Bittermens Krupnik Herbal Honey Bitters

About

Small batch bitters are making their mark on the cocktail scene. In cities like New York, Boston and San Francisco, cocktail enthusiasts and bartenders are rediscovering long lost recipes and coming up with new signature flavors which help create the palate of the New American Cocktail. While living in San Francisco in early 2007, Avery and Janet Glasser used high proof spirit and a variety of herbs, peels and spices to create an extract of a traditional Mexican cooking sauce. This extract became the prototype recipe for the Xocolatl Mole Bitters. The summer of 2010 marked a dramatic rebirth for Bittermens: winding down previous licensing agreements, striking new partnerships, developing new products and most importantly, leasing a commercial kitchen. All Bittermens products are now being made by hand at our Brooklyn facility using primarily organic ingredients. Bittermens also consults with bars and restaurants looking to develop signature in-house formulations.

In Belarus, where Bittermens’ co-founder Avery Glasser’s family hails from, one of the most common home-made alcoholic beverages is called Krupnik. Belarusians take vodka and add honey, juniper, pine and coffee or tea, along with other botanicals, to make a complex, balanced drink. Taking inspiration from classic Krupnik recipes, we blended honey, black tea, pine, juniper and six other botanicals to make a complex bitters that works beautifully in all sorts of cocktails, ranging from honey forward drinks like a Bee’s Knees to warm beverages like hot toddies. We even like adding a few drops to a cup of tea in the afternoon, or even as a substitute for other bitters in classics like a Bamboo cocktail.