of many world’s most acknowledged non-alcoholic manufacturers. Now, he’s launched a brand new zero-proof bitters line, Seasn.

Branson dubs these cocktail condiments “seasonings” on your drinks, and so they’re accessible in two flavors: mild and darkish. The previous is aimed toward lighter drinks: highballs, glowing waters, Martinis, and Margaritas, whereas the darkish is constructed for Previous Fashioneds and different drinks highlighting brown spirits.

As an alternative of a base of alcohol, Seasn makes use of glycerin amplified by a variety of flavorings resembling lime, grapefruit, kombu, kola nut, and smoked cherrywood for Gentle, and kola nut, smoked cherrywood, star anise, and cinnamon for darkish. All are utterly zero-proof, vegan, and sugar-free.