Beijing Bitters: Ross Harris of Más Creates Beijing Themed Bitters

Bitters are like a spice cabinet for your bar top, and an easy way to take your cocktail creation to the next level by making it unique. All bitter brands are produced in countries outside of China and have a varying price depending on the scarcity and import tax of the product. Luckily for us, it’s not very difficult to make your own with locally-sourced ingredients from the supermarket, that produces a unique Beijing flavor worth exploring. Ross Harris of Más created this special recipe from local ingredients, along with two cocktails that you can use it in.
 

Beijing Bitters Recipe

12 whole hawthorns
Seeds from one pomegranate
Large knob of ginger, peeled and diced
Peel of one chouju (or any fragrant mandarin or tangerine)
3 tablespoons of Chinese brown sugar
5 cinnamon sticks, broken up
1 star anise
10 cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
1 large 500ml bottle of Erguotou

Place all ingredients in a large, heavy glass vessel. Using a Chinese rolling pin, crush ingredients very well. Once crushed, add the entire bottle of Erguotou and stir. Allow to sit for one week, shaking or stirring the mixture once a day.

After a week, it’s all ready to go. Strain everything using a fine mesh metal strainer, then to further eliminate small bits of debris, strain again using a paper coffee filter. You can then bottle and store in the fridge. Should stay tasty for at least half a year.

These bitters are actually pretty subtle. Very fruity and funky, they would work well with aged rum, bourbon, cognac, red wine or fortified wine. One could use them in a Sazerac along with, or replacing, Pechaud’s bitters. Flavor-wise, they pair with orange, cinnamon, grapefruit, apple, pear, and a variety of fall fruits.
 

“Kuazi” Sidecar

60ml cognac
15ml Grand Marnier
15ml cinnamon syrup
22ml fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Beijing bitters, or more or less to taste

Shake ingredients well with ice. Strain using a mesh strainer into a pretty cocktail glass. Add bitters directly to top of drink. The name is the Chinese name for a motorcycle sidecar, which was a common trend to see a couple years back in Beijing. (I wonder why they all disappeared?)
 

“Best Time to Visit”

44ml bourbon
60ml fresh pressed ripe bosc pear juice
7ml runny honey* 
1 lemon wedge 
1 teaspoon Beijing bitters, or more or less to taste

Squeeze lemon wedge into shaker and drop in. Add rest of ingredients and shake very well. Add more honey if you have a sweet tooth. Pour everything in an old fashioned glass and garnish with a pear slice. The name comes from that common expression that the best time to visit Beijing is autumn. 

*One part honey melted with one part hot water. Allow to cool before using.

Photos: Kipp Whittaker