Even if your the bottles of booze you have on hand are limited, they are greatly enhanced by the addition of these flavorings which are used to spice and tart up your favorite cocktail drinks.

 

Angostura Bitters

Angostura aromatic bitters are a blend of rare tropical herbs and spices that is used to add a piquant flair to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Dr. Johan Siegert who used it as a digestive aid originally created it in 1824.

In the 1800’s, a cocktail was just not considered to be a cocktail unless it included some kind of bitters.

 

Horseradish

Keep a bottle of the white kind behind the bar to give your Bloody Marys and Bloody Ceasars an extra nip.

 

Orange Bitters

If you can get your hands on a bottle of orange bitters, then buy it. It was the original bitters that were used to spice up classic cocktails before Angostura Bitters came along. Only one company in the world, the Fee Brothers manufactures Orange Bitters, but the product can be quite hard to find.

 

Peach Bitters

If you are interested in topping off your Bellini cocktails correctly, then try to get your hands on a bottle of this too. Once again, the only manufacturer of Peach Bitters is the Fee Brothers Company.

 

Pepper

Keep this and salt behind the bar to season tomato or Clamato based drinks.

 

Peychard

While not nearly as readily available as Angostura Bitters, Peychaud is perhaps the second most common type of bitters in a well stocked bar.  It is most commonly found the Southern United States. It has a signature use in many brandy cocktails such as the Sazerac.

 

Pickle Juice

Pickle juice is used to add a counteract acidity in some cocktails but it really shines when added to a Bloody Mary or Bloody Caesar. It is a secret ingredient used by many bartenders to really create an unusual flavor.

 

Rock Salt

Keep a flat dish of rock salt mixed with pepper behind the bar to rim the glasses of your Bloody Marys and Bloody Caesars.

 

Sugar Cubes

Sometimes all a very bitter or salty drinks needs to improve the taste is a chunk of sugar dumped into the bottom of the glass.

 

Tabasco Sauce

Tabasco Pepper Sauce adds fire to Bloody Mary’s, Red Snappers and Bloody Caesars.  The drink three natural ingredients: fully aged red peppers, Avery Island salt and distilled natural vinegar.

 

Worcester Sauce

This salty condiment is used to add fire and savory flavor to tomato based cocktails.