Fee Brothers Plum Bitters

Fee Brothers Plum Bitters is a fruit-forward aromatic bitters, and it behaves differently from the Angostura-style bottles most bar shelves rely on. Expect stone-fruit character at the front: ripe plum and a touch of almond-like pit, set against the bitter-herbal backbone that defines the category. Bitters are not sweetened to drink. They are dosed in drops or dashes, so the sweetness a drink gets comes from whatever you mix it with. The plum note is there to add fruit depth without adding sugar or volume. Styles like this usually carry a gentle spice and a bittersweet finish, and the fruit tends to stay recognizable even in small doses. The most natural place for it is in brown spirits. A few dashes in an Old Fashioned made with bourbon or rye turns the usual orange-and-spice profile toward dark fruit. It also works in a Manhattan, where it plays well with sweet vermouth and a cherry garnish. Aged rum and brandy both take to it, so try a dash or two in a Sazerac-style build, a rum Old Fashioned, or a Sidecar that needs a little more fruit and structure. Plum is also a classic partner for gin and for sloe or plum liqueurs, where a dash helps tie the fruit components together. For dosing, start with two to three dashes in a spirit-forward cocktail and adjust from there, since a bottle this concentrated can overwhelm a drink if you are heavy-handed. In a shaken drink with citrus, such as a whiskey sour, one or two dashes are enough to add a plum undertone without competing with the lemon. The bitters can also be used in lighter drinks: a few drops in a glass of soda water with a lemon wedge makes a simple, dry, low-effort refresher, and a dash or two in a Champagne cocktail with a sugar cube gives it a fruitier edge than the traditional aromatic version. Bitters are measured in drops rather than poured, so serving temperature depends on the cocktail around them. Stir spirit-forward drinks with plenty of ice and serve them in a chilled coupe or over a large cube in a rocks glass. Beyond the glass, plum bitters can be used in the kitchen, where a few drops in a pan sauce for duck or pork, a fruit compote, or a vanilla ice cream topping bring out a tart plum note that pairs with roasted meats and baked fruit.