New Orleans Style Bitters
Capture the spirit of the Sazerac with this anise-forward bitter. The distinctive red color comes from the gentian and coloring.
Capture the spirit of the Sazerac with this anise-forward bitter. The distinctive red color comes from the gentian and coloring.
- 1 teaspoonanise seeds
- 1/2 teaspooncaraway seeds
- 1 teaspoondried cherry bark(or dried cherries)
- 2 tablespoonsgentian root
- 2 cupshigh-proof vodka
- 1 tablespoonstar anise(lightly crushed)
- 1Lightly toast star anise and anise seeds in a dry pan until fragrant.
- 2Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with high-proof alcohol.
- 3Seal tightly and store in a cool dark place.
- 4Shake daily for 2-3 weeks.
- 5Strain through cheesecloth then through a coffee filter.
- 6The natural color will be amber - commercial versions add red coloring.
- 7Add simple syrup to taste if desired.
- 8Transfer to dropper bottles for use.
Store in a sealed dropper bottle at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Shelf-stable indefinitely due to high alcohol content. Flavor complexity deepens over the first three to six months.
Lightly toasting the star anise and anise seeds in a dry pan until just fragrant — about sixty seconds — releases volatile oils before infusion and produces a rounder, less sharp anise character; over-toasting creates a harsh, medicinal edge. Star anise and whole anise seeds used in combination produce a fuller anise profile than either ingredient alone, which is why this recipe uses both. The final color will be amber rather than the commercial red of Peychaud's — do not attempt to replicate the red color with food dye. Gentian root provides the bittering backbone; reducing it produces a lighter, more aperitif-style bitters suited to champagne cocktails.
New Orleans bitters are inseparable from the Sazerac cocktail, widely considered one of the earliest American cocktails. Peychaud's Bitters — the defining bitters of the New Orleans style — was created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Haitian-born apothecary who opened a pharmacy on Royal Street in New Orleans around 1838 and served brandy toddies seasoned with his house bitters. Peychaud's formula featured anise and cherry bark alongside gentian, producing a lighter, more floral bitters than the Angostura style then dominant. The Sazerac became so associated with Peychaud's bitters that New Orleans declared it the official cocktail of the city in 2008. This homemade style recreates the characteristic anise-and-cherry-bark profile using star anise, anise seed, and gentian to produce a versatile New Orleans-style bitters suited for Sazeracs, Vieux Carrés, and other Louisiana classics.
For a version closer to Peychaud's floral lightness, replace the caraway with dried chamomile flowers and reduce the star anise to two teaspoons for a subtler anise note. A Vieux Carré-inspired bitters can be made by adding one teaspoon of gentian and one split vanilla bean alongside the existing botanicals, producing a richer profile suited to stirred Cognac and rye cocktails. For a non-alcoholic bittering agent for sodas and mocktails, substitute food-grade vegetable glycerin for the vodka — extraction is less efficient but produces a gentler zero-proof bitters.
No common top-eight allergens. Contains high-proof alcohol. Star anise is not botanically related to tree nuts or peanuts despite the name, though rare isolated reactions have been reported — those with severe nut allergies should use with caution. Naturally gluten-free.