What are Angostura bitters? Are they really bitter? Can you just leave them out?

Answer 1

They are very inexpensive, you get get them in the mixer section of your grocery store. Look for tabasco size bottle with a white warpper... I wouldn't leave them out, it really helps bring the flavors together believe it or not.

Answer 2

Angostura bitters, often simply referred to as angostura, is a concentrated bitters for food and beverage made of herbs and spices.

The recipe was developed in 1824 by German Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a Surgeon General in Simon Bolivar's army in Venezuela (more see Angostura Ltd).

Today, angostura bitters are produced by various vendors, some of which add the bark of the angostura tree (cusparia febrifuga), possibly merely to make it legal to put the word "angostura" on the label, which is a registered trademark of Angostura Ltd.

As angostura bitters are extremely concentrated, they are never drunk purely, but used to flavour drinks and food; usually only a few drops or splashes are used.

Angostura bitters are a key ingredient in many cocktails. Originally used to mask the flavour of quinine in tonic water along with gin, the mix stuck in the form of a Pink Gin, and is also used in many other alcoholic cocktails such as "Long Vodka", consisting of vodka, angostura bitter, and lemonade.

Sure, you can leave it out, but I wouldn't.

Answer 3

When added to drinks or other foods it has an aromatic sweet taste. I do not find it bitter. A little goes a long way. It is a key ingredient in the Manhattan Cocktail.

Answer 4

I use it in my Hungarian goulash, and my black tea...I love it...its a little bit like Underberg...

Answer 5

they're very bitter

Answer 6

also used for gas