Kelly Dressman, Dry Land Distillers alchemist, takes you on a short historical tour of cocktail bitters and how they are used in today’s cocktail culture. You’ll also see how she designs and crafts in-house bitters for their tasting room and cocktail program. Kelly will share her recipes and teach you how to make your own orange and celery bitters as you follow along from your own kitchen.
Dry Land Distillers, located in Longmont, Colorado, crafts their spirits on-site using native ingredients and heirloom grains suitable to the local ecosystem, like their Cactus spirit, a mezcal-like spirit made from local prickly pear cactus. Along with making their own spirits, mixers, and syrups, they make their own bitters, which Kelly shows in the video.
Check out the Dry Land online store to order if you’re in Colorado. If you have any questions about the bitter making process — or about anything else spirits related! — you can contact Dry Land Distillers here.
MATERIALS NEEDED
- Scallion
- Celery
- Celery seed
- Dried orange peel (2 large oranges worth, including pith)
- Whole coriander
- Whole allspice berries
- Cardamom pods
- Clove
- Mustard seed
- A clear, neutral spirit (like vodka, preferably 100 proof, but 80 proof will work)
- 2 airtight glass containers
