Fee Brothers Habanero Bitter

Habanero Bitter from Fee Brothers is a cocktail bitters built around habanero pepper, so it works as a seasoning for drinks, not a base ingredient or a sipping liqueur. Expect a bright, fruity pepper aroma with a heat that builds on the finish. The label doesn't list a sweetness level, but bitters in this style are generally unsweetened or only lightly sweetened. The effect is spice and aromatic lift, not sugar. Treat it like hot sauce and add it a dash at a time. One or two dashes is usually enough to give a drink a gentle warmth, and a third will noticeably raise the heat. Shake the bottle first, then dash into the mixing glass or directly onto the drink. Because the heat lingers, it's worth tasting after the first dash before adding more. The most natural use is in drinks that already have a pepper or citrus theme. A Margarita or Paloma takes it well, since tequila, lime and grapefruit all pair readily with habanero heat. A Bloody Mary or Michelada can use it in place of part of the hot sauce. It also works in a Old Fashioned made with rye or bourbon, where a dash adds a spicy edge to the sweetener and whiskey, or in a mezcal or rum sour. Two or three dashes in a Moscow Mule or a gin and tonic is an easy way to add heat to a long drink without changing the recipe. To serve, build the drink as usual and add the bitters at the end. Shaken drinks can take the dashes into the shaker with the other ingredients. Stirred drinks go in the mixing glass over ice before straining. A sugar or salt rim, or a squeeze of fresh lime, helps balance the heat. Outside of cocktails, a dash or two in sparkling water with lime makes a simple, spicy non-alcoholic drink.