So when I was first struck with the idea for this blog, I hadn't started making bitters yet. Adding cocktails into the topics I would write about wasn't really even a thought, I had a different direction in mind. But then I got the bitters book and I went through a period of feeling like I needed to be doing something different, I needed a creative outlet and something that sparked a side of me apart from my brand consulting.

Two ideas emerged a book and bitters. This blog will serve as part of my drafting process for the book. The bitters will also be a process, I want to develop recipe that suits my taste and adds the perfect compliment to an old fashioned. There will most likely be another flavor or two, but an aromatic bitters for old fashioneds and manhattans is my ultimate goal

So far I've made 3 batches of the BTP Bitters in Brad Parsons' book. Today I will make the first batch with my own adjustments. I've actually been quite happy with the BTP bitters, but recently I made old fashioneds with our brandied cherries and the latest batch of bitters and they seemed to be missing a darker, spicy note.

So in this batch I added black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, ginger and wild cherry bark. I took out the sour cherries, anise, and gentian. While also increasing the amount of black walnut leaf and decreasing the amount of orange zest. I'll let you know how all of that works out in about a month.