Angostura Cocoa Bitters

Angostura Cocoa Bitters is a cocktail bitters from the Angostura line, listed here under Massachusetts, United States. It is a flavoring agent and not a drink to sip. Chocolate bitters like this are used a few dashes at a time. Expect a dry, cocoa-forward bitterness with some roast and spice behind it, and little of the sweetness of chocolate liqueur or syrup. This listing doesn't state the proof, the exact botanicals, or the bottle size, so check the label for those. The easiest way to use it is as a seasoning for spirits that already have some richness. Two or three dashes in an Old Fashioned make a good first try, especially with bourbon, rye, or an aged rum. The cocoa fills out the oak and caramel in the base spirit and adds a bitter edge that tempers the sugar cube or syrup. It also works in a Manhattan, where it sits well beside sweet vermouth and a cherry garnish. For a Boulevardier, add one or two dashes to deepen the Campari and bourbon. An Espresso Martini takes a dash on top or stirred in, which makes the coffee note taste more like dark chocolate. You don't need a shaker for it. Put a dash or two in a rocks glass over a large cube, add a good aged spirit, stir briefly, and finish with an orange peel. The orange oils pair naturally with cocoa. Bitters this concentrated can overpower a drink quickly, so start with a single dash, taste, and add more only if needed. It also works outside cocktails. A dash in a glass of soda water with a lime wedge makes a simple, dry, low-effort drink, and a few drops over vanilla ice cream or in a mug of hot chocolate add a grown-up bitterness to the dessert. Bitters of this style usually keep well at room temperature in a cool cupboard because they are used in such small amounts, and one bottle can season a lot of drinks.