Cocktail Bitters - help me choose flavours

[Wadeski]

This week im going to make my own cocktail bitters. For those not familiar, they are the highly potent, highly flavoured drop added to many a great drink. Popular brand names and flavours incluce:

- Angostura Bitters
- Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
- Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters
- The Bitter Truth range of products

I have access to:

- 96% ABV grain neutral spirit
- A range of other rums, whiskies, brandies and gins ranging from 40% ABV to 67% ABV.

All that the local hippy healthfood shop and Whole Foods have to offer.

My plan is to make a four different infusions:
,
- A bitter one with Gentia, Quinine, Cassia, szechuan pepper, milk thistle seed
- A sweet one with orange peel, rosehip, vanilla, sugar
- A light one with lemon peel, fennel, cardamon
- a fking hot one wiht chilli and mustard seed

the aim is to infuse the lot in different jars, then blend something palatable for use in Gin & Tonics, bloody marys, manhattans, and even just a few drops in a jug of ice water. For health of course - one wouldnt want to get Malaria in SW5.

But do the PH megabrain have any suggestions for ingredients or flavours missing? Chocolate seems tempting ,but what would it balance with? Similarly hops, tea, and juniper. All very nice but kinda strong...

[Simpo Two]

Wadeski said:

This week I am going to get totally clattered

EFA

[morrisk1]

No useful suggestions here, however on a related note you may like makemeacocktail.com