This grapefruit bitters brings strong tart and dry taste. Its bitterness is quite mild, light and citrusy, not from herbs but from grapefruit peels only.
I’m not sure if my homemade grapefruit bitters can fully replace commercial grapefruit bitters. But definitely it will add some citrusy freshness and fine grapefruit bitterness to your cocktails’ aftertatse if you decide to use it.
Note that the homemade bitters has lighter flavour so don’t forget to increase its amount twice in comparison with appropriate commercial bitters.
This bitters’ recipe is based on original recipe by John Paul Deragon.
I’ve just adapted it slightly excluding gentian root unavailable in Russia and increasing grapefruit zest amount.
Ingredients:
- 200-250 ml grain alcohol (I used wheat alcohol 96%ABV),
- 20 grams grapefruit zest,
- 40 grams grapefruit peels with white pericarp,
- 10 grams lemon zest,
- 5 grams peeled and chopped ginger,
- 5 grams dried lavender,
- 1 gram dried mint,
- one pinch of dried lemon zest (optional),
- one pinch of dried lime zest (optional),
- one pinch of dried grapefruit zest (optional).
Cut grapefruit peels and ginger.
Then combine all ingredients in glass jar with tight lid. Liquid must cover all solids
Leave the jar in cool dark place for a week (at least). Shake once in a day.
Strain liquid through cheesecloth, squeeze solids. Pass liquid through a paper filter if you want to get more transparent product.
Heat three tablespoons of sugar at saucepan until it get caramelized. Then cool it and dissolve in bitters.
Then bottle bitters and let it rest for one more week.
